Programing track

Clem,

There's no "wiring diagram" for a "programming track".

Just put a toggle switch on the center rail power (Hot) on any track block that has its center rail insulated from the center rail of adjacent track blocks.

Thank you......that sounds logical.   In the early days of DCS wasn't there two switches involved ? 

Clem,

In the early days of DCS wasn't there two switches involved ?

Not to my knowledge.

Barry, years ago, Jim Barrett  did a section on building a program track.  I never used one.  I put the engine on the track and program it.  Naturally no other engine should be on the track when doing a program.  An engine does not care if it is on a program track or main line.  All the engine needs is a good signal and no other engine sharing the program.

As Marty mentioned Jim Barrett's programming track was pretty slick however did it work with other tiu channels being powered with engines on their track.....

We  use a spare tiu"1  tethered when adding. It only power up when toggled on. The remote only talks to the tiu it's tethered to so there's no conflict with the other tiu #1

Any old track will work providing it's the only one receiving power and everything else is dead. That means turning everything else off.

Thank you....... Thats what I was remembering.    I think it was a DPDT switch turned off the power and connected a direct link to TIU.    I only have trouble when I do Lash-ups. running a single locomotive I get 10's all over.  I was thinking of using my spare TIU just for programing , if they are both#1 I should be good correct?

Clem

correct providing it's tethered.

I have a separate piece of track for a programming track.  As everyone knows, no other engine can be on the track when another is being programmed (that means electrically removed, not necessarily physically removed).  I have one toggle switch for my programming track.  That toggle switch either sends power to the entire layout or it ONLY sends power to my two-foot-long strip of track.  By doing this I don't have to walk around my layout and throw 15 toggle switches to ensure that power is OFF to all engines.  My one toggle is able to "kill" (cut-off) power to the entire basement layout in a micro-second.

As Barry wrote above, any electrically isolated piece/strip/area of track, with no other engines either on it or electrically connected to it, can be a programming track; whether or not it is or is not connected to the remainder of the layout.

John,

As everyone knows, no other engine can be on the track when another is being programmed (that means electrically removed,

Just to be clear, that's a DCS "urban myth". There's no "rule in that regard.  

I often add engines with with more than one engine on powered tracks. All that's required is enough power for the engines drawing power and a strong DCS signal.

Well . there is a rule and as  you know anymore than 5 or 6 engines powered up will play havoc when adding.

It's like saying you could walk across the road blindfolded  and not get hit.... eventually you will.

We've been down this road too  many times.

Gregg,

As I stated:

"All that's required is enough power for the engines drawing power and a strong DCS signal."

How many single diesel units can be active on the track that I am programing on ? I'm using one 180 brick per channel thats four total, I need more power?

I use a 3 rail track section for programming my 2 an 3 rail obviously moving the "hot" feed from the center to an outside rail for 2 rail. Some  2 rail engines are polarity sensitive and the leads will have to be swapped.

I agree with Barry, long as have good DCS signal engines can be added to system.  I have added numerous engines to my layout without isolating other engines from the system

When I'm adding a single locomotive it's no problem, pretty much anywhere on the layout works, when I'm doing Lash-ups is where I have problems, my program track has to be minimum 8' long. I have a toggled off spur track that is my  best candidate so far, just wish it was longer.

Clem

Clem, I have never used a separate programming track to build a lashup; you have already created the locomotives in the DCS.  All you need to do is couple them up, enter the lashup mode and create the lashup.  Since you are only addressing the locomotives in the lashup, any other locomotives will ignore the signal.  When you delete the lashup your locomotives will appear on your DCS as inactive (IA), you will just need to put them back to active.

Dan,

I completely agree.

Creating a lashup is nothing at all like adding a DCS engine to a remote. It's a completely different process.

Dan    I wish that was the case. Right now when i build a lash-up and adjust the the sounds, lights, and smoke all the engines don't get every change. Then i go back and adjust the locomotives that didn't except the program. Then i can run it, until I shut down and come back to it. Then the engines I had to adjust separately are off again. Also when running the lashup and adjust volume up or down for the consist, only the lead engine changes. also upon start up the smoke comes on full bore like its missing the watchdog. Then I tried programing on a block that had no turnouts and single track about 14' long, disconnected everything else then the consist held its settings.  When running a lash-up the middle engines are only getting 4 or 5 on a signal test.      I do use the save button. 

