Even though you may only have one or two engines on the move at one time, you will probably have others idling, so a stack bigger than 2 can be useful. Eg. you might have two trains 'on the line' (one moving, one in the hole somewhere) and a couple of switchers in different places that you work as and when you have time. In that case I'd set the stack to 4 (the PHPro is adjustable from 2 to 6) so I could quickly change between those engines. Getting the hang of the stack will take a few passes, but once mastered it is certainly easier than putting in a 4 digit address. Actually, one of my engines is #4 which as a single digit address is worse, cos I have to remember to put 04 in to tell it to use long address 4. If I just put 4 it takes it as a short address and leaves me thinking WTH
Sheldon: All the decoders in my loco have the BEMF function. This function allows the loco to maintain a constant speed up and down a grade. The "stack" will not relay info to the decoder to maintain a constant speed up or down a grade. The stack lists the loco's identity with a number. The loco number in the stack has all the functions that were programmed into that loco. Stay cool and run steam....
Another purpose of the stack is to remove loco numbers that are no longer used or have erroneously been added. If you use a loco and then sell it,you can remove it from the database . This is accomplished through the stack. It just lists all your loco's and their numbers. It will also list a consist which is more than one loco joined together and run as a consist. #34 in a consist might have four loco's. # 34 (consist number) is in the stack as well as each individual loco in the consist. Stay cool and run steam....
Funny thing is... I found an etailer that has the drop-in decoders in stock and very competitive with all other big name etailers. I ordered from them and then find out they are only 10 miles from my house. I could have picked them up onsite, but he already got them shipped off in the mail first thing this morning. (wow!) I only ordered them last night!
Well, I got my NCE Friday. Finally got my decoders today. Dropped them in in less than 15 minutes for both engines. Had them programmed in less than 10 minutes and was running 2 engines around the mainline is less that 30 total minutes! This is great. More news to come as I get used to this control and learn new tricks...
So, I've got siding that can be powered off on the inner branchline. I suppose I can park my DC locomotives on that and put a switch between my DCC system and my DC cab to go back and forth between the two? Or shall I just sell off my locomotives that can't be converted easily and go all DCC?
Sheldon: I would keep the older loco's and gradually convert them to DCC. You can also send them out to have them converted if you don't want to try the conversion yourself. How many do you have? Stay cool and run steam.....
All I have left are: EASY: Life-Like E8 (digiframe) Bachmann 4-8-2 Lt. Mtn. (I've got the DZ123 - gonna tackle it tomorrow at work - shhh) Hard(er): Bachmann Spectrum F7A/B (No idea how) Bachmann Standard 2-6-2 (converted 0-6-0) - Don't think this one will be possible
I was thinking of just ebaying the F-units because I'm really liking the Intermountain F3's. Not to mention the coffee grinder sound of the B'mann
You have to be carefully when you remove the shell from the Spectrum 4-8-2. It also requires some manipulation to get it back on again with the detail parts that run near the frame. The decoder installation is easy. You'll have an easier installation with the Lenz mini-gold decoder. The Digitrax DZ123 is on the long side for the available space . You must remove the weight and that gives you the space you need. I used Lenz 521W decoders for all my Spectrum Mountains. Have fun... Stay cool and run steam.....
With the NCE system, how do you specify the difference between the mainline and the programming track?
Sheldon: I have the Lenz 100. I would imagine you block off a small siding or separate section of track apart form the layout. With a small siding use plastic railjoiners on both rails to isolate the siding and then wire it accordingly to your programming terminals on the NCE system. The programming track must be isolated from the mainline. Stay cool and run steam.....
Yeah, but the NCE powercab system doesn't have specific programming track terminals. Only one set of terminals. Not too big an issue. I was very successful last night programming right on the main. Would definately like to have a designated program track though. I could build an engine facility structure over it, etc.
If you program on the main a loco number, you must remember to remove all other loco's from the layout, or they'all be reprogrammed with the same number. That's seems strange that your system doesn't have specific terminal for programming. Stay cool and run steam....
The NCE manual actually states that I can infact program even the decoder address on the main with other locos on it. I didn't do that last night, nor am I sure I would try that. But NCE says it can be done.
If I did that on the mainline, with 30 loco's sitting at rest and one to be programmed, all 31 would have the same loco number. That's the reason for a programming track. It isolates the loco that you're going to program from the rest of the layout and it's only used for programming loco's. I can Program on the mainline all CV's of a loco except the address (loco number).(CV1) In that case I call up a loco (Loco number) and then for example I can change for example the CV 3, CV 4 values on the mainline. Stay cool and run steam.......
