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DCC locomotive won't move, lights work

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  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Monday, December 27, 2021 7:35 PM

I went back and looked at the instruction sheet for installing that decoder. It's a bit weird. I am going to change my guess to the motor clips as the problem. There may be insufficient contact between the motor clips and the motor contacts.

Here is the pertinent installation instruction:

Install the DN163K1C decoder by tilting it slightly as you insert the front corners into the forward frame clips. Press the decoder motor clips down over the motor contacts and slide the decoder board forward so the board’s corners are under the frame clips.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, December 27, 2021 7:03 PM

Salad
Hello all, and merry Christmas! I was recently setting up an NCE powercab and I installed a decoder in my locomotive

That doesn't sound like the OP has advanced to the point of having consists.

I vote for the motor tab contact.  That presumes the loco ran before he/she/they/them installed the decoder

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Monday, December 27, 2021 5:38 PM

CSX Robert

Another possibility is either the command station thinks the decoder is in a consist (and therefore not sending motion commands to the decoder address) or the decoder has CV19, the consists address, programmed (causing the decoder to ignore motion commands to the decoder's address). 

That would be my guess as well.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    September 2020
  • 432 posts
Posted by JDawg on Monday, December 27, 2021 5:34 PM

Did you cycle track power after programming? I would assume so, but I have found that so, so, so many issues are resolved that way. 

JJF


Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing. Smile, Wink & Grin

Yesterday is History.

Tomorrow is a Mystery.

But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present. 

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Christiana, TN
  • 2,134 posts
Posted by CSX Robert on Monday, December 27, 2021 2:09 PM

Since the lights work, the decoder is obviously making contact with the frame.  The most likely problem is simply the decoder not making contact with the motor tabs.  With those decoders when you seat the decoder in the frame you have to make sure the motor tabs are inside the tabs extending down from the decoder.  Another possibility is either the command station thinks the decoder is in a consist (and therefore not sending motion commands to the decoder address) or the decoder has CV19, the consists address, programmed (causing the decoder to ignore motion commands to the decoder's address).

  • Member since
    November 2021
  • 6 posts
DCC locomotive won't move, lights work
Posted by Salad on Saturday, December 25, 2021 11:08 AM

Hello all, and merry Christmas! I was recently setting up an NCE powercab and I installed a decoder in my locomotive (KATO N ES44AC CP). After setting it all up the locomotive would not move! No matter what I tried, I reset the decoder (CV8), and looking online did not help. I honestly have no clue what is wrong. The locmotive receves commands to turn on lights and stuff, but no movement!! The decoder is a Digitrax DN163K1C. 

Tags: DCC , Digitrax , DN163K1C , help , NCE , PowerCab

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