DCC and N gauge Kato chassis

[blue star control]

After a day of panic thinking, Had I blown the chip I got for testing the kato tram chassis?

 

I purchased the KATO tram chassis for a scratch build that I'll be using on my OO9 layout, More recently I got hold of an NCE Powercab controller, last month I got a basic Bachmann decoder and a 6pin socket for fitting.

 

After going through the normal steps of red and black/to the track...orange and grey/go the other way, I popped the chassis onto the programming track, entered in the default address (03), and shock horror, no responce.

By this point I was wondering had I got the wires connected the wrong direction and caused it to trip/die on me. So I popped into DRM (Darlington Railway Modelling) and had Mike take a quick look, different controller...he uses Lenz equipment and if that couldn't get it working I thought I may well have cooked it.

Then that too said error 02...fault with the motor.

 

I took it back, had a think and adjusted the position of the motor connection wipers, and repositioned the decoder on-top of the chassis unit....Hey presto!! it sprang into life, I think thought on further and the issue I noticed in relation to any other chassis type was the weight....the KATO tram chassis barely weighs anything.

 

Moral of the story for using KATO power chassis units - ADD WEIGHT.

 

Now it runs really well on the test bed!

 

Hope this helps