When I try setting up a momentum value for any loco on my Power Cab I get prompted to type a value between 0 and 9. But whichever value I type in, nothing happens.
What should be done to get that work properly ?
Martin 4
Martin,
The only decoder I have that doesn't seem to take momentum changes from my Power Cab are Loksound. (I have to manually enter values into CV 3 & 4 to accomplish that.) All others (e.g. TCS, Digitrax) I don't have that issue.
You might try cycling power to see if that works.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I have a handful of diesels with loksound and I have not any problem using momentum. NCE writes to CV 3 & 4 to do that. My layout is not wired up at present to test if you need to cycle power, at the moment.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
After continuing testing I found a few minutes ago that the momentum function is working. What is confusing is that no value appears when setting it up as if nothing was happening.
You have to know that a level of momentum has been applied and remenber the value. Or set up the momentum each time you want to be sure of applyint it.
The Power Cab only asks you to enter a value of 1 through 9 (0, being the default) for the momentum level after pressing the MOMENTUM button. If there is a delay in starting out/slowing down then the values in CVs 3 & 4 have changed. You have to read the values of those CVs and divide by 8 to determine the actual momentum setting of your decoder. I generally keep the momentum value of my locomotives about the same - i.e. 16 or 24; that's 2 or 3 using the MOMENTUM button on the Power Cab.
Martin4You have to know that a level of momentum has been applied and remenber the value. Or set up the momentum each time you want to be sure of applyint it.
It's against my nature and maybe everyone else, but you should keep what you change on each locomotive. Six months later you will have no idea.
I think the momentum is not applied to the decoder setup; it is a momentary feature.
Actually, it is applied to the decoder, Martin. And to confirm that I ran a little experiment.
I took my Walthers SW7 switcher and checked the momentum CVs (3 & 4) in programming track mode. Each had a value of "24", which is equivalent to "3" using the Power Cab momentum button. Using the Power Cab I changed momentum to "5" and CVs 3 & 4 each showed a value of "40". I cycled power, turned the Power Cab back on, and checked CVs 3 & 4 again. Their values were still "40".
So, whether you use the momentum button or manually change CVs 3 & 4 to increase or decrease momentum, the CV values are retained in the decoder...until you change it to something else.
Thanks for the info Tom.
So CVs 3 and 4 are modified even without being in Program Mode ?
Correct. You can change them in either programming track mode, programming on the main mode (POM), or "on the fly" using the momentum button on your Power Cab. The locomotive will come to halt though if you perform the latter and it is already moving. It will then resume the set speed step using the new momentum values.
BigDaddyIt's against my nature and maybe everyone else, but you should keep what you change on each locomotive. Six months later you will have no idea.
Mike
As mentioned, I generally enter a momentum of 2 or 3 for my steam & diesel locomotives. All I'm looking for is the gradual/delayed transitions into the speed steps. I can mimic my own overall momentum by just using the fine speed buttons on my Power Cab.
tstageActually, it is applied to the decoder, Martin. And to confirm that I ran a little experiment.
that's interesting. thanks for doing/reporting this experiment
i would have thought it wouldn't be difficult for the power cab to simply send in/decreasing speed values.
it could have done something similar if there were grade buttons
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Lastspikemike Do you need ESU's proprietary software to read CV values? Lokprogrammer is it called?
Do you need ESU's proprietary software to read CV values? Lokprogrammer is it called?
No. You can read CVs by using the Program Track mode.
- Douglas
wdcrvrDoes changing the momentum setting change the rate of increase or decrease in the speed of the loco? So if you want to keep your locos from jumping into movement do you set the momentum at a higher level? Does higher momentum also mean that the loco will also take longer to respond to a reduction in speed thereby increasing the stopping distance needed?
Yes, that's it. You set the acceleration and deceleration separately.
I really like it. I have mine set fairly high. I can put in the top speed I want for the train and watch it start with a crawl and slowly reach the top speed. I like that.
I imagine some others would not like it, and would like to control each speed increase.
As Mike mentioned, the deceleration may make control a little difficult, but you can stop the train immediately by pushing the emergency stop button.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
Correct. Momentum increases the amount of time it takes to accelerate or decelerate to a given speed or come to a stop. So, the larger the value; the longer it takes your locomotive to speed up and slow down. And you can add as little or as much momentum as you want...or none at all. You can also program the CVs separately so that you have more momentum starting out than slowing down or vice versa.
tstage Correct. Momentum increases the amount of time it takes to accelerate or decelerate to a given speed or come to a stop. So, the larger the value; the longer it takes your locomotive to speed up and slow down. And you can add as little or as much momentum as you want...or none at all. You can also program the CVs separately so that you have more momentum starting out than slowing down or vice versa. Tom
Rich
Alton Junction
It's worth a consideration, Rich. It's nice being able to program a decoder at your workbench/kitchen table/toilet lid(?), etc) vs having to do it on your layout. I love being able to break-in a brass locomotive up in my study on a short piece of track outfitted with rollerstands...or bench-testing a decoder install to make sure everything is working properly.
