DCC Basic 'Standards'?

[srihaggis]

Happy Christmas all.

 

Perhaps an odd day to be looking for advice but could do with it none the less.

 

1. When it comes to programming loco addresses (4 digit address), some people adopt 4 of either the first 4 or last 4 numbers of the printed loco number as it's address. What is the most common, first or last?

2. Going off the above, in the example of a Voyager, example 220021, the 4th or 1st number is a Zero. What is best practice because my controller doesn't like Zero as the first number in address.

3. What CV number is it that identifies the decoder manufacturer?

 

I'm using the digitrax superchief if that makes any difference...

 

 

Many thanks & hope you all got what you were after from the big red man

[John ks]

My personal choice is the first 2 & last 2 digits, so 220021 becomes 2221

 

there will always be problems when you try to shorten a 5 or more digit loco number

 

examples

with my system Locos 220021 & 220121 both become 2221

or 47012, 47112 & 47312 all become 4712

 

using the first 4 digits

 220021 & 220023 both become 2200

 

Although using last 4 digits

220021 & 220023 become 0021 & 0023, which at first glance looks OK but I am fairly sure if you try to access a long (4 digit) address(like 0021) on Digitrax,

Digitrax drops the leading zero's and you end up with accessing the short (2 digit) address 21 

 

I believe some systems will allow 0021 as a long address & 21 as a short address

 

John

[Phil S]

Generically I use first 2 and last 2 but sonetime the obvious solution is to omit a central 0... in this way long distance recognition is improved... BR class members are usually the first pair and then the last pair ...although when

Sub- classes are involved the middle digit may be considered significant. Similarly with BR steam numbering.. except GW are 4 digits , and other regions had a prefix. Many modelled locos have a 0 in the middle or end if needed to omit.

For green diesels ie D or E- prefix there are usually only 4 digits.

Using Multimaus handsets also allows 5 character names (toggle between modes).

Problem areas to avoid are 100_127 as these may be 2 or 4 digits (4 with xpressnet).

I have few conflicts with my large stock... .1,. 4, and 13 being most common

Where I have more than 1 in a class then the sub class or last digit may be needed.

Edited December 25, 2017 by Phil S

[newbryford]

There is no standard for addressing. As long as you use the same standard for your collection.

Whatever you use you will probably end up with a conflict or repeated number. Using the last four of 37112 and 47112, or the first two and last two of 47012 and 47112 for example.

I generally use last four digits and simplify the units. My 220 is 4 and my 221 is 5 as they have four and five coaches.

There is no perfect system but at the end of the day as long as you know which is which.

 

Lenz doesnt bother if you use leading zeroes 0004 or just 4 but the likes of NCE will treat them as two different addresses. A short address goes up to 127.

Some addresses in some systems are also "reserved" for consisting

Cheers

Mick

Edited December 25, 2017 by newbryford

[srihaggis]

Thanks for the tips chaps - some interesting combinations to go by.

 

Never gave 220021 a thought with 0021 being simplified to 2-digit address as 21. Doh! Though that said the idea about 220(4) & 221(5) is a good idea too, I only have 1 of each so providing nothing else gets in the way it should be all good fun. 

[RAF96]

I use first two and last two.

CV7 and 8 identify the decoder version and manufacturer. The manufacturers code listing is available in various places including on the NMRA site. Some software packages will decode these numbers for you.

Rob

Edited December 25, 2017 by RAFHAAA96

[Stevelewis]

I have  been  digital  for  around  20  years  now

 

I  tried  to  work  out  some  sort  of  clear  system  using  loco or  unit   running  numbers  but  after  a  year  or  so  it  became complicated  and confusing  as  the  volume  of  stock  grew.

 

So  now  I  use  my own  simple  system,    I started  at  1  then  went  throught  the  numbers  sequentially  ( omitting  3  of course)  along  with  this  I  provide  myself  with  a   hard  copy  of all locos & units on  the layout  by type and running  number  if  there is more  than  one  of  the  same  type  ( EG  BR(S)    **EMUs then some form of further identification such as SYP or No SYP etc is included)  against  each one  the  digital  address is  noted.

 

I have  used  this  system for  years  and  it  works  for me  ( and  any other colleague  that  drives  the  trains!!)

 

**As   the  EMUs are  the  most  prolific items on  the  main  layout  a further  quick identifier of visual recognition is  used, by re spraying the roofs of  some  cars with  a lighter  or  darker  hue of grey, to individualise the  complete  set, making visual identification easier

 

eg  '4-CEP  SYP   2 dark roofs'  address 0119

Edited December 25, 2017 by Stevelewis

[Ron Ron Ron]

The NMRA list of decoder manufacturer ID's is here.....

 

https://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/standards/sandrp/pdf/appendix_a_s-9.2.2.pdf

 

 

These are the NMRA assigned manufacturer ID numbers that will be found in CV8.

