Organising your DCC addresses

[Coldgunner]

With a burgeoning collection of DCC equipped N gauge and OO gauge loco's (soon to add O gauge to that list) I got thinking about DCC number addressing. I aim to convert 90% of my collection to DCC and the issue of addresses came up. Its not an issue of amounts, but allocations. How does a lot of people do this? Do you allocate a number range to to a specific type, i.e. pacifics?

 

I'm trying to think of a structured, easy to remember approach that will hopefully not cause any future numbering conflicts. Now I hear you say "why not just use the loco number, i.e. for 55022, omit the 55 and have 022?". That causes a problem for me as I have duplicates (and will obtain more) duplicates. I may use 4472 for my OO gauge Scotsman, but I intend to add an N gauge 4472 along with other additions like USA 4472.

 

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Keep it simple would be my suggestion. The cabside number is the ideal one to use, as no personal memory is required to select the loco you wish to run.

 

Ask yourself this: am I going to operate N and OO at the same time? If not then both N and OO models can have the same number, provided that you only connect the DCC system to one layout at a time. If the layouts are in the same room, a simple single pole double throw switch to connect one layout or the other to the DCC system would work well.

 

Duplicate numbered models in the same scale are a little more difficult; maybe increment the number by 1 - that you have to remember -  using a conventionsuch as in date order of what they represent. So as first preserved 4472, in the USA 4473, in Oz 4474, as more recently with the NRM 4475.

[Coldgunner]

I was going to try the last two numbers of the running number with a prefix, I guess I need to crack open MS Excel!

[Adrian Wintle]

My Great Western OO uses the 4-digit cabside number. My North American N uses the 4-digit cabside number, but with exceptions where the real railroad did something different. E.g. ATSF numbered their passenger units as nnnL, nnnA, etc (L= lead), so my F-unit set of 330L/330A/330B/330C has addresses 330/331/332/333 although that may change since I now have Amtrak F40PH 333.

 

Adrian

[Removed a/c]

I use the 1st four digits from the loco also. 

[roundhouse]

I use the cabi side number on USA stock and the last four digits on UK stock
Where I have had duplicate numbers then I just renumber the loco with new decals or make sure that they are not on the track at the same time.

Ian

[ZippyHG]

We use the Class No plus the last two digits of the loco no, and try to avoid any duplicates but it is difficult to do so!

[Robin2]

This is a good reason to have a PC program to control the DCC system (a Hornby Elite in my case). Then you can give the Locos consecutive DCC addresses and forget about them.

 

The computer can present a button or drop-down list with sensible names for the locos which it converts into DCC addresses behind the scenes.

 

You can also use the computer to give realistic speed steps so that each loco runs at the same speed on each step - without any fiddling with CVs on DCC chips.

 

Computer programming is as much fun as model railways!

 

...R

[roundhouse]

We use JMRI (free software) whihc is a huge package. We first used it to programme locos and you can save all the loco's settings into the loco roster. The downside with this is that you can easily save two locos with the same address (ie one USA and one Uk one with the same address.

 

I have a few old laptops so I considering using diifferent ones for each set of stock to overcome this.

 

Ian

[Suzie]

The system I have used involves reserving short addresses 1-9 for underground trains so they can be used with the E-Z Command, and the rest of my stock is addressed with short addresses consecutively down from 99, my fellow operator numbers his stock consecutively up from 10. We have not run out of numbers yet and can still use our LokMaus2 controllers with the Lenz or MultiMaus.

 

It is not always easy to remember which train is which address, but usually one of us knows without having to refer to the list.

[Vonzack]

Another vote for cabside numbers, for US stock the number itself and for UK stock the first 2 digits for the class then the last 2 digits from the running number. No question of trying to remember what the numbers are, they are always on the loco. If the loco doesn't have a number you can make 4 digits out of, then pad with zeros, so 15 would become 0015.