The Power Cab's ammeter is also quite handy for monitoring the current draw of a locomotive motor. That's how I knew that the can motor in my brass PSC 0-8-0 switcher wasn't working properly. I think the power spikes would have eventually cooked the decoder had I left it in and not replaced it with the coreless motor. Now that locomotive draws a whopping 0.03A @ speed step 030 vs spikes of 0.9A and >.
LastspikemikeDo you need ESU's proprietary software to read CV values? Lokprogrammer is it called?
Depends. On the ESU groups.io they will tell you you need a lokprogrammer or decoder pro. If you just want to change the cab number, horn, momentum and minor stuff that is not true. However there are 1000's of CVs you could possibly change. If you want to tweek everything imanginable, then you do.
LastspikemikeWhen using momentum it is wise to find the F key for the brake. Often it's F10. The emergency stop button stops everything.
F10 is not the brake in Loksound decoders unless you have done remapping.
A certain amount of momentum is necessary to hear all the sounds offered in ESu decoders.
LastspikemikeWhen using momentum it is wise to find the F key for the brake. Often it's F10.
On the Power Cab and Pro Cab throttles it's a red octagonal button right smack in the middle. Hard to miss...
LastspikemikeThe emergency stop button stops everything.
LastspikemikeWhen using momentum it is wise to find the F key for the brake. Often it's F10
Martin4When I try setting up a momentum value for any loco on my Power Cab I get prompted to type a value between 0 and 9. But whichever value I type in, nothing happens.
Have you tried this with different controllers?
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Lastspikemike So how does an NCE user stop everything at once?
So how does an NCE user stop everything at once?
Water Level Route Lastspikemike The emergency stop button stops everything. Not true. On an NCE system, pressing the emergency stop once stops only the train called up on the throttle, not everything running.
Lastspikemike The emergency stop button stops everything.
Not true. On an NCE system, pressing the emergency stop once stops only the train called up on the throttle, not everything running.
Press the E-Stop button once and it stops your train.
Press the E-Stop button twice quickly and it will shut everything down.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
cv_acrPress the E-Stop button twice quickly and it will shut everything down.
Water Level Route cv_acr Press the E-Stop button twice quickly and it will shut everything down. Actually three presses for the Powerhouse Pro. The ProCab may twice. It would surprise me they would be different, but possible.
cv_acr Press the E-Stop button twice quickly and it will shut everything down.
Actually three presses for the Powerhouse Pro. The ProCab may twice. It would surprise me they would be different, but possible.
Well, now that you have demeaned the software and engineering skills of the NCE team, I can only say that there are thousands of perfectly satisfied NCE users out there.
In my case, 17 years of trouble free performance.
LastspikemikeNCE requires three discrete presses of the one red button to emergency stop the layout, except on their basic Powercab which requires the operator to have the presence of mind to not hit the emergency button but to unplug the power cord from the layout instead, either at the layout end or the throttle end. Technically speaking the Powercab emergency button is really only a brake button. That makes me wonder about the rest of the NCE interface, frankly. That's very poor engineering.
You can criticize the design but the interface for the Power Cab is very intuitive. And, if you were a Power Cab user you would intuitively understand that unplugging the 6-contact flat cable shuts down the entire layout because it's the command station, booster, and throttle all rolled up into one. Holding the Power Cab in my lefthand, I can probably disconnect the power cord from the base of the Power Cab quicker than hitting the emergency stop button.
Also, despite how you want to interpret what you read, the red emergency button on my Power Cab stops a locomotive immediately. The only difference is that the layout remains on. A brake usually results in coasting to a stop; quite different.
richhotrain Well, now that you have demeaned the software and engineering skills of the NCE team, I can only say that there are thousands of perfectly satisfied NCE users out there. In my case, 17 years of trouble free performance.
You can make that 16 years for my Power Cab, Rich. And I have zero regrets for purchasing it.
LastspikemikeWell, I did right away in fact. Confirms my opinion that software guys don't understand ergonomics at all.
that's not their job.
when i worked in the business terminals lab at Bell Labs, there was a human factors dept that evaluated ergonomics.
i doubt NCE has such a dept, but i feel they did a pretty good job