Roco Z21 - Double Heading / Consisting - OO Gauge RTR

[Shedmaster]

Dear All,

 

On 'other' DCC systems, I can set up a 'consist address'(?) where I can assign two Loco's to work one train as a double header.

 

I can set up lighting and direction as required on each Loco. but to actually move the train, both Loco's respond to the 'consist' number.

 

On the Z21, to achieve the same thing, I think I have to go into quite a detailed programming process to align motor speeds over a set distance test track, making so many passes and basically faffing about telling the Z21 how each Loco. behaves in some detail, other wise, the only way to get Loco's to work together in multi, is to program each of the consist with the same address, but then, I have no individual control of lights etc.

 

Have I misunderstood this? Surely it can't be that complicated or difficult to do on what I consider to be one of the better DCC systems available?

 

What do you do to be able to run double headers on your layouts?

 

Any help would be much appreciated,

 

Thankyou,

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Shed.

 

 

 

 

[jpendle]

In the app under traction settings enter the time it takes for each loco to traverse a fixed distance for at least 3 speed steps. This takes less than 5 minutes. Then add the two locos to a ‘train’ in the app.

Select the ‘train’ and you can then drive as a double header or top and tailed and you can still select each loco individually in the ‘train’ to turn their lights on or off.

 

There’s no need to create a consist or mess with decoders settings to get the locos to run at the same speeds, the app does it all for you. 
if you then want to run each loco individually just select then as normal in the app and off you go.

 

Regards,

 

John P

[Nigelcliffe]

6 hours ago, Shedmaster said:

Dear All,

 

On 'other' DCC systems, I can set up a 'consist address'(?) where I can assign two Loco's to work one train as a double header.

 

I can set up lighting and direction as required on each Loco. but to actually move the train, both Loco's respond to the 'consist' number.

 

On the Z21, to achieve the same thing, I think I have to go into quite a detailed programming process to align motor speeds over a set distance test track, making so many passes and basically faffing about telling the Z21 how each Loco. behaves in some detail, other wise, the only way to get Loco's to work together in multi, is to program each of the consist with the same address, but then, I have no individual control of lights etc.

 

Have I misunderstood this? Surely it can't be that complicated or difficult to do on what I consider to be one of the better DCC systems available?

 

It's your choice whether to do all the speed-aligning stuff or not.   You can do that on other systems as well, and is usually recommended practise so that consisted locomotives do run at the same speeds. 

 

Similarly, its your choice whether to setup the lights/sounds to be consist-controlled, or individual-controlled (they're in CV21 and CV22).  

 

Roco have just put some of those features onto menus in their system, rather than having to program numbers into a keypad.  

 

 

 

Or, if you have some decoders from some makers, you can put them in/out of consists just by controlling the relevant address (the loco will respond to either of two addresses), or with use of a function key...    So, there's nothing to do on any system :-)

 

 

 

[Shedmaster]

Hi,

 

Many Thanks both of you for explaining this better than the book does.

 

I'll give it a go and tinker for a bit, then I'm thinking once it's done for each Loco, it stays 'in the system' so I can then use each one singly or in pairs as required, once the speed steps are put in?

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Shed.

 

 

[Shedmaster]

On 30/08/2024 at 07:46, Nigelcliffe said:

 

It's your choice whether to do all the speed-aligning stuff or not.   You can do that on other systems as well, and is usually recommended practise so that consisted locomotives do run at the same speeds. 

 

Similarly, its your choice whether to setup the lights/sounds to be consist-controlled, or individual-controlled (they're in CV21 and CV22).  

 

Roco have just put some of those features onto menus in their system, rather than having to program numbers into a keypad.  

 

 

 

Or, if you have some decoders from some makers, you can put them in/out of consists just by controlling the relevant address (the loco will respond to either of two addresses), or with use of a function key...    So, there's nothing to do on any system :-)

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

So, I had that 'tinker' last night and exactly as you said, I didn't 'have' to align the speeds at all. I just always thought you did, and this misunderstanding has stopped me even bothering since I bought the Z21!

 

I've now had three of the same manufacturers Loco's working in multiple together, although it was a bit of a cheat as the motors behave basically the same anyway, but the Z21 App does give you a warning if you haven't aligned the speeds.

 

Many Thanks again for your help,

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Shed.