Tower 55 Owners - how do you like 'em so far?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I bought a DCC/Sound unit and have been very happy with it so far. They are very smooth and quiet and the details are beautiful.

How do you like yours?

2

What road name do you have and how does it sound? I have the BNSF on the way. Can’t wait.

3

Hey, I was just in my LHS yesterday, and asked about my order. He said he still hadn’t had a request for confirmation of his orders, much less actually received them!!! Whazzup?

Brian Pickering

4

What I’d like to know is, do these engines have the same Digitrax speed jump problem when accelerating with BEMF enabled? I’d like to hope that Digitrax fixed that with these new decoders.

5

What speed jump? There’s 3 CVs you can adjust to control the BEMF, and none of my GP-7’s with DH163L0’s has any jumping problem as I advance the throttle. It’s also easier to advance the throttle for any decoder using a encoder knob like my DT400 vs the potentiometer on my Zephyr - another reason I prefer encoder throttles.

–Randy

6

It’s a pretty well known problem that’s come up on the Digitrax yahoo list and other places many times. At a certain point on the throttle (depends on how high CV5 and 6 are set), the locomotive will quickly jump up to a slightly higher speed. Some people have observed it around 17 on the DT400 throttle. For me it’s around 22, but I have my decoders programmed to limit the top end.

Believe me, I’ve played with CV55, 56 and 57 a lot. The jump effect is not as noticeable if BEMF is on a lower setting, but it’s there. There does not seem to be any way to get rid of this except to disable BEMF completely. I’ve even tried using a 28-step speed table and it still happens.

I am interested in the Digitrax sound decoders but if they haven’t fixed this, I’ll pass.

7

I’ll have to go read the values in my GP-7 for 55, 56, and 57. And 9. Mine don’t jump. They did with the default settings. But my settings will likely only apply to a P2K loco, maybe even only the GP-7, although since they all use the same motor it should be valid for other P2K models.

–Randy

8

These engines are overpriced for what you get, which is, a Genesis Engine with DCC programming bugs galore. Wait for the discounts they are coming as these are not selling that well due to first reports.