I recently purchased a new Bachmann 2-8-8-4 Locomotive. It is DCC equipped for speed, direction and lighting. Out of the box I put the loco on the main line track with no other loco's or rolling stock on the any part of the layout. Went into OPS mode on my Digitrax Zephyr Xtra and tried to call up/change to address. When I try to read the current address the display on the Zephyr doesn't change. It is supposed to blink until the address is read but I get nothing with no read back of the factory default. Any one else ever had this problem. All of my other loco's still run fine. Is this a problem where I need to contact Bachmann or am I doing something wrong? Please help.
Had the same problem with a bachmann 4-8-4 same set up all thats different is im using NCE. There is a video a guy put up a while back on youtube on how to do so with any dcc set up. Ill look through my history and if found ill shoot it over. It was pretty simple. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
Select loco 3 and see what you get. I see that you said you put it on the main line and tried to read the address. I don't think that will work, I think you need to have it on the dedicated programming track to read back from a decoder. If selecting loco 3 gives you movement, then use OPS mode programming to change the address of loco 3 to whatever you want it to be.
If you don't get any joy with Add 03, enter Add 00 on your throttle, enter Ops Mode programming, and do the CV8 thing for what should be a Tsunami variant...assuming the decoder isn't toast, AND that there really is one in the locomotive. That is a failsafe procedure to salvage any intractable decoder that is actually okay. Remove track power, restore it, and then enter Add 03. If the decoder is operating properly, it should now respond. If you get no reasonable response, either the decoder is defective or your control system is. NB- NEVER do this with other active decoders powered by the rails. Isolate this locomotive, or remove all others.
If it's the EZ Command decoder, you can reset it with CV 8, set it to 8 and program. It will reset the decoder. Had to do it a couple of times lately. Not because of the decoder, operator error.....:cute:
If I am not mistaken, you can't read back CVs in OPS mode; OPS mode is write-only. That's what this page from the Digitrax Knowledge Base seems to be saying: http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB845/zephyr-operations-mode-programming/ - Jeff
Yeah. I'm NCE too. If you are trying to read add. on Ops it wont. New loco is a Add 3. Enter engine #3 in 'select loco' or whatever Digtrx calls it. If runs, THEN go to 'Prog. on the Main' ( or,again, what Digtrx calls it). Scroll to 'loco Add.' enter 'long'-short' engine No. If no, Change then select cv 30 to 2 value. Next, hold down 'select loco' whilst unplugging cable from panel, then plug it right back in. Then shut power off, then back on. Should be Add. 3 now.
I think with the Zephyr you need to use the programming track to change the address and you should start with the pg mode. Op's mode is for adjusting CV values and you can do that while the loco is moving on the main line. Sometimes I have to try all four modes before a decoder will take an address change. Do you know someone with an empire builder? That system does not need a programming track to set the addresses, but you cannot use op's mode to change the address. Does the loco run with 3 as the address?
ret, others. I'm NCE and would bet almost all makes don't really need a program track. As I own only 3 DCC locos, all I /we need do is isolate other 2 electronically, behind a power-routing switch thrown 'wrong' way, or lift (0-5-0) 'em off track . Now rest of RR is the programming track for 3rd engine. I know huge layouts can not, should not do this. But small to medium layouts like mine is, with only a few engines, can do this. Only, I must always be sure other 2 are not sitting live (which I did botch a couple times my self).. M
My club has a Super Chief controlling our HO layout and an Empire Builder on out N layout. The Super Chief needs the programming track to change addresses, but CV values can be done on the main without the programming track. The Empire Builder has no provision for the use of a programming track so all addresses and CV's are changed on the main saving the ops mode for CV value changes. We do have a separate track here that we use after disconnecting the layout from the command station by a DPDT switch. We do all our programming of addresses with the Empire Builder including N loco's as well as HO loco's.
You should be able to program anything on the mainline with the zephyr, including addresses. Did that many times at the store with the zephyr there.
