model-trains

Hi @Andymsa Many thanks for your response, yes the problem has persisted from the start, no none of the wires are not twisted, but they are grouped, feedbacks and reverse loop wires all insulation taped. See my reply to another member above. Thanks again Paul

Interesting reply @melmerby. I will look into this tomorrow. The control board for boards 1 & 2 in in the position shown above and includes 2x DR4088LN (Feedbacks) and 2x DR5013 (Reverse Loop Modules) The wires to feedbacks and Reverse loops to run close to each other, they all run from their positions on the layout to a hole between the 1200mm square board and the smaller section attached to it. Also the wires the other side of the DR5013 run together with those of the DR4088LN's to all the feedbacks on board 2. All neatly taped together! This could be the cause then. Many thanks

Hi guys, many thanks for all your comments, I will work through them one by one, but won't have time to reply to them all tonight. Excellent response, I am grateful to all. Paul

The Reverse Loop Block IRJ______________[Feedback to Rev Loop DR5013]___________IRJ The feedback in he reverse loop block goes on and off, intermittently, when a loco on another part of the track is moving. The reverse loop block is unoccupied. The Block lights us as if occupied, but there is nothing in that block, with some locos that cause the issue it may be like a flash, on and off, then a wait before doing again. It stops when the loco stops. Another loco may cause the reaction to be a little longer in the on position but then it goes off waits and comes back on again. But it only happens with 4 of my 13 locos? Thanks for your question, I do hope this describe the issue better. When a loco runs through the reverse loop block, it lights up the block correctly showing the block to be occupied. I made the error whilst building the first two boards of using just one loco, the Royal Signals P6, because this loco shows the issue I thought it had to be a wiring issue, now it seems not, but I am baffled.

For some time now I have been tracking and tracing every wire looking for an error, banging my head against a wall, believing I must surely have missed one that is causing an issue, three times I have checked every wire end to end, checked they were Bus wired, feedback wires, reverse loop wires etc. I am using the following: Digikeijs Controller DR5000 - x1 Digikeijs feed back modules DR4088LN - several Digikeijs DR5088RC - x1 Digikeijs DR5013 Reverse Loop modules - currently x2 iTrain V5 software. The issue: Flashing of a reverse loop when a loco runs on another section of track, whilst building and testing the track I used just one loco, one that gave the fault, so I naturally thought it had to be a wiring issue. I have taken a break from the issue mentioned and decided to Speed and Stop test every loco, I am glad I did as it sheds a different light on the issue. The first thing I noticed was it doesn't happen with every loco, had it been a wiring issue I would have expected this for all locos. Looking deeper during the speed tests I found the following. Class 101 - Bachmann - Railcom - with Loksound v4 - issue NO Class 121 - Bachmann - Railcom - with Loksound v4 - issue NO Class 142 - Hornby - No Railcom - No sound - issue NO Class 150 - Bachmann - No Railcom - No sound - issue NO Class 08 - Hornby - No Railcom - No sound - issue NO Class 66 (40) - Bachmann - Railcom - with Loksound v4 - issue YES Class 66 (111) - Bachmann - Railcom - with Loksound v4 - issue YES Class 37 - Bachmann - Railcom - with Loksound v4 - issue YES Class 43 - Hornby - Virgin HST - No Railcom - TTS Sound - issue NO Class J36 - Hornby - No Railcom - TTS Sound - Issue NO Class F9 - Hornby - Evening Star - No Railcom - No sound - issue NO Class 8 - Hornby - DOG - No Railcom - TTS Sound - issue YES Class P6 - Bachmann - Royal Signals - Railcom - with Loksound v4 - issue NO Only 4 locos give the issue of a reverse loop flashing when a loco runs on another part of the track??? I am totally baffled, but after so many checks to the wiring and the speed tests in iTrain, I am now convinced it has to be something else, but what that something else is I remain 'baffled'. As you can see above, I have locos with Railcom and Loksound, some run and I don't get the error, some run I I get the error? The Digikeijs DR5088RC - x1 was added recently, the issue occurred before this was added. Help guys, has anyone experienced similar? Has anyone any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Paul

Hi David Sorted many thanks Paul

Hi David Yes I wish to keep RailCom,. I got the information from a website regarding writing the two items of data to CV29 I have written 217 to CV17 and 240 to CV18, but it is still recognising address 3 in CV1 loco address? Paul

I am endeavouring to change to long loco addresses. I have a Class 66 044 currently with a short address, I am wanting to use 6640 as this loco's address. First have run a DCC Extended Address Calculator For address 6640 it provides... CV17 = 217 CV18 = 240 I have then done the following... CV29 - write 29 CV29 - write 38 to edit Next CV17 - write 217 CV18 - write 240 The Railcom address, the loco address remains at 3, have I done something wrong here? I am using iTrain 5 software, reading and writing CV's on the main track (RailCom) Paul