[Steven B]

Unless you're going to be powering and running your different gauge layouts at the same time there's no need to worry about duplicating DCC addresses across scales. Similarly, if you're not going to run American and British side by side then you can duplicate number.

 

I tend to use the class number followed by the last two digits of the loco's number - 37038 becomes 3738. With DMUs I take a different approach using the three digit class number followed by a fourth number which is either the sub class - 150/1=1501, 150/2=1502 etc, or the number of cars in the unit (1012 = 2 car class 101, 1013 = 3 car class 101).

 

I am thinking of re-numbering some of my steam locos so their addresses start with 98 (so same as what steam locos TOPS numbers start with - 98 followed by the power number followed by the last two digits of the loco's steam era number) as I can then run Thomas the Tank Engine alongside prototype Deltic (both DCC #1).

 

Another option would be to start all your N gauge models with the number 2(mm), OO gauge with 4(mm) & O Gauge with 7. A second digit could relate to the country and use the loco's number to generate the last two digits.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[Coldgunner]

I should add that my current setup is JMRI via a SPROG. I do all my programming on here, but I will be investing in a handheld device soon enough and I want to be able to easily work out which is which without masses of crib sheets, labelling etc.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...as I can then run Thomas the Tank Engine alongside prototype Deltic (both DCC #1)...

 'Everyone else' has numbered their DP1 as 4161. 'D' is letter 4, 'P' is letter 16, 1 ; so there you are, the actual cabside designation as a four digit address. Conveniently the LNER 4161 did not survive to nationalisation, and the LMS 4161 is in a class with a choice of over 500 members so a coincidence is unlikely / easy to avoid.

[Removed a/c]

I use the 1st four digits from the loco also. 

Also must mention that I use the Dynamis and it allows you to name the loco as well. As it will hold 40 locos and I only have about 15 they are all in there and I just scroll through the list.........simples  

[Barry Ten]

A bit low tech but I write down my decoder addresses in a notebook, under several main headings - BR steam, BR blue diesels, pre-nationalisation, etc, along with the type of decoder, any special CVs, maintenance comments etc. I also aim to use the last four digits unless there's a conflict and don't worry about duplicated addresses between my main themes.

[Stevelewis]

Having  used  digital  for  many  years,  since  it  became  available in the UK I have  tried  many different  ways   of allocating  addresses,  such as using  first 1 or 2 digits of the running number, or the  last  digit or 2 of the running  number,  and then tried using  the whole number ( up to 4 digits) . after a few  years of this and using digital on layouts in different scales,I  thought  the system became a little frustrating at times as due to the number of locos involved.

 I found  that  the  easiest  way  was to allocate numbers  to locos or multiple units sequentially starting  at  no: 1   etc  and keeping  a record/ Crib  sheet ( actually a piece of card) noting   the address of  each loco .

 

I find  this saves a lot  of trouble  , its just a case of checking the loco ( or DMU/EMU) address  from the crib sheet.

 

Naturally  number 3 is not used

 

If a loco is disposed of  then its  number is allocated to the next acquisition!   

[Barry Ten]

The GWR, of course, made sure their numbering system was NMRA compliant.

[malc125]

i have always used four digit addresses, so use the first two numbers and the last two on the cabside, anything with less than four numbers I just put zeros on the end. I used Lenz system than allows you to scroll through the most recently controlled loco, so it is easier to reconise the address, so a class 37 always has the number 37xx

[Phil S]

I use '4-digit' addressing, and Multimaus handsets which allow 5-character 'names' (which may include digits, of course) in 'Library' Mode with 64 named locos per controller: the 'Library Name' is something easy to identify the loco by, and then the actual DCC code is probably the tiny bodyside number...