 

 

 

.

Edited December 25, 2017 by Ron Ron Ron

[tractor_37260]

Full 5 digit TOPS tags/addresses can be used on the Roco Multimaus ie Dxxxx or 47xxx etc and it also works particularly well with Biff's sound files...

[ianjeffery]

I have  been  digital  for  around  20  years  now

 

I  tried  to  work  out  some  sort  of  clear  system  using  loco or  unit   running  numbers  but  after  a  year  or  so  it  became complicated  and confusing  as  the  volume  of  stock  grew.

 

So  now  I  use  my own  simple  system,    I started  at  1  then  went  throught  the  numbers  sequentially  ( omitting  3  of course)  along  with  this  I  provide  myself  with  a   hard  copy  of all locos & units on  the layout  by type and running  number  if  there is more  than  one  of  the  same  type  ( EG  BR(S)    **EMUs then some form of further identification such as SYP or No SYP etc is included)  against  each one  the  digital  address is  noted.

 

I have  used  this  system for  years  and  it  works  for me  ( and  any other colleague  that  drives  the  trains!!)

 

**As   the  EMUs are  the  most  prolific items on  the  main  layout  a further  quick identifier of visual recognition is  used, by re spraying the roofs of  some  cars with  a lighter  or  darker  hue of grey, to individualise the  complete  set, making visual identification easier

 

eg  '4-CEP  SYP   2 dark roofs'  address 0119

 

This is what i do too....

 

I number each train from 4 upwards and print out a sheet of paper listing the numbers and trains. 

[The Fatadder]

For one layout I just use the number on the side of the loco, DCC having been designed for GWR numbers.

 

For my ‘modern’ layout with TOPs numbers I use the first and last two digits of the number, so using the class number and the locos number. (for units I use the first 3 and last digit of the number on the same principle.)

[Nick G]

 

 

1. When it comes to programming loco addresses (4 digit address), some people adopt 4 of either the first 4 or last 4 numbers of the printed loco number as it's address. What is the most common, first or last?

 

 

 

I am different I use the last 3 digits for my diesel fleet it's easy, 37405 is 405, 47749 is 749, easy!

[RFS]

My Southern Region layout is based c. 1960. SR Diesel and Electric locos and multiple units are a doddle as they all have 4-digit numbers.

For steamers I use the last 4-digits of the cabside number. However, if that results in a loco with a leading zero, I replace it with the first so that I always have 4-digit numbers to avoid confusion. So 30023 becomes 3023 and 70004 7004 etc.

 

It means I can always tell the loco's DCC number from its real number.  

Not had any clashes yet, but 2-BIL 2019 was a near miss with Standard 3 tank 82020 (digital address 2020)!

[Neal Ball]

I am different I use the last 3 digits for my diesel fleet it's easy, 37405 is 405, 47749 is 749, easy!

 

 

Thats what I do as well! - Last 3 numbers.

[RFS]

Full 5 digit TOPS tags/addresses can be used on the Roco Multimaus ie Dxxxx or 47xxx etc and it also works particularly well with Biff's sound files...

 

But that can't be stored in the decoder as its DCC address which cannot be more than 4 digits. Some DCC systems allow you to also assign a name to a loco which is what you are describing

[Dungrange]

An interesting collection of numbering conventions driven partly by what stock people own.

 

As a post-TOPS modeller, my intention when I switch to DCC (hopefully next year) is to use the last two digits of the TOPS code and the last two digits of the locomotive / unit number.  Therefore, 66068 would become 6668 and 158703 would become 5803.  220021 would therefore become 2021.  However, this is principally determined by the actual stock that I own.  I have a lot of Class 158 units and may in future need more than 158x offers.  However, not having any Class 58 locomotives, means that I can use  58xx largely without conflict as most Scotrail Class 158 units have a 7 as the omit digit.  I realize that I could use 15xx instead, but this would present possible conflicts with my Class 156 units.

 

Of course, the flaw in any such system will be what address to give to DCC coaches, such as the new Mark 2f coaches that Bachmann are producing.  I may also add the ESU lighting bars to some of my existing coaches as well for consistency, which means that they will require a DCC address.  I suspect that I'll end up allocating these sequential numbers starting at 100 (so that consists can be allocated numbers starting at 1).

[tractor_37260]

But that can't be stored in the decoder as its DCC address which cannot be more than 4 digits. Some DCC systems allow you to also assign a name to a loco which is what you are describing

 

Agree any DCC address is a max of 4 digits, but on a Multimaus the "tags" can be 5 digit alpha-numeric , and used to scroll through the loco stack.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Agree any DCC address is a max of 4 digits, but on a Multimaus the "tags" can be 5 digit alpha-numeric , and used to scroll through the loco stack.

 

 

Other systems allow a larger number of alpa-numeric characters to be used for Loco naming.

