I decided to revive this thread based upon new information that I received on the NCE-DCC forum on Yahoo groups.
Brad (tallcapt) posted the final reply to the original thread, but it seemed to go unnoticed, particularly by me. But, Brad got it right. CV19 is the key to Advanced Consisting with BLI Blueline locos.
I had been using Old Style Consisting with my NCE PH-Pro system, but Old Style Consisting has its own problems, so I wanted to go back and try Adbvanced Consisting.
I recently read that there was a workaround. Here is a description of that workaround.
The workaround is to create the Advanced Consist using your Power Pro in the usual fashion, but to write down the consist address chosen by your Power Pro. You then have to use Programming on Main to manually program the consist address into CV19 of each loco. If the loco is reversed in the consist, you need to add 128 to the consist address (e.g. a loco facing backwards in consist 126 needs a value of 128+126=254 in CV19).
To clear the consist, use CONSIST CLEAR on your Power Pro and then use Programming on Main to manually set CV19 of loco 126 (or whatever your consist address is) to 0. This should clear all locos with consist address 126. If it does not, you will have to do each one individually.
To drop one loco from the consist, use CONSIST DEL on your Power Pro and then use Programming on Main to manually set CV19 of the dropped loco to 0.
This workaround worked for me. I hope that it will be helpful to others.
Sorry, but this does not seem correct to me. CV19 is a consist address and has nothing to do with direction. If you put 254 in CV19, then the consist address for that loco is 254.
Now, if you really added 1 to some value in CV29, then I’ll agree that you changed a direction.
I actually have not tried that part yet, so far just running the two F7As in forward. That excerpt is a verbatim quote from the NCE forum member offering the advice. I will have to try it and report back.
However, since consist numbers range from 1 to 127, my understanding is that this will work to recognize reverse direction.
Rich
Edit Note - Here is what Tony’s Trains has to say about it.
Advance Consisting is a newer method and has added more flexible. It can also be the most confusing. This method uses the decoder to do all the work and the Command Station only sends out a single command for each operation. The key to Advance Consisting is CV-19. A decoder knows it is in a consist when the value in CV-19 is greater than zero. Advance consists use an address range of 1 to 127 (decimal). Some system only use 1 to 99. This is the same address range as used by 2 digit addressing. This can also cause a conflict if you have a locomotive on layout using the same 2 digit address as used by a consist. The consist address is stored in bits 0 to 6 of CV-19. Bit 7 is used for direction control of the locomotive while in the consist. Bit 7 has a “weight” of 128. If a consist address is 10 then a locomotive facing backward would have a value of (128 +10 =) 138 in CV-19. This is the way the decoder knows which direction to run when it receives a consist
Based on this information, you are correct. I forgot that consists are only up to 127. I have NCE also, but I don’t normally worry about entering the consist number manually. I just let the system take care of that. Maybe with the BlueLine thing manually is the only option.
If you are simply talking about consisting with CV19, then indeed you add 127 to the value to make it run in reverse - IN THE CONSIST. NCE should do this automatically though when you consist them back to back.
If they are drawbar connected and permanently assigned the same address, then just set CV29 different on one. Or swap the motor wires so it always runs backwards. If you want the lights to work correctly you will have to adjust the basic directional lighting CVs. I did that for my GP7’s that run back to back on the same address. Since they have lights on both ends, I set them up so the rear lights won’t go on on either one, and the appropriate front light comes on depending on the direction of the consist.
maxman, I do the same thing as you. Just let the system take care of it all.
These two F7A Blueline locos are the only Blueline locos that I own and I bought them with the intent of always running them together in a consist with the two dummy B units sandwiched between them. But, Advanced Consisting has always created problems with the Bluelines because of the dual decoder set up. One thing that I like to do is to break the consist to turn each AB set around on a turntable. But breaking the consist and rebuilding it with Bluelines is a project in itself. That is why I am looking for workarounds that permit Advanced Consisting without losing the sound and lights.
Someone should undertake a thorough study and analysis of the consisting issues. Tony’s Trains has come close, but there are other workarounds not covered in their analysis.
NCE does. In the after market motor decoder, N14IP, CV19 is automatically updated. The problem is the BLI-installed sound decoder which does not update CV19. That’s why you have to do it yourself with POM. Apparently, BLI never bothered to consider Advanced Consisting even though the Blueline F7LABC was marketed as a consist.
Randy, you raise an interesting point. If there is no consist, the two Blueline F7A locos have the Mars light lit and the dual headlights below the Mars light brightly lit. But if I set up a consist with the two locos, the dual headlights are extremely dim although the Mars light stays lit brightly.
Someone on the Yahoo forum said that you have to add appropriate values to CV21 and CV22 to get the headlights to work properly. What would be the appropriate values? And, why are the headlights so dim when an Advanced Consist is set up? Are the two decoders not working together properly?
Odds are pretty good that both decoders don’t program - though when doing things like consisting on the main it certainly can’t be because of lack of power. Unless the two decoders have somehow gotten their addresses out of sync - though that should be pretty obvious when running the loco singly, because you’d be able to control speed and direction witht he address dialed up but not the horn or bell or other triggerable sounds.
Have to look at a chart, but CV21 and 22 are standardized, different bit values determine which functions are active in consist, so you also have to know which function the mars light is on - headlight is going to be F0. It’s something I don’t use, since I don;t do CV19 consisting, but I think a value of 255 in both would just make ALL functions active in consist.