250BOB Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Two of my friends operate using the Gaugemaster PA2. When running consists or D/Headers, if a short occurs , the info for the locos is lost, and it all needs setting up again. Is this standard with Gaugemaster , as it is NOT the case with my Lenz system. It is proving a pain in the backside to both of them. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 It depends on what form of consisting you are using. Lenz typically uses advanced consisting, which writes into CV19 in the decoders. This information won't be lost, and all locos will respond to the consist address, not their own. I'm assuming that the Gaugemaster is using universal consisting, where the consist is managed in the controller and commands are sent out to the consisted locos by addressing them individually with their adresses. If you set up a consist using CV19, it shouldn't be affected by a short. Of course, the easiest way to fix this is to remove the source of the shorts. If they are common enough that this is a problem, then there is something that needs addressing. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 It's a poor design of system that cannot cope with short circuits without resetting or losing data. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 The MRC/Gaugemaster has these foibles. Its the only case where I've fitted a current limiting car indicator bulb for a friend, as a means to avoid system resets. Known as the Idiot Indicator because it uses a car indicator lamp (including the holder/lens) and indicates that an idiot has driven a train into an incorrectly set turnout crossing. For the original question, manually setting CV19 for consists would avoid the "forgetting" problem. But, it does introduce another, where operators have to remember they have set the consist address and un-set it when finished, or spend ages puzzling why their loco no longer responds ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishthump Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I have to say I have never encountered this problem with my PA2. As was mentioned this should not happen when using Advance Consisting as the information is stored in the decoder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnysa Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 What brand of decoders and is op on DC turned off in decoders.? Cheers Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 I have to say I have never encountered this problem with my PA2. As was mentioned this should not happen when using Advance Consisting as the information is stored in the decoder. They are not yet using advanced consisting....just the method whereby you bring up one loco, then add another to it.....I think its called simply Double Heading. They will try out the advance consisting soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 What brand of decoders and is op on DC turned off in decoders.? Cheers Ian Hi Ian, they are both Bachmann in one double header formation......I dont know about the other pal of mine. Both of them have dual wired layouts, as they gradually convert to DCC completely....so having DC switched on is how they will be. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishthump Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 They are not yet using advanced consisting....just the method whereby you bring up one loco, then add another to it.....I think its called simply Double Heading. They will try out the advance consisting soon. I'm not entirely sure what you mean, Bob. Which option are they using on the PA controller? If you press the DBL/Head button and use the CON/SET option then you are using Advanced Consisting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 I'm not sure either.....I'm a Lenz user.....its my two pals I'm asking on behalf of. But.....I thought there was a simple double heading method...where you add one loco to another, and drive the formation using the number of the lead loco. I thought advanced consisting was where you give the formation a completley different number i.e. consist 8 for example.???? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 A quick read of the short Prodigy manual will show that it supports both Advanced Consists (CV19) and Command Station Managed consists ("Old Style" in the terms of the manual). If a reset is causing the Prodigy to forget the consist, then it is the Command Station Managed consists which are in use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 A quick read of the short Prodigy manual will show that it supports both Advanced Consists (CV19) and Command Station Managed consists ("Old Style" in the terms of the manual). If a reset is causing the Prodigy to forget the consist, then it is the Command Station Managed consists which are in use. Thats clearly what is happening Nigel..........as I understand it, the D/Heading is using the command station, hence information being lost. It needs to be done using Advanced Consisting which stores the information in the locos decoder.....I think thats how I understand it now. Thanks...............Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thats clearly what is happening Nigel..........as I understand it, the D/Heading is using the command station, hence information being lost. It needs to be done using Advanced Consisting which stores the information in the locos decoder.....I think thats how I understand it now. Thanks...............Bob. You've got it. The issue might be that the decoders in question may not support CV19. A number of the cheaper decoders don't. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 You've got it. The issue might be that the decoders in question may not support CV19. A number of the cheaper decoders don't. Adrian Thanks Adrian, I shall discuss with my Gaugemaster pals, and set them right. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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