 

Although someone earlier suggested duplication across scales is okay, it is still best avoided - particularly when computer software is involved - as this may not so readily accept duplicate numbers being different locos with differing properties.  That said, I still duplicate with LGB G scale and 00/H0 numbers ! (they are less likely to be test tun on the same track .... but equally likely to use the same Multimaus Controllers. [ An LGB handset restriction is 1-22 only, 14 speed steps, Massoth/Roco G=28steps]

 

I started with 'number ranges'  and in some strange categories this still applies, helped by using CLASS numbering..

For 'Green Period' Diesels (Dxxxx)  I originally used the 4-digit number, and for 'Blue Period'/TOPS the Class number, or Class number plus non-zero digits / last 2 digits

With sub-classes eg 47/1 ...47/7  etc it makes more sense to use the sub class number as 3rd digit.  If only 1 of a Class / Class+Sub is used then just the class number is an easy-to-recognise simple option.

When I realised the error in the Multimaus manual about 'CV1' for Library; actually meant 2 or 4 digit address, I started to make use of the Library naming facility !

 

5 Characters allows 'cryptic' idents of named locos or types with extra livery info  C22_G C22_B  221_V   221SV   - obviously newer controllers with more letters makes it easier.  Different controllers contain different lists, each grouped in sensible sequences  - eg Green Diesels, Blue Period, Named Locos, Units ... without actually restricting themselves from calling ANY loco by simply toggling out of Library mode into number mode.

 

With some controllers, 100-127 need to be a 'special case': Expressnet Recommended practice is to assume 4-digits, but nmra practice is apparently 2-digit, Some controllers allow the user to sleect by using leading zeroes, or not ...... ZTC (expressnet) is in conflict with Lenz and Roco in this area !!  For me 100-127 are/were DMUs,

but using  Linrary allows 108_G or 108_B for example,  and then the bodyside number for the actual DCC code - whch may need a magnifying glass 8-)

 

The 'full version' of RR+Co allows subdivision of loco lists, but not the cutdown Rocomotion - so my long list becomes a handful - OR separate versions of the software need ot be saved to operate 'by period' for example.

[96701]

I have tremendous fun with this subject having an old Digitrax system that only uses 2 digit addressing. I started using the last 2 digits of the loco number. All went well until I bought Kestrel (HS4000). Couldn't use 00, so it became 04. Then I bought Western Enterprise (D1000). It became 10. Then I bought a MetroVick D5705. Not a problem with that one, but I did have a D205. Bored yet?.....................

 

 

 

I am, so I'm upgrading to MERG Cbus courtesy of my son's kit building abilities and hoping to use RocRail which has the ability to hold photographs (some already taken and stored).

[roundhouse]

With British N scale locos I use a paint pen to put the number under the loco. Many cabside numbers on modern livered diesels (forget XC Voyagers numbers!!) are often too small for me to read

 

before the loco is put on a train in the fiddleyard  the number underneath can be read and then it is wrtten up on a whiteboard next to thecorresponding fiddleyard road number.

 

Ian

[Adrian Wintle]

Changing addresses is so simple that you could just renumber them to match the fiddleyard road number each operating session...

 

I have more GP7/9 shells than I do chassis (and I'm getting that way with GP38/40s and Dash-9s) so depending on era/theme I can swap shells over and then renumber based on the new cabside number. Marking the address underneath wouldn't really work in this case.

 

Adrian

[Barry Ten]

With British N scale locos I use a paint pen to put the number under the loco. Many cabside numbers on modern livered diesels (forget XC Voyagers numbers!!) are often too small for me to read

 

 

I also put a red stick-on circle under my DCC locos to remind me I've put a decoder in them - easy to lose track when you've got a few locos of the same class and haven't yet got around to chipping them all.

 

[roundhouse]

I also put a red stick-on circle under my DCC locos to remind me I've put a decoder in them - easy to lose track when you've got a few locos of the same class and haven't yet got around to chipping them all.

 

 

 

Using the paint pen has caught me out a few times when I have 'borrowed' a decoder to put in something else then forgotten - not so easy to temporarily remove the painted on number under the loco!!