Greetings -
I was soaking in the bathtub today and musing about the unusual decoder set-up I have in my Con-Cor NYC Aerotrain. Before I ask my question, let me give you a little background.
A few years ago I found a really good deal on a new 3-car Con-Cor Aerotrain and 3-car add-on set. It's a very nice model of the prototype, looks good, and operates very smoothly. It even has a gyralight feature for the front headlights. What I was disappointed to find out was that that feature was NOT available for the rear taillights on the observation car. So...I determined to come up with a solution for that.
In the locomotive I installed a Loksound Select micro 8-pin decoder and a speaker in the add-on sound car. In the observation car I successfully installed a TCS FL4 (function-only) decoder, which adds and controls both gyralights on the rear end.
To make it work, the F0F & F0R traces on the observation car PCB for both taillights were cut, as shown in the following scematic:
The two decoders are programmed to the same address (1001), with F5 & F6 remapped so that they work in tandem when I activate or deactivate the gyralights on either end of the train with my NCE Power Cab throttle.
The following two YouTube videos demonstrate all the options and which function buttons are used to activate or deactivate the gyralight feature (Vid 1) and what it looks like when both gyralights are activated on both ends (Vid 2):
Vid 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=677jg_b4RqM
Vid 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c08aqm47rfI
That got me to thinking: What if sometime down the road I need to reset the decoders?
I have the CV settings for both decoders stored in Decoder Pro. While both decoders are programmed to the same DCC address (1001), in order to store them separately in Decoder Pro, the Loksound Select is labled "1001F" and the TCS FL4 "1001R" in the ID column. However, if I try to read decoder "1001", I'm guessing I'm going get a conflict because there are two decoders with the address of "1001"
Okay, here's what I think I just found out I have to do:
The cars are electrically connected to one another and to the lead unit via built-in connectors, which snap together with magnets. The individual cars only light when connected to the lead unit. That caused me to postulate that the observation car might not pick up power by itself. However, I placed the observation car on the programming track and was able to read it using Decoder Pro.
So, long story: What started out with the intention of being a query ended with me able to answer my own question. I don't know if this would be true in all situations where both decoders have the same physical address. However, it works in this situation.
FWIW,
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
A bath! What a luxury I haven't had a bath in years! Thankfully, a daily shower, though
I was in what might be a similar quandry with my Chicago and North Western push-pull commuter train. For quite a few years I ran it with a silent Digitrax decoder in the E-7 and the tail car had a Tsunami Soundcar decoder in it to sound the horn, bell and markers or headlight depending on direction.
I finally got it all figured out including directional markers on both 'ends' of the train and directional headlight and rotary beacon. I could sound the horn and bell in the cab car and since the locomotive was silent I need not worry about the horn or bell there.
So that all changed when I treated myself to a sound equipped (IIRC Tsunami2) FP-7 and retired the E-7. So now I needed directional control over the bell and horn along with the headlight, Mars light, rotary beacons, markers and, yes, even the interior lights!
The saving grace turned out to be assigning a consist address in CV 19, 21 and 22. Somehow I muddled through it and got the lights and sounds working by using the check boxes in Decoder Pro and I can save each piece of rolling stock, the FP-7 or Cab Car as a separate JMRI file. I'm really just now beginning to sort out all the advantages in advanced consisting but, by golly, I'm going to figure it out, somehow!
Maybe advanced consisting will help you when programming your AeroTrain?
Good Luck, Ed
Interesting idea, Ed. Definitely something I'll look into should I do this again in the future.
Thanks,
tstageHowever, if I try to read decoder "1001", I'm guessing I'm going get a conflict because there are two decoders with the address of "1001"
Then don't use the read decoder option. When you open up Decoder Pro, you should get a page listing all the entries (each engine) you've entered. Just click on the one you want to program and it should open up that one. If you can just put the one / part you want to program on the programming track by itself, there should be no problem doing the two separately.
Hi Stix,
I believe I came to that very conclusion right after the paragraph you quoted...
That is the purpose of the Decoder Lock. You can program one decoder without causing issues on the second decoder sharing the same address.