I recently pruchased two Amtrak locos from Walthers.
Both are F40PH locos. #401 has a ESU 5 (I think) sound decoder and the other, #404 was simple DC into which I installed a Digitrax DH126MT decoder.
I installed the latest version of JMRI and JAVA on my computer and connected it to my Digitrax DCS52 Zephyr Express via the Loco Net and a RR-Circuits Loco Buffer-USB.
I cannot program The ESU decoder at all. Not with the features built into the DSC52 or via individual CVs. I have tried both the paged method (recommended by ESU) and direct method programming with not results.
I installed the DH126MT 21-pin decoder in #404. I did manage to change the address from 3 to 404, but nothing else seems to work. No lights and the direction of travel is wrong.
I've checked all of the connections and cleaned the programming track. No luck.
The JMRI program comes up and displays the locos in roster entry but thats about it for both.
Any suggestions, help, would be appreciated.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Allan,
I purchased one of the new Walthers Mainline SW7s and it came with an ESU "Essential" sound decoder. (It's an OEM decoder from ESU made specifically for Walthers SW7) I'm going to presume that the one in the F40PH is the same decoder except it has the appropriate sound files for that locomotive.
I'm not sure why you are having programming issues though. I didn't have any problems programming the address with my Power Cab and lights & sound worked.
Are you getting a "Cannot read decoder" error message with #401? Or, are your changes just not taking?
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Since you have a DCS52, you don't need the LocoBuffer. The DCS52 has a built-in PR4.
Having said that, I agree with Tom. In order for anyone to help, you'll need to post EXACTLY what steps you're taking to try programming, EXACTLY what responses/errors/etc JMRI is giving you (use copy/paste, not "in your own words"), and EXACTLY what the loco does/doesn't do.
P.S. If you tell JMRI to read the type from the decoder, it will automatically pick the best programming method (direct, paged, etc) based on your command station's abilities and the decoder type.
P.P.S. You may also want to post in the JMRI users list on groups.io. The folks who actually write the JMRI code hang out there. If anyone knows, they do!
I still haven't figured out what the problem is with JMRI. But I have managed to 'make-do' with the DCS52.
On #401 with the ESU decoder, I have managed to change the short address using the DCS52. I have also turned down the sound to more comfortable level. But the decoder doesn't respond to the 'quick decoder set-up at all.
With #404 with the Digitrax decoder, using the Digitrax CV guide, I have set the loco address, changed the direction of travel (CV29) and gotten the lights to work right. I still have to put in a simple speed table to match it with 401. But the decoder doesnt respond to the 'quick-setup' with any reliability.
Not sure why. I've cleaned the programming track and checked all of the connections as well. Nothing seems to be wrong. Just not getting the response I was/am used to with my old DCS Zephyr.