Thanks for all of your replys to my post last evening. I tried everything you told me to no avail. What you all seem to miss is the fact that I have two decoders. A TCS for locomotion, and a Digitrax for sound. Should both decoders have the same address? If so, how do you program them individually?
BTW, I got the mogul running by disconnecting the UT-4 throttle and running on the Zephyr only. I still don’t know why this is happening. The UT-4 works on my BLI locos. ???
BB
PS hi Tweet
Why 2 decoders? I know very little about this stuff and find it hard to learn, but it would seem that two decoders would be confusing to the computer. I will follow this thread, because sooner or later it will happen to me and maybe I will remember what you learned.
If I understand it right - one decoder is 1 or 2 function (ie direction and lights) and the other is sound-only.
I think that they need seperate addresses - unless they use different functions for their features.
That clarifies things a bit. An expert will come along, but here is what I think I’ve read.
You can do it either with two addresses, and run them as a consist, or you can use the same address for both. Some decoders (and I’m guessing a little here), probably the sound one, have a CV that lets you lock them. So you can lock one, while you program the other. IT might not really matter, since you won’t care if the sound decoder tried to run the train, or if the motion decoder tries to make sound (since it won’t know how anyway).
Now that the problem is more clear, I’m sure one of the sound decoders gurus will be able to help more.
I believe that Spacemouse is familiar with this dual decoder setup, and will hopefully address your question, Bruce. You could also send him an email.
Some sound decoders have good sound but end up having less-than-desirable “motor skills”. (I think a few Soundtraxx decoders are that way.) Hence, this is the reason for going with two decoders: One strictly for sound and a separate one for the motor and lights.
I agree with NeO6874. I think that you’ll need two different addresses to run things properly. Otherwise, the decoders would end up fighting one another on the motor controlling aspects…
Tom
But only one of them is hooked to the motor, so the other one can drive all it wants, it isn’t going to matter…we await an expert…
although, wouldn’t the decoder be drawing extra power? or is the amperage that is being drawn based solely on motor draw?
also, having extra electricity going through a circuit is never good, especially for sound… thats why addon soundcards (for computers) will always sound better than the onboard soundcards - there’s less EMI.
though I don’t know if this would actually be a problem with the decoders…
I think little or no extra power, since there would be no current draw. I think the same thing would pretty much apply to extra noise, as well, at least if that is a problem you shouldn’t spen the kind of money they want for those things! It just seems to me that the easiest way to run a locomotive is with one address, whether there is one two or ten decoders in it. And having to set up a consist everytime you use it, or visit another layout seems like an inconvenience that just shouldn’t be. I’m off to do a little research…
I didn’t read all of this, since I am not worried about this, myself, yet. But here is more info than you can shake a stick at: http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/dual-decoder-inst.htm
The Soundtraxx DSX series are sound-only, but the Tsunami, ESU Loksound, and the new Digitrax sound decoders all have decent (Digitrax) to really great (ESU) motor drives. Far beyond the old Soundtraxx DSD decoders.
The EASIEST way to operate is for them both to have the same address. Since the Digitrax sound decoder has full motor drive functionality, there will be a lot of CV overlap. The easiest way to program this is to use some miniature connectors like those sold by Miniatronics to connect the track feed to each decoder. Simply unplug the one you don’t want to program. Or a pair of submini switches to turn each decoder on and off - but the plugs will be smaller. If the TCS decoder is a T-series or an MC series, it has a plug on the deocder end, as does the Digitrax sound decoder - you can just unplug the decoder you don’t want to program.
If you use two different addresses, you will have to consist them each time you run that loco so the sounds work with the motor decoder.
–Randy
When I have separate motor control and sound decoders in anything, I always put them on the same address – otherwise, you need two throttles to control one locomotive or must continually switch back and forth between two addresses.
Depending on your DCC system, you may be able to reprogram both at the same time by just reprogramming the locomotive address and skipping everything else, since you only need to change the sound decoder’s address.
If your command station won’t allow you to do that, lock the TCS decoder and then program that decoder’s address into the sound decoder.