Ermmm This loco is certainly trying. All CV's set to default, except CV1 for loco. With sound on or off, the result is that the loco goes 'well past' the stop position. In block 1 the loco gradually picks up speed, the same in Block 2, as soon as it enters Block 3 the speedo decreases and the loco brakes, but runs over massively, both directions. I started with Reaction delay of 2000ms, raising in 500ms steps, after 3500-4000 (4 seconds) no difference. The max speed for the loco was set at 60mph forward and 30mph shunt backwards. I kept reducing these in stages down to 29mph and 8.3mph but the loco still overruns. Looking at my CV table of default settings I pick out a couple it items which may or may not help, I don't know, I have never done this before, I just know 8 in cv8 returns to default so that's handy and well tried. The CV's I am thinking or changing tomorrow, to try have more stopping control are.. CV27 Brake Mode - set at 028 CV 254 Stopping Distance - set at 000 nd CV 253 possibly but cautiously Constant Brake - set at 000 Comments always welcome Paul

@Bod Thanks for your explanation, all help is always appreciated. I am not worried about loco to loco or trial and error, only a satisfactory result in the end. 1cm is a target, every loco is different, as I am finding. As far as I am aware at this time, there is inertia simulation and step size, for both acceleration and braking, and the Reaction Delay in ms Forward and Backward in iTrain. CV2 start speed voltage and CV5 maximum speed in the decoder, CV2 and CV5 are N/A in many Hornby locos, especially the TTS ones. Sound makes it more difficult, an area I take carefully, I only have 1 locos but 7 have sound, 3 are TTS Sound, 4 are LokSound4. Thanks again for your comments Bod.

I am going to reset to default, except for loco address and try again. Reaction delay timing does concern me when the timing gets high, adding the loco chip delays and additional Reaction Delays to maintain an accurate stopping position within 1cm. Paul

@Nigelcliffe Many thanks for the details you have provided. My concern with sound loco's is naturally changing to much that the sound will not sync with the changes, which is in agreement with your final statement. Option 'c' does seem the most logical but, the loco decoder has a reaction delay built in, If I don't change anything this RD has to be considered with a further RD for iTrain to achieve the stopping position required. This is a new area for me, like walking in a fog I guess. Not totally understanding the RD to the variables in the sound chip, I am left wondering, how this can affect other items like block length and loco speed. Before asking the question in the forum I have experimented but have ended up with a large RD time. /____Block 3______/_____Block 2_____/_____Block 1_____/ All 3 Blocks are approximately 90cm long Block 1 max 25 mph, Block 2 max speed set for loco, Block 3 max 25mph Inertia simulation for both Acceleration and Braking is built into iTrain for the loco at 200ms and Step size 4 for each When the loco is run under the conditions stated the aim is to stop on the mark 5cm from the end of the end blocks subject to direction of travel. If the loco is short or over runs a further timing is added to the Reaction Delay in ms. Using the locos standard chip settings this can be as high as 1800ms, adding or subtracting from the current figure to compensate for the stopping position can roll up to double this figure, 4000ms Reaction Delay being 4seconds. This causes a further concern as the loco entering the last block, braking and stopping is less than 4 seconds, so the loco doesn't seem to be controllable where the time to stop in ms, is greater than the actual tie to stop in ms. Model trains, great stress busters, just create, program and play Which ever way I go, or can hopefully go, there are 3 main issues I think 1 - change to many items and the sound won't sync as it should 2 - the delay at the beginning and how to better control it 3 - the dreaded run on at the end when the loco speed as stopped in the speedo, but the train runs on because it has been programmed that way to come to a gradual stop. The issue I find isn't all loco's, I have already programmed some with 2,3,4 or 5 on Cv3 &4. The issue isn't one type of decoder I have already programmed some LokSound 4 sound decoders. There does seem to be a definite issue with Hornby locos, especially TTS Sound locos. They love to make CV2 and CV5 N/A. I am leaving the Hornby and Hornby TTS until last for this reason. Comments always welcome Kind regards Paul

Hi BoD Many thanks for your response. I have been advised to do this for all loco's with sound, the reason is to allow iTrain to control the loco speed and stopping and not the chip. The loco's have their own method of speed control and stopping in the chip, many se a run on to provide a realistic stop, which can vary the point of stopping for the loco making it harder to stop in the same place every time, even within 1cm. The addresses for best results with iTrain, for CV3 & 4, can be either 2, 3, 4 or 5 Paul

