Gaugemaster Prodigy Adv 2 - Class 37 Sound Issue

[ianLMS]

Good afternoon and I am hoping you can help with this issue.

 

My friend has a GM PA2 and is experiencing an issue which I have not come across before with a sound fitted Bachmann Class 37. His other DCC sound fitted locos are working fine.

 

When he turned the PA2 unit on, the Class 37 gave out a horn noise, even though the controller had a different loco address shown at power up (006). When he selected the loco address for the class 37 (003), the speed was automatically set at 20 (28 step speed) and the loco shot off. I reprogrammed the loco to a different address (007) and it worked perfectly yesterday even after power down and back up. The speed setting on initial selection of address 007 was set at 0.

 

However, when he powered up this morning, the Class 37 gave a horn noise again and the address on the controller was again at 006. When he selected address 007 for the Class 37, the default speed was set at 27 and again, the loco shot off.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

Ian

[pheaton]

13 minutes ago, ianLMS said:

Good afternoon and I am hoping you can help with this issue.

 

My friend has a GM PA2 and is experiencing an issue which I have not come across before with a sound fitted Bachmann Class 37. His other DCC sound fitted locos are working fine.

 

When he turned the PA2 unit on, the Class 37 gave out a horn noise, even though the controller had a different loco address shown at power up (006). When he selected the loco address for the class 37 (003), the speed was automatically set at 20 (28 step speed) and the loco shot off. I reprogrammed the loco to a different address (007) and it worked perfectly yesterday even after power down and back up. The speed setting on initial selection of address 007 was set at 0.

 

However, when he powered up this morning, the Class 37 gave a horn noise again and the address on the controller was again at 006. When he selected address 007 for the Class 37, the default speed was set at 27 and again, the loco shot off.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

Ian

Loksounds do this quite often...

 

the loco has remembered a previous command regardless of what address is in use on the command station, if the loco was commanded to do something such as a movement or latched function, unless stopped or the function turned off it will repeat the command even if track current is removed until such time as another dcc command is issued on its address...which will cancel out anything not selected in current operating session

 

ive lost count the amount of locos ive got out of storage put them on the track and they start moving or sounds start up right away.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by pheaton

[meatloaf]

I think its just a quirk of the prodigy. Mine does it also, not just on a single loco. 

[pheaton]

not just prodigy I have an ECoS and it does it with that, similar with the Hornby Elite I used to own...right back to my first DCC controller the EZ command

[ianLMS]

Thank you - at least I know its not just his. I have the MRC version for use on my test track but I use the z21 Start for my layout.

 

Is there any way to prevent it or does he need to keep the loco off the track until he can zero out the speed on the controller, then put the loco on the track.

 

Seems poor to be honest. My z21 has never caused that issue, but then I dont have sound in my loco's (yet)

 

Thanks

Ian

 

 

[pheaton]

you have it the the wrong way round  its caused by taking the loco off the track or cutting the power while its got a latched function selected and/or is moving, the only way to prevent it is when you end an operating session or take a loco off the track is to make sure its functions have been de-selected and/or  you have bought it to a stop

[meatloaf]

youll probably find if its on say speed step 30 when you turn it on just turn the dial back to 0. If you press anything else the loco will begin to move

[ianLMS]

I would say during use he must have inadvertently cut the power or shut it down without clearing the data within it. I have heard that to clear the handset, you disconnect it from the cable and plug it back in, re-booting it I guess.

 

Will this possibly remove the locked in data?

[Nigelcliffe]

If it is fitted with an ESU LokSound decoder, then the ESU LokSound V4 decoder manual describes this feature which seems relevant to the reported behaviour.  

 

(And no, resetting the handset doesn't help if the setting is remembered in the decoder).

 

"

　15.2. Saving the status of functions

LokSound decoders can store the current operational settings. Thus the decoder continues running the locomotive as before after a power interruption, if so desired.

The following data can be stored:

Status of functions:

Store the information regarding which functions were switched on or off and switches them accordingly once power is restored.

Current speed:

If it is stored then the locomotive will continue at this speed after a power interruption disregarding what the command station may transmit.

CV 122 is responsible for this. Storing of the status of functions is turned on with bit 0, speed with bit 1.

 

"

 

 

[ianLMS]

The Bachmann Class 37 was purchased last year brand new and I beleive it does have an ESU Loksound decoder. I know he hasn't messed with the CV's so it must be a default setting of the decoder. I will get the loco from him and turn off CV 122 and see what happens. 

 

Thank you very much for this!

 

Ian

Edited May 19, 2020 by ianLMS

[ianLMS]

It appears he just needed to delete the recall memory on the handset. 

I tested his loco on my test track using my cab abd it worked fine. Connected his cab to my control boxand it did the same thing. Quick look at his recall memory and somehow the loco address and speed 20 got put in there. Held the delete button for 2 seconds and cleared each memory in turn. Tested it and it now seems fine. Will leave it a couple more days and see what it does then.

 

Thank you all for your help.

 

Ian

[Izzy]

Yes, if a loco address is ‘saved’ to a Prodigy handset - different to just being automatically added to the stack when the address is first entered - then all the details are also ‘saved’. So the direction of travel, speed setting, F keys engaged etc become the default whenever the loco is called up.  If you need/want to save a loco address it’s thus best to set these at what you’d want as the defaults first before doing so. 
 

Izzy

[ianLMS]

All tested and the issue was down to the recall memory. Not sure how he did it, but i have shown him how to fix it should the problem arise again. Thankfully it wasnt the loco decoder that was the issue.

 

Thank you all. 

 

Ian