Question for Joe Fugate

[Anonymous]

Hi Joe:

I attended your sessions at the NMRA convention and I had a follow-up questions for you about DCC consisting. You indicated that you consist three locos, with center loco being a dummy unit equipped with sound. Yo essentially programmed each end unit identically, except that you programmed one to run backwards. You explained a lot of stuff like adding 128 to the cv unit of the loco that was programmed to run backwards. I understood everythjing that you said, but I do not understand why you have to go through all of this effort. I use an NCE system and programming a consist is very easy. I typically run three locos in a consist with the two end locos facing in opposite directions. The forward running loco is typically lit with headlights and ditchlights. Are you using an older DCC system that requires all of the extra programming or do your consists do more than run bi-rectionally?

[jfugate]

Jim:

I missed the question ... so I guess better late than never to reply?

The technique I am using for consisting allows you to put locomotives into two consists *at the same time*. I don't know how NCE works in a lot of depth since I have an EasyDCC system, and every system handles consisting differently.

I explained the approach to adding the locos to two consists because the method as I explain it should work with *all* DCC systems, regardless of how they handle consists as long as they allow you to at least make a consist in the command station, and your decoders will do advanced consisting.

If your command station will allow you to do the magic without having to program CV's, then go for it. The most important thing is for people to get the concept because for modern diesel operation, having your lashup double-ended works very well.

You can also do the double-ended trick using no CV programming with EasyDCC consisting, but then the only ones who would care would be those who have EasyDCC, if that's how I explained it.

But programming a single CV, like CV19 in this case, is really easy to do, and it works for every system. That's why I explain it that way.