I have three DCC sound equipped steam locos on my layout but none of my diesel locos have sound, yet. All three steamers are equipped with early MRC Model 1627 (yes, even earlier than the 1629) steam sound decoders that I bought on clearance ($40 each) several years ago. Having since read all about what disasters MRC decoders are, I guess I’ve either been very lucky or the early decoders are far more reliable than the later decoders. Anyway, I was recently running one of these steamers when it suddenly made a relay-like clicking sound, all the lights went out, and it starting running in the reverse direction. It still ran and the sound still functioned, there were just no lights and it ran in the wrong direction. Thinking I had finally experienced an MRC decoder (partial) failure, I shrugged it off and figured I’d just have to select the opposite direction when running this loco from then on. Since this happened, I read an article on “saving” bad decoders. The article suggested that most “failed” decoders had not actually failed and simply needed to be reset to their default settings. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try so I looked up the CV defaults for the 1627 decoder (too old for a one-shot reset) and gave it a try. Bingo! Everything is back to normal and the loco runs perfectly again. No, the sound quality isn’t on par with current offerings but I’ll be hanged if I’m going to spend $100 per loco when I have yet to spend $100 for a whole locomotive. Besides, the kids that come over to run the steamers could care less that these decoders don’t sound like a home theater. They’re having too much fun running the trains!
Hornblower:
Good save!
I just learned a similar lesson about checking all the basics before you throw the locomotive at the wall (figuratively speaking).
I thought my NCE Power Cab was malfunctioning because my locomotives that were still set on the decoder default address of ‘3’ wouldn’t run. To make a long story short, I did rip out a decoder only to discover through the NCE-DCC forum that I was trying to run the locos on the long address ‘003’ instead of the short address of ‘3’. Many thanks to Chris on the NCE-DCC forum for pointing out my error. Now I have to get the decoder back into a Jordan Mack 15 tonner which will be a challenge. What is it they say - “look before you leap…”, “fools run in…”, “step back and take a deep breath…”, “patience is a virtue…”. They all apply!
Dave