I have a Digitrax DCS100 command station and a DT402D throttle. I model HO at the time when steam was still very much alive but diesels were beginning to make an appearance. I want to put together a two engine consist. How do I do that? Is the procedure the same for both steam and diesel? Thanks for your help!
Yes, the process is exactly the same, though it is unlike you will have one steam loco running backwards compared to the other - something very common with diesles where they get coupled up back to back so when there is no place to turn them around, the crew can just make the apporiate settings for the brakes and a few other things and move to the cab that is now facing the way they want to go and drive off.
Step by step instructions should be int he manual that came with the system. If you don't have it, the DT402D instruction manual also has the process for setting up a consist starting on page 43 of the throttle manual: https://www.digitrax.com/media/apps/products/throttles/dt402d/documents/DT402.pdf
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi Randy. Thanks for the information. I see in the throttle manual (thanks for sending the address, I’ll print a copy) there are three methods for building a consist. Which one do you think is best? I think I will be mostly interested in a consist that has a steam engine up front and a steam pusher at the rear.
Jack
Unless you have modified any of the settings of your command station, it will use the UniVersal Consisting. The main difference between option 2 and 3 is how the loco is considered "in consist". Option 1 is simply giving each loco the same address - pretty self explanatory, no use of the MU button is required, but getting functions to work right requires programming the decoder.
Option 2 uses the consist CV in the decoder, CV19. Think of it like a secondary or alternate address for the loco. When set, all locos with the same value in CV19 will respond to that address. How functions work depend on settings in CV21 and CV22. CV19 consist addresses also conflict with Digitrax short addresses (addresses below 128). So if you have a switcher #80, you can't use 80 in CV19 for a consist, or that switcher will move right along with the consist.
UniVersal, or command station consisting, is the Digitrax default. Nothing is changed in the decoder, when you add a loco to a consist, the command station keeps track of it and sends speed and direction commands to all locos in the consist. Function commands are only sent to the lead loco, but you can dial up the address of any loco in the consist on the second throttle knob and send function commands to it - it won't respond to speed or direction changes if you turnt he knob though.
The best way to do steam locos, especially if they have sound, if to get a second throttle and invite a friend over. Steam locos don't have MU connections, and it's only more recently that you could have a diesel on the back of the train controlled by the engineer in the one up front. Takes a bit of skill and careful handling of the throttle, but you have 2 independent engineers each controlling their loco to move the train. The one in front can't pull too hard, and the one in the back can't push too hard, have to balance it out. But that's part of the fun.
That's not saying you can'y just consist them and run both yourself - but the other thing you can do is use both knobs - one controls the front loco, one controls the rear loco. Another advantage of the DT throttles and their dual controls.
I need to get moving on my layout, this one will be big enough so I can do things like this. In my era, there weren;t too many steam locos left in active service, and they were mostly used as helpers. 4 diesels up front, F units in ABBA pulling a loaded coal train with a 4-8-4 pushing on the back. I really want to recreate that on my layout.
How the engines are connected to the train (and/or each other) would depend on what the situation is. If an engine is being added to the train temporarily as a helper to get the train up a steep grade, that engine would be put in front of the road engine, or at the rear of the train behind the caboose (unless the caboose didn't have a steel underframe, then the engine would be cut in between the caboose and the freight cars). If it was a 'true' doubleheader, where two engines were needed for the entire run, both engines would be up front. If they were steam engines, generally the smaller / lighter one would be in the lead.
I have a Digitrax system, and I must say that consisting is a lot simpler if you use the Wifi system and phone App. Once the engines are speed-matched (and it does not need to be perfect), it's a matter of pushing two buttons on the phone. And you don't need to have the same address for each loco.
Simon
If they are always going to be run together why not just give both engines the same address like the lower number of the two?
Difficult? Select lead loco on the right throttle. Select second loco on left throttle. Press MU+.
You just made a consist.