I am using the following - iTrain 5 software - DR5000 Digicentral controller - DR4088ln Feedback - DR5013 Reverse Loop I am currently speed testing my locos one by one. The current loco is Bachmann Royal Signals P6 DCC with LokSound 4 sound I am speed testing the locos on a 3 metre length of track, separate to the layout. Default CV's CV2 min speed = 3 - during testing changed to 6 CV3 Acceleration rate = 179 - changed to 3 (as sound chip loco) options for sound these cv's 2,3,4,5 CV4 Deceleration rate = 107 - changed to 3 (as sound chip loco) CV5 = maximum speed = 50 unchanged Speed Measurement results Forward & Shunt 1-86mph Loco itself capped at 50mph although I reduced this to 48 then 46 for best from sound. The track is clean, the loco wheel are clean, power is only picked up from the 4-6-0 not from the tender, Offsets set accordingly. Everything so far seems reasonable (to me) but running on the Speed Measurement track 3m, to stop within 5cm of the other end is considerably in accurate. The loco is set to run Block 1, 0-25mph, centre block to loco set top speed, 3rd block to brake and stop at the 5cm stop marker. Comments on this welcome guys, but there is another item I think needs to be looked at first, and I am a bit lost on this one. The loco is set to run, the speedo goes up to 25mph, a second or more later the loco sets off, going swiftly up to the maximum speed for the block, 25mph, no gradual speed increase. I have tried CV3 & 4 on 2,3 and 4 setting, 3 seems to be the best, is there other ways round this issue? Are there other CV's that control when a loco should set off without a delay and slowly build up speed? Paul

In the back of my mind there is something about steam locos and number of chuffs per wheel turn, I also recall now you say that cylinder numbers also has something to do with it. Paul

Thanks Paul I am aware that the manufacturers details and decoder type are in CV 8 and 7 I have picked up so far CV8 Hornby Hobbies 48 Electronic Solutions 151 But I also have a n Evening Star where the manufacturer is 193 which I don't see in the PDF? A very handy sheet you have shared though Paul, thank you. Paul

Hi guys I am setting up speed measures for my locos, starting with my P6 Patriot, Royal Signals. I am using Digikjeis DR5000 Controller and iTrain software. First stage was set the speed steps CV2 & Cv5 which is now done. Whilst I did this I ran the loco with sound Off, now it is time to get the sound right. I understand the sound addresses are 2, 3, 4 or 5 for CV3 Acceleration and & CV4 deceleration, but I am not sure of the chuffs set up. I seem to recall that the sound, chuffs, is related to the number of chuffs for a full drive wheel revolution, but not fully sure. Can anyone guide me on this please? Paul

I was expecting most of my locos to be 126 (128) step decoders, the ones that I considered could be either the 126 or a lesser step decoder are - Hornby Digital Loco Class 08 0-6-0 R1236-Shunter- - Hornby Northern Rail twin cab DMU Class 142 - A Sprinter DMU Class 150 I had no concerns for the larger, newer, loco's, with or without sound. I guess the mind says 08 shunter, no sound, small loco, maybe doesn't need 126 step decoder but being digital I guess equally it could be. The main area here, for me, was I was looking for an easy way to check and know what decoder was in each loco and expected to find that in the Cv's. Thanks everyone for your help. Paul

Thanks guys, this forum is brilliant. Let me put my question another way if I may. Would it be reasonable to assume, in most cases, unless tinkered with, a loco will be set for a 126/128 step decoder and if it has a smaller step decoder then CV29 will have already been adjusted? But when I use iTrain it requests I add the decoder type, 14, 28, 128 How do I know what step type decoder is installed in each loco? Paul

Is there a quick and easy way to know how many speed steps a loco decoder has? Is it possible to find out from the CV tables? Can it be assumed that DCC Locos with sounds have 128 steps? Is it possible by checking the decoder inside the loco, I have never opened a loco and would prefer not to. I look forward to your replies guys, thanks in advance. Paul

Brilliant Iain. Having had so many issues to date, I am just trying to make sure every possible situation has been considered. Paul

I am building a new layout using Digikeijs DR5000 DigiCentral and DR4088LN's for the feedbacks. There are 4 @ DR4088LN in place, programmed 1 -16, 17-16, 33-16 and 49-16 The first 3 have the usual green flashing light, the last one has both a green flashing light and between the Loco net sockets and the S88N socket there is a red fast flashing light? There is nothing plugged in any of the S88N sockets so I am wondering why this one DR4088LN has the flashing light? Have I an error? Thank you in advance for your help Paul

Hi David It is a Peco double slip, my apologies for calling it a 4 ways, sometimes the memory (like my track building) doesn't work as it should. Thanks for your comments.

Hi The details are not to scale ans show the live and com of a single track in parallel. There is only one double slip showing in the image but a second one will be added leading to/through the first one. The feedback is in a block, I am installing the Digikeijs system using DR4088LN to DR5000 controller Thanks for your comments.

Hi Geep7 It is a Peco insulfrog double slip Thanks for your comments