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Being dissatisfied with the action between the two units I brewed a pot of coffee and immersed myself into the online PDF manuals availible from QSI Industries. I used the Version 3.1 PDF's because I was not absolutely sure if the chips in my units are Q version or Q1a version (Those PDF manuals are version 4.1 and beyond)The manuals that came with the Proto units showed a exploded diagram. They also inlcuded a warrantry card although I have no idea what the serial numbers represent on them. The two warrantry cards had a serial numbers of: A084 and A038. Now I can think... oh those are numbers 38 and 84 in a total run of... how many? In the past you recieved information such as unit number 5 in a run of 300 particularly in brass years ago.I think they left the total run out to keep us from knowing how many total were produced or something.Anyhow.Back to the two units fighting each other. I settled down and did a CV reset on them. The Proto Packing came with a tiny Reed Magnet which will be familiar to previous owners of QSI Reed engines. I dont do reeds. The CV Reset values were:CV49 = 128CV50 = 255CV56 = 113when completed you need to hear the spoken word "Reset" when finished.Discovering the provided proto manual for DCC programming to be rather thin and model specific, I turned to the online PDF manuals from QSI and dug out a old BLI desiel manual for QSI engines as well.Both engines were confirmed to respond to address 03. Then one engine at a time set on the program track and the DT400 sent into program "Po" mode on the display and I entered the values 24 for engine 1424:ad2 = 24 on the DT400 throttle display.I did the same for engine 28 (Engine 1428)I selected 24 to be the lead engine and 28 to be the end helper. They are to always run together with the passenger train.I broke out a index card and wrote values down as I programmed them. I learned the hard way to always write the values going into that engine in real time. No one is ever going to recall all the dozens of different values.I programmed engine 24 with CV 21= 251 and CV 22 = 31;  engine 28 with CV 21 = 252 and CV 22 = 20That should make the engine 24 "Lead" and engine 28 "End Helper" There is a MID helper CV but Im not addressing that today. There are no B units availible for the B&O. (Dont really need it anyhow.. 4000-5000 HP availible with the two A's) The End Helper is also understood as the rear engine.The manual went more deeply into each of the 8 bits and introduced more CV's and options for those who have steam helpers that might be double headed and shining the reverse light against the train it is pulling. I left it alone for now... more on that later.Now the surging between the units.There are three different way to "Drive" these units:0 = Standard Throttle Control1 = Throttle Speed Control2 = Regulated Throttle ControlThe default is number 1 for throttle speed control. I set both units to RTC this way:Regulated Throttle ControlCV 49 = 4CV 56 = 2I didnt understand what 49 did yet but was recommended by the manual.Both engines started trying to work together at this configuration until one will hit something or speed up dragging the other one. Both engines then attempted to find the new common speed. It was better than the Speed control but still not good enough.With Speed control, both engines sorta marched off and if one was slower.. oh well! That slow engine gets dragged and the decoder constantly tries to find the correct speed. Not working well for me.Speed Control (Default for the E units)CV 49 = 4CV 56 = 1Now I thought back to the old Blue Box Athearns, those engines ran reasonably well because the motors, gearing, wheels and track condition was very close to each other.With that in mind I put both E units into Standard Throttle Control. Both decoders will march off disregarding each other outside of the Consist. Maybe one unit will stumble on a spot of dirt on the track but that is why I run two units or more.The surging disappeared pretty much 90% I think also with the Standard throttle control, I dont get the Resistance to speed changes or grade changes as offered by RTC.CV 49 = 4CV 56 = 0This is for the option to configure Standard Throttle Control.At this point I decided enough programming for one day.Both engines were then consisted to each other, direction verified and both throttles of the DT400 carried one engine. Selecting one engine (Usually the right throttle) will operate the entire consist as one unit.Once in a while I needed to stop the consist and drive it "Backwards" so I select the left throttle for the rear engine, turn on it's headlight and turn off the right throttle for the lead engine's headlight to either off or dim.I have not learned the CV's necessary to allow this consist to do that automatically on a direction change.I built and uploaded the video a short time ago. I find this site to be pretty fast in uploads and not so fast in streaming. You might want to pause it until 100% of it is loaded. <a href="http://www.dropshots.com/FallsValleyRR#date/2007-10-19/18:53:29">http://www.dropshots.com/FallsValleyRR#date/2007-10-19/18:53:29</a>
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