 

e.g. Hornby Elite = 8 characters, Bachmann Dynamis and ESU ECoS = 16 characters, Loco Z21 = ? etc, etc.

 

It still leaves the conundrum of what 4 digit method is used to set decoder addresses, but on many of those systems it's usually academic if loco selection is more easily achieved through the user interface (e.g. by scrolling, loco photos, easily accessible roster lists, search function etc.).

 

 

.

[Butler Henderson]

On the Multimaus I use a description of the loco for those wherever possible i.e Blk08 Grn08 (Black class 08, Green Class 08) . For the CV programming the last 4 digits of the cabside number.

Edited December 26, 2017 by Butler Henderson

[srihaggis]

Some more interesting options here. Particularly liking Dungrange's idea of last 2 of the tops and last 2 of the unit id.

 

Having spent a bit of time with some techhy people who maintain a 153/6/8 fleet the other week, it transpired from hearing them chat amongst them selves that they simply refer to them as a 3,6 or 8, so I adopted that for numbering (followed by the last 3 of the unit). Fortunately my small amount of steam, pre tops and southern region stock is very small so nothing has clashed, yet, but there have been some very close clashed with diesel locos by using the last 4 digits, e.g. 37xxx, 47xxx, 57xxx, 67xxx.

 

Though I am now tempted to go down the route of starting from no4 upwards with the printout because some of my locos won't let me assign a 4 digit address for some odd reason, both factory sound models.

[citadel12003]

Interesting to learn how others have worked out their 4 digit numbering system for locos and dmu's etc.

 

I started out with the TOPS 5 digit  number and used the first two numbers followed by the last two numbers.  I soon found a clash (37506 & 37906) and could see the possibility of more in my fleet, if I ever get around to chipping them all.  So I decided to drop the 2nd digit of the 5 digit TOPS number, and 2nd & 3rd for any 6 digit number on the basis that the missing numbers were much less "important" for identification.  Then I remembered about the several class 08 shunters I had.  For them I simply dropped the leading zero - simples.  Has now worked so far for me.

 

Happy modelling,

 

Tom

[Ed-farms]

I always remove the middle number so 40141 is 4041 - however my dad who was a spotter in the 1950's uses the numbering system he had then when talking about locomotives which is to remove the first digit so 40141 would be 141 to him.

 

This does cause some problems as we both have a model of (4)5593 Kolhapur, so mine would be 5593 as its LMS crimson and his is 45593 but he remvoes the first digit so they clashed. We then changed his model to be 4559 removingthe last number but I have a model of 45659 Drake which should be 4559 (mine is middle number remember) so this one became 5659. All sounds confusing but with ESU's ECoS the locos have a 16 character name in the database so they all get a name that matches the loco which is easier to find then remembering a loco's chip number.

[shibushe]

Happy Christmas all.

 

Perhaps an odd day to be looking for advice but could do with it none the less.

 

1. When it comes to programming loco addresses (4 digit address), some people adopt 4 of either the first 4 or last 4 numbers of the printed loco number as it's address. What is the most common, first or last?

2. Going off the above, in the example of a Voyager, example 220021, the 4th or 1st number is a Zero. What is best practice because my controller doesn't like Zero as the first number in address.

3. What CV number is it that identifies the decoder manufacturer?

 

I'm using the digitrax superchief if that makes any difference...

 

 

Many thanks & hope you all got what you were after from the big red man

Having got fed up with 2/4 digit addressing and getting in muddle in my early days of DCC. I adopted my own system. More so as the stock increased.

So  Steam is divided into two numbered sections with short numbers. IE 1 to 6 omitting 3. then 6 to 11. etc. 

The Diesels. Start at 20 to 25. 26 to 30 etc. All on a master list pinned to the wall.

Next to each Loco is what decoder is fitted and what CVs are set to what.

It works for me,

 

I either button press or scroll the roster.

[Pete the Elaner]

I effectively have 2 fleets, LMS & TOPS.

My LMS stock all has 4 digit running numbers so I use these for the addresses.

 

For my TOPS stock, I have used the last 4 digits. I don't know of a way I can modify the loco numbers to DCC addresses without clashes & still maintaining the ability to identify them by their running numbers. I guess I may eventually have clashes, but that is when I will start needing a lookup table of some sort.

 

My APT-E does not fit into any of these, so I numbered it 1972, the year of its build.

 

I also keep a small folder for my sound-fitted models because it is the only way I will remember all the functions.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

For BR steam locos, most of us can just lop off the leading regional digit, and use the 4 digit number of whatever of the big four previously numbered the locos. When there is a running number it seems a shame not to use it, simple and effective. A little renumbering to eliminate the occasional clash by an off-region visitor or BR loco is very simple.

 

It will be interesting to see if future alternative control systems offer more flexibility than four digits, by design.