Clem

DANR and Barry both describing my L/ups..MU's...very reliable.  2 buttons i never use are the read button and the eng snd as it seems to upset individual member engine settings. The 4/5 signal would be of concern to me. Clem..what version of DCS are you running?

Clem & Willy,

Then i can run it, until I shut down and come back to it. Then the engines I had to adjust separately are off again.

What version of DCS are you using? If you're using DCS 5.0, are you sure that you're pressing soft key FSV for the lashup itself after making all of the changes to member engines? If not, the changes won't hold from session to session.

upon start up the smoke comes on full bore like its missing the watchdog.

That's a "feature" of DCS 5.0 which will, hopefully, be  removed from the next release.

When running a lash-up the middle engines are only getting 4 or 5 on a signal test.

The 4/5 signal would be of concern to me. 

DCS signal testing of member engines is not a necessarily a supported feature while operating a lashup.

Just did a quick DCS signal test on one of my (L) lashup/ mu. It is a 5 diesel gp35 gp40 mix. (3)  ps3,  (2)  ps2. The group read 10 and each member engine also read 10. Tested while sitting idling. As Barry stated not sure this is a valid read.

Willy,

not sure this is a valid read.

DCS signal strength is measured as a function of how many packets out of 100 are acknowledged as received by a DCS engine. The greater the number acknowledged, the higher the DCS signal strength.

Any tine that you receive all 10's, you should be pleased.

This is very frustrating, good thing nobody called asking to buy my trains because they will get a heck of deal and I won't be frustrated.

Clem 

proper way do you do a signal test on a lash-up ? I can only get the middle engines in signal mode.

Clem,

proper way do you do a signal test on a lash-up ?

Why would you want to do a signal test on a lashup? A lashup is a logical entity, not a physical one. There are no DCS electronics in a lashup. When DCS issues commands to a lashup, it's actually issuing commands to the lashup's member engines.

You do a signal test to see how well an individual engine is communicating with DCS. The lashup itself doesn't communicate via DCS, rather, the member engines do the communicating.

Because when i'm operating the lash-up i want to know how strong the signal is doing, just like when i run a single engine. I just trying to track down why i have so many problems with lash-ups. wilily gee in the post above measured it as a group

when you go to your head or tail eng>menu>system>track signal...what does the remote display read?

Clem,

wilily gee in the post above measured it as a group

Actually, he did not.

When conducting a DCS signal test using a lashup as the active engine, the DCS signal is measured via the lead engine, just as if that member engine was not in a lashup at all and was operating as an individual engine.

It is impossible to measure the DCS signal level of a lashup. A lashup is not a "real" engine that can communicate with DCS. It's the member engines that talk to DCS.

If you want to determine the DCS signal level with the lashup, proceed as follows:

• Power-on and start up each of the member engines as individual engines
• Drive the engines to a place on your layout where they are in close proximity to each other, i.e., as if they were in a lashup
• With all engines powered-on in DCS mode, conduct individual DCS signal tests of each engine.

That should provide you with what you need to know.

When I do the signal test I just used the soft keys, signal test does not come up when its a lash-up. I tried system and then the test comes up, I get 10 standing still. I tried each engine separately again all 10's why when its moving signal much lower?

Clem 

Just to confirm..you are 5.0 correct?

Yes 5.0 on everything.  

I'm unqualified to comment on 5.0 as i am 4.20 which in my opinion is very mu friendly...keeping my thinking cap on though.

Thank you Willy........Seems like everytime there is an upgrade I lose more than I gain. If I run 15 locomotives in six trains on my single 300' loop using the all button it all works. I make one MU and I have trouble with all. Right now i have my 4 unit MU working good, just don't touch the engine sound button, and the volume button only effects the lead unit.

Clem    

 Not sure on 5.0 but w/4.2 i can pick any member engine whether it be a lead,middle or rear for individual engine sounds,horn and bell.Some engines all levels are set to zero. Hoping your issues can be sorted out.

Yep... Willy I can adjust sounds like you say.

Clem,

 why when its moving signal much lower?

For similar reasons to why your car makes more noise when it's moving than when standing still. There are more factors involved.

Remember, the signals are coming through the wheels and roller pickups, when you're moving, the resistance of the connection is constantly changing.

Well I have always measured signal in operation.

Clem 

Clem,

Well I have always measured signal in operation.

Then you've consistently gotten less than accurate results.

If you want an accurate measurement of DCS signal strength, you should measure it while the engine is moving as slowly as possible. Best would be if the engine is stationary.

This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at OGR’s web store!