With my new upcoming layout that I will be building will need helper service to transition to the second level of a two level layout, via a helper grade and helix. This procedure will be patterned after the real railroad helper service where I will keep a set of helpers at one location and they will assist all trains up to the next level, and then return back.
My question is: With programming all of my decoders for my individual engines, how do I program my helpers to assist all of my trains? Do I have to program all of my engines to be exactly the same so my helpers will be able to run equal will all trains?
What have you guys done that use DCC and Helper service?
I have digitrax and with the 400(double knob) throttle, I just put the helper engine on the other knob. It is really sweet. With a tripple header, it takes two throttles. I have not learned to consist yet, because I have no interest in that. One throttle per engine is the way the railroads did it with the big steam…
Depends on your DCC system. I would suspect you would want to consist where you are controlling the helpers as well as the main locos as one unit.
Peter
Actually I don’t have a system just yet. That is one of the other concerns that need to be addressed with this topic. I just want a system that I can program with my computer.
I dunno about any other systems, but my NCE ProCab lets you just add or delete an engine to or from a consist. It’s real easy, and sounds like just the ticket for this purpose. I’d suspect the new, less expensive PowerCab works the same way (the buttons look identical), but you might want to check that out.
hey zak i will talk to lee at mizell trains he real good at dcc stuff but i think he is more in to lenz. i run lenz and to me it’s a good system. we have ran up to 5 70 macs together i’ll see him tomorrow. i’ll get back with you some time sat
Another source of info is Tony’s at 800-978-3472 or 802-878-5005. They handle virtually all DCC systems, and are super at unbiased info and advice. I’ve heard similar reports about Litchfield station, but have no direct experience with them.
We regularly do the helper engines on my home layout as I purposely put 4% grades in and very few engines can take a train up the hill by themselves. I have 3 areas that have the helper engines on a short spur at the bottom of the grade.
The operators will select the helper engine on the left Knob on the Digitrax DT400 keypad, as the main train is on the Right knob. They then just move out of the helper pocket and start shoving on the caboose. I suggest to them to just push enough with the helper to bunch up the last 5 cars of the train and let the front engine pull most of the train.
They can easily see this as the Kadee couplers will bunch up the slack. They just keep adjusting both knobs as required to keep the train moving. When I am operating a train I usually apply more power to the front engine as the helper is actually the unit that will control the speed as the front engine will be slipping a little and the helper can then just push a little harder to keep the train moving.
Most of the engineers will add the helper on the rear of the train (but they can opt. to put it on the front too!) and I have the coupler modified so that it will not couple. As the helper gets to the top of the grade and the train can begins to continue on by itself the rear engine can just slow down and the coupler releases the caboose and the train can then continue on its way. The operator will then just back down on the Left knob and puts the helper in reverse and eases it back down the hill into the helper pocket and then dispatches the helper from the Left knob on the DT400 keypad.
If only one person is doing the combination of pushing and running the train they can just let the train set at the top of the hill as they back the helper down. If I have extra crew members then I can assign a helper engineer and they will do the pushing on the rear and the train operator runs the train. The helper operator then runs the helper back down the grade as the train continues on
To give a capsule summary, there are three typical ways to handle helpers under DCC:
Consist the helper to your train so that one person can run both engines. Pretty much all DCC systems can handle this. Some systems, such as EasyDCC, require you to do this from a main console. Digitrax, Lenz and NCE all have throttles available that will let you do this from anywhere on the layout, using the throttle when you pick up the helper.
Use a throttle that is capable of controlling two trains at once, so that you can control each locomotive or locomotive set independently. When you add the helper, you just call it up as a separate train on the throttle. Digitrax, Lenz and NCE offer throttles that can do this easily.
Have another engineer with his own throttle run the helper. Pretty much any system can support this.
I personally see each method as having its own advantages.
When there are enough people around to do so, I really prefer the third method, since it’s more like the way it was done in the real world most of the time, and especially during the steam era.
If I’m running solo and using a helper that is pushing on the rear of the train, I prefer the second method, since you usually need to adjust its speed independently to avoid bunching the slack or stretching the train enough to cause a derailment. I’ve had enough derailments when I tried to use a rear-end pusher consisted to the lead locomotive that I really don’t like to run that way- there are too many external variables that can affect one locomotive without affecting the other, so I really prefer to have independent control of the pusher(s) from the lead locomotive(s).
If I’m running solo and using a helper on the front end (such as on a passenger train), I’ll go with the first method and just consist the helper in. There are fewer consequences if something causes one locomotive to behave a little differently from another when both are on the front of the trai