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Dcc Help!,, Track and electrical/DCC
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New member 19 posts Nana Peal New member 19 posts
Nana Peal

Help!!! I am relatively new to dcc I have a NCE Power Cab and am running an Atlas Ho Alco S2 #4. I have recently joined the NMRA BR in old Blighty. I have started going to my regions group where they run on a digitrax system. 

My S2 works fine on my home layout but when I take it for an operating secession on the digitrax it will not go at all. The first time I thought it may be because it was in yard mode so I switched it back to normal but that still did not work. Just back from the second operation day where it did not work except for the light coming on, tried it at home and again it worked fine.

Any body know what I am doing wrong? The guys at the club have tried but are stumped at present.
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Greg Williams GregW66 Prolific poster 1,309 posts
Greg Williams GregW66

Some beginning questions

What decoder is in the locomotive? Do you have DC mode turned off? What address is the decoder set to?
Greg Williams
Superintendent - Eastern Canada Division - NMRA
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Greg Williams GregW66 Prolific poster 1,309 posts
Greg Williams GregW66

Also

Make sure it is not part of a consist.
Greg Williams
Superintendent - Eastern Canada Division - NMRA
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George Sinos gsinos Prolific poster 1,224 posts
George Sinos gsinos

Address confusion

This page on the differing address ranges of command station brands if often useful.

The different brands have chosen to allow different ranges of values for long, short and consist addresses.

For instance, if you set your locomotive address to 9985 on your NCE system, it won't work on Digitrax.  Digitrax only recognizes long address between 128 through 9983. NCE will let you set a long address between 0 and 9999.

I'd keep a copy of this table handy when you're setting up locomotives that will be run on multiple brands.

gs

 
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Nana Peal New member 19 posts
Nana Peal

Extra info

This is an Atlas gold series the decoder is an ESU LockSound I have checked the DC mode is turned off. The address is 0004 and it has never been part of a consist. 
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author (RIP) 10,205 posts
David Husman dave1905

Address

Is the address 4, 04 or 0004?  It may sound silly, but I have seen where a long/short address has caused issues.

I would set the short address to 4 or 04 and make the short address active.  Selecting 4 or 04 on the Digitrax should work.  I have set the short address as active on all my 1-2 digit engines.

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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joef MRH Founder 18,581 posts
joef

Almost certainly in a consist

You almost certainly have your loco(s) in a consist at home. NCE has a very powerful consisting feature in the command station but by changing command stations you loose that (going to the club). The result is the loco won't budge. The brute force method at the club is to have someone program CV19 in your loco(s) to zero. At home, you can kill the consist the the loco is in, or at least delete the loco from the consist.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Read my blog
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m.ommering New member 28 posts
m.ommering

Speedsteps

Also make sure the number of speedsteps match the Digitrax system.

Best regards, Martin

my US timesaver site
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herronp Prolific poster 1,986 posts
herronp

Well, this whole discussion seems to blow holes.................

...............in DCC compatibility, doesn't it?  And here I thought all consisting and fancy stuff was done by the command station and not the decoder.  Good thing I am in O scale so I can't go and run my stuff at a club.  I'm missing a rail!!  LOL....................

Peter
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Nana Peal New member 19 posts
Nana Peal

Thanks Guys

Just been to the next operating session all now working fine. It was the difference between NCE and Digitrax long number range 0-9999 & 128-9983 respectively so by using the short number set to 04 it resolved the problem.

neil
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jimfitch Prolific poster 6,052 posts
jimfitch

  Well, this whole discussion

Quote:

Well, this whole discussion seems to blow holes in DCC compatibility, doesn't it? 

No, the only things that are compatible are the decoders the way I understand it.  Obviously the way those decoders are programmed is different between systems.  Now are you enjoying yourself?

D&RGW focus late 70's thru early 80's west of Grande Junction CO.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
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Bruce Petrarca Frequent poster 921 posts
Bruce Petrarca

NCE vs. Digitrax systems

An address with a leading zero on an NCE system is created as a long address. Such address will NOT be accessible on a Digitrax system.

On your PowerCab, set the short address to 4 and make that address active. You will know that you have succeeded when you can run your loco on your PowerCab using address 4, not 04. Then it will run on the Digitrax system on address 4, entered as LOCO SELECT> 4> ENTER on a DT4xx series throttle or as 0004 and then PLUG IN on a UT4 series throttle.

Bruce Petrarca, Mr. DCC; MMR #574
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