Call me stupid or whatever, but I set up a program track and have a deisel decoder equipped.I set up a peice of flex track and connected the wires to the program track on the MRC Prodigy.I’m reading the back of the controller and I press buttons and give it an address but nothing else happens.Can some one smarter than me help me out her?Tell me in simple language how to get the loco to move.
The Prodigy is showing numbers on the screen.I was reading another post on the same page here.The wire I used for the program track is the same size used for the running of DC to the power pack.Don’t know what guage that is, but for the feedere wires for DCC I know I’m supposed to use 22 guage wire and at least 14 for the buss wires.
I am not familiar with the Prodigy specifically, but generally nothing will happen. This is putting an electronic signature onto a chip inside the locomotive. There is nothing to “happen” that you can see.
The locomotive will never move on the programming track. It has to be moved onto the “real” track. There will be another output from the Prodigy for the non-programming track.
If I remeber the Prodigy correctly (I’ll look when I get home) there is one output, but a switch that selects the programming mode, so ideally you’d add an external switch to disable the main when programming is selected. For now, just put one loco on the track, and don’t sorry about that.
Select the programming position on the Prodigy, select an address with the dial, and press the Program address button. Hold it down. The light should flash, and the motor should give a tiny hiccup. You can only do this with the controller pluggeded in to the first port on the Prodigy.
Then move the program switch to the run position. You’ve already got the address selected, so you should be able to control the lights, and their direction, crack the throttle, and you are off!
I put the wires on the screws for the program track and gave the first SD-35 an address.I switched the wires to the main track and it worked and it moves.I got another new decoder in the mail yesturday for another SD-35 that I have.I put it in and put it on the program track and then switched the wires to the main track.Nothing happens, zilch nada.I don’t see where I did anything wrong.
Was the new address for this second engine an “extended” address…a number higher than 127? If so, you must do an additional step of letting the decoder know to use the extended address. Set CV 29 to either 34 or 38 and see what happens. If I am correct, when you dial in the new address after this new setting for CV 29, you will get movement…IF the power is getting to the tracks and thence to the decoder.
I don’t know much about the prodigy systems, but which one do you have? Express or advance?
Could just be a bad decoder.
I think he has the original Prodigy. So most of the questions don’t apply!
But we need to know for sure.
Did the loco jump when you assigned the new address? Did you try running on address 3?
The first SD-35 that had the decoder equipped works fine and the addy is 0003.I programmed the other SD-35 at 0004 and nothing.It took me awhile to put the thing together last night because I had a hard time closing the two sides in so the cab would fit it.
The loco won’t move on the program track - you have to move it to your main track after programming
Try and reset your SD-35 ADD 4 to factory defaults, in case other values are causing greif. It will go back to ADD 3, test it. If issue still present, re-check your install.
Allways good to check a new decore before installing it.
If you have everything hooked up right from your Proidgy to the program track you might need a programming track booster. I couldn’t program my BLI locos with my PA on the program track until I added one. DCC Specialities makes a good one and you can get it for about $50. I haven’t had any probelms since I installed it. Also, MRC has a very good tutorial about programming with the Prodigy Advance. You can go to their website and download the “Tips and Tricks” article.
What I have is a MRC Prodigy Express.I just have a peice of flex track on the table to program a couple of locos.Then I switch the wires over to the main track to run them.The wires I’m using just to program and run these are the pre wired connectors to give power to the flex track.This is probably not heavey enough.Someone mentioned getting a boost.Which website should I go to and do I need one just to program?
Short leads between your unit and the flex track (22 gauge) is perfect. it does not require high current to program or run at this time.
If you could program one loco, the booster may or may not help you. I have a PowerPax booster from Tony’s Trains and it works with some and not at all with others. The locos nudge forward to acknowledge but refuse to be programmed. On those were it works, I remove the PowerPax booster and I can still program the ones that worked.
back to your situation.
On the program track, can you read the decoder at all ?. Does it nudge forward when you try to read it ? . It is suppose to nudge forward during programming because this is how the station knows the loco is responding.
You may have a dead decoder. Have you tried a reset to defaults to the decoder ?
This is something I’ll have to check on tomorrow.Even when I thought I programed the decoder, and it wouldn’t move I even took the trucks off. I move the loco to the main track and the metal that gives power to the wheels touches the track and I can’t even get the motor to turn.
Did you test the Loco on DC BEFORE installing the decoder?
What brand of Locos?
What brand and model Decoders?
When inputting address “0004”, and “0003”, are you actually putting in “0004” or just “04”? (by the way, “03” is the DEFAULT decoder address, and you may not have actually programmed the first one in the first place)
You said you had problems reassembling Loco #2 after installing the decoder…Did you (assuming you are using wired decoders) break a wire or solder joint? Try programming and testing BEFORE reassembling the body to the chassis.
You say you’re swapping wires from FLEX program track to layout, How are you connecting to FLEX? aligator clips? soldered leads with a plug? feeder/joiners?
Did you perhaps take the loco and put it on the main, then select the loco with the controller and tell it to move forward?[;)]
The size of the wires are irrelevant. I’ve run off bellwire before which I am certain is smaller than the pre-wired track connectors you are talking about. The programming track booster units are for units that have sound. Does your decoder unit have sound?
The decoder does not have sound.The first one that is 003 does run on the track.I did not try out the second one on DC before I installed the decoder.Shouldn’t the motor turn when I make contact with the track?That’s only if I got it programed right.I have another dcoder coming for a Southern Pacific and I hope I install it with no problems.I will have a chance to work on this again tomorrow.Thanks so far for all the replies.I’m not thru with this yet.