Hello TB Members I know this should have been posted in the DCC Section, but I wanted response from the N-Scale side. 1. Those that use DCC, what Speed Step do you use 28/128. As for me, I use 128. 2. For those that have speed matched your loco's and run 128 Speed Step, what do you have your CV 2, 6 and 5 set to. I am trying to figure out how to speed match my loco's. 3. If I can't get my loco's close on the speed matching, when I build a consist, which loco should be first, the slightly faster one or the slightly slower one. 4. Is it possible to match speeds exactly on each loco. My setup is: NCE PowerCab Stater Set 1 Kato SD70m 2 Kato SD70 mac All 3 loco's have Digitrax DN163K1C Atlas Code 80 Track Thanks Don
Don Hope this may help. First is to say that I do not consist, but always run the same two engines together. I use the same Digitrax decoders on my Kato's. I use 128 steps and run all engines in pairs with the highest engine number for both. As the same two always stay together I then reset CV29 to 35 for the rear facing one. I start with CV2, CV5, CV6, all set to one. They all then pick up speed as I turn the throttle up and all slow down as I turn it down. Some needed a little higher number on the CV's for tweaking, but not much. I then adjusted CV3 at 3 and adjusted the start momentum up or down in each of the engines as needed so they were close to the same. Then CV4 can be adjusted. Just like the other CV's you adjust until you get what works. Close is ok. Some times one will be a little different at a lower or higher speed setting, but I just make sure that at the speed I run them the most it is the closest. As the engines wear in some settings may have to be changed. The Kato's were really easy to do, once done long ago and still the same. Most of my 8 Atlas engines were a pain except for the two MP15DC switchers. Perfect from day one. Only needed to be readjusted once after about 6 months. And I also use Digitrax decoders on my Atlas engine CV settings on some of the Atlas would not be even close. Many have to have CV1 at 10 or higher. Same with CV5 and CV6, After spending much time over the last few years adjusting them I finely have them running as I want them. Or at least close enough as needed. The Atlas other wise run very well. Just the CV setting pain.
The better way to sped match is to give all of the locomotives the same speed table. Now you adjust the speed by adjusting the TRIM CV's, 66 for forward and 95 for reverse. Disable BEMF by setting CV57 = 102 Turn off all momentum settings until you are done with the speed matching. Here is a thread on Speed matching from here on Trainboard: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?119369-Speed-Matching-Problem
David, that is a good way to do it if all of the engines perform the same. Since most of mine don't it would be maddening to do it.
Since I want to be able to interchange any loco with any other loco and also use DPU's and pushers I have adopted a similar method to David's. As Ken pointed out consistency in loco and decoder manufacturers plays an important role in easily achieving speed matching. My entire roster of six axle diesels are Kato with Digitrax decoders. Locos are initially speed matched to a 'standard' loco. In my case I just picked one and exactly matched all the rest to it. All speed matching is done on level track with 'warm' locos at a normal running speed (40 mph freight / 60 mph passenger). Then I use simple consisting by adding or subtracting the desired loco(s) using the throttle. I generally consist two, three or four locos. My layout has 2 percent grades; which occasionally creates a certain give and take in loco speed matching performance. Longer trains (50 or more cars) seem to perform better than short trains due to more drag. Over time you may detect discrepancies and need to make minor adjustments to trim settings. Once you set up a pair of locos (may take an hour), the rest can be set up in 1/4th the time. Jerry
Ken, It isn't as maddening as you may think. I developed my approach using Digitrax because they had the Trim capability, and at the time I converted to DCC, they were the only ones making decoders for Kato locomotives. So I have had no problems matching Kato and Atlas, Intermountain and Fox Valley, or even a Kato 2-8-2 and a Bachmann 2-8-0. The ability to use trim makes this possible. As long as the decoder support trim, it is possible. Where the complexities come in is when you have different manufacturer decoders. Since that thread, all TCS decoders now support Trim and Kick Start. (CV65, CV66 and CV95) The case in point that I am working on, is Kato P42 with Digitrax DN163K0A and another P42 using the TCS decoder. The process works pretty close, but the problems are the subtle differences in the code running in each decoder. Momentum is different between them as is how you deal with BEMF. So it is pretty easy to get them matched at a fixed speed, like 80 scale miles per hour, but from 0 to 80, the matching isn't quite as good and takes a bit of effort. When I work with TCS decoders in all locomotives, it works very well, just like it did with all Digitrax decoders. As a test, I was able to speed match an Atlas SD60 and a Kato NW-2, both with TCS decoders, and a similar thing with a Kato SD90 and a Atlas VO-1000 using Digitrax decoders. It is almost all in the trim.
Ken, I will second what David is explaining. When I was first learning the in's and out's of speed matching I was having some difficulties [ and I'm still learning ]. In frustration I contacted David about speed matching. He was gracious enough to take time out and teach a newbie! [Thanks David] What he is saying about getting different locos of different makers is true. After I got a handle on what I was suppose to do, to my surprise, I matched five locos, of three different makers, all with Digi chips and had them running like glass! I had a Kato SD40-2, Atlas SD50, Kato SD40-2, IMRC F7B and an Atlas GP40-2 all running together very smoothly. The key is as he says, use a similar speed table for your locos and then adjust the Forward and Reverse trims. By doing this you can dial them and fine tune them in no time at all..... and very simply. Allen...
Setting cv57 to 102 on a Digitrax decoder does not dissable bemf, it ensures that it is enabled both when in a consist and when not.
