I have an FT A-B set that will always run together which are currently defaulted to address 3. Might be a silly question, but can I leave the addresses both at 3 and consist them to run together. I have not tried this yet and wanted to post the question for some expert advice. thx, Chuck.
If they are on the same address they will get the same commands so not sure you need to actually consist as they should respond together to throttle and other commands. Also maybe think about changing them both to a different address if you want to go this route so that 3 is still free in case you buy another loco and want to run it out of the box on 3 for a bit. The down side is I don't see a way to speed match them if they are on the same number as I'd think they might be the same basically but not possibly run at the same speed at the same throttle setting. If they don't then I'd give them different addresses and speed match them and then build a consist with them. The wireless WiTcontroller is all I'm familiar with and it is easy to build a consist with it but it also assumes they are all speed matched. Hope some of that made sense and hopefully some will add to it that are familiar with building consists with different command stations. You might mention what you are using for a command station and throttle. Sumner
I do that a lot......usually with like numbered locos, like 95A,95B, 95C. I wouldn't leave them set at address 3 though, since any new locos you buy will come set at that address as well.......most people use the address of the lead loco. If you leave them at the same address, you don't need to consist them, they will automatically run together whenever you use that address.......I don't think it's possible to consist 2 locos with the same address because the system doesn't know which loco to alter if they have the same number. If you need the trailing loco to run in reverse, you will need to go into CV29 and add 1 to whatever the current number is. One downfall of running the group under the same address is some features won't "consist"......like headlights and sound . You actually should be able to set the pair on whatever you use to program, and set the address on both at the same time.
Sumner is right about the speed matching thing, but all the FTs I'm aware of come as AB sets so they should run together fine. I have a group of IM FTs (6) I use at club events (DC) and they all run fine together. I use them on long trains (100+ cars) with 2 AB sets on the front and a 3rd set mid train. They'll run for hours together with no issues (that mid train set can be a killer if they don't speed match). I have ABC sets of LL C-liners and they all speed match as well since they are all on the same chassis.
Thanks to all for your responses and tips. I hadn't considered speed matching mainly because I haven't run multiple DCC locos together before. I am converting some of my older locos to DCC and my Kato F7 ABA Warbonnet set is the first I will run together. The A unit is giving me grief however. The digitrax board installs easily and the unit runs great, until I put the shell back on! Lights out and no movement. I had just completed an Intermountain SD40T-2, Atlas GP7 PH2, and Micro Trains FT-A and thought the Kato would be a piece of cake.
I've been speed matching a little different that what I've normally seen but found out that others do this also. I don't match locos to one another I match them to my throttle. The $50 wireless WiFi throttle I made shows the speed steps in 0 to 126 steps. I speed match the throttles to the speed steps, 20 like above is a scale 20 mph, 60 is 60 mph and 100 is 100 mph. I put at top speed of 100 on since a few of my locos would run in the 90 mph range in real life. Most run in the 60 mph range so it is up to me to run the scale speed. Not prototypical for a throttle if you want it to operated like the throttle on a diesel but I like it as I don't have to try and guess at running a loco at 45 mph or not. Move the throttle to 45 and it is running a scale 45 mph. Since all of the locos respond the same way if I consist them and the throttle is on 45 they are all running close to a scale 45 mph. I now have my test track setup where it can all be switched between being the main or as a large program track. If it is switched to the program track I can throw another electrical switch and it is then connected to JRMI's Decoder Pro and the other way it is connected to the LokProgrammer. So I can easily switch between programmers. I do need to be careful that I don't have more than one loco on the layout when I'm programming another one. That isn't a problem as since this is a test track I usually only ever have one loco on the layout at a time. The power to the tracks in the center can also all be turned on/off independently if needed but rarely leave a loco on them. I know the distance around the oval and setup a spread sheet that has the seconds to make a lap at most speeds between 0 and 100 mph. Easy to time a lap and then set the speed trims on the loco on the layout so that the loco matches the throttle settings. I usually use DecoderPro for this and have all the locos with decoders in a roster there. The wireless throttle can also acquire any of those locos via the road number or from the roster. Really convenient. Sumner
The Kato F's use a plastic clip to hold the motor tabs on to the board, whether it be DC or DCC. Thing is, they are often loose after you removed them and use them again after you install the decoder. I always wonder if they are "one use" type of clips. What I and most people with issues that you describe, do is just solder the motor tabs on to the board and don't even use the plastic clip. Take a look at the install pictures here: https://drupal.tcsdcc.com/installation/n-scale/1637 https://drupal.tcsdcc.com/installation/n-scale/1632
I think I have a DCC gremlin messing with me. I assembled the locos to keep all the parts together while I let them sit for a day or two. When I set up my soldering gear preparing to solder the contacts as suggested I put them on the track while waiting for the iron to warm up. Both worked perfectly! Ran them forward, backward, with and without a string of cars and no issues. I also ran both together with the same default address and it worked fine as mentioned above. Thank you all again for the great insights and information.
I have an A/B pair of FTs, and I set both addresses to 126, which is their road number. I did modify the lighting settings for the B unit, and turned off headlight functions. Other than that, I didn't do anything different between the pair. If you have an A/B/A set, you can set normal direction of travel reversed for the second A unit.
I am still learning, but I prefer advanced consisting. I like that I can give a throttle to someone and the lighting functions will be correct based on direction of the consist. In my opinion it gives better control of functions from one input on the throttle. A drawback is keeping track of the advanced address numbers.
