WIMorrison

just to confirm that you have set up the DR5088RC like this and also that you have checked the box in the iTrain interface to use Loconet? You also need to make sure that your decoder is set to Railcom in CV29 and that CV28 has the channel 1 and channel 2 data enable otherwise you wont get all the data It does work - also when you do get it working I find that setting the loco direction to unknown in iTrain solves some issues.

I have been having issues with a Liliput 0-6-2 (new style) which I had put a Lenz Gold Mini decoder into (I had it spare from something or other) and I have spent 2 days trying to make this loco run properly. Ran like a dream on DC (though at the stupidly high Liliput speed) but with the Lenz decoder a max speed of 45kph and nothing would make it run more cleanly. Changed the decoder to a Zimo MX617n and instantly a loco that is running as it should - I have had to change CVs to make it run as I want (CV57=70, CV2=25, CV29=14) but I now have a top speed of 87kph and a bottom speed of 2.4kph with a perfect straight line between them! Lenz has never been a favourite, definitely isn't now.

you need to show what connections you have to the track and where there are

Looks like you have convinced yourself that this will work and meet all your wishes - good luck, but be prepared to find it falls short of reasonable expectations

First IA is always to reset the decoder back to defaults and see of the issue remains. Setting CV8 to 8 will reset everything back to defaults.

be aware that NCE has limited scope to interface to many computer control programs, and JMRI is no different https://www.jmri.org/help/en/html/hardware/nce/NCE.shtml

You download the software from Roco and connect to the z21 and put a tick into the box. it is described in this forum several times and on the web. full details here https://www.z21.eu/media/Kwc_Basic_DownloadTag_Component/47-1136-693-downloadTag/default/815ac3c8/1557127295/z21-maintenance-english.pdf you want to check the box that mentions RCN 213

you have probably fallen foul of the fact that Roco by default starts the address 4 digits higher than other people, so when you issue think you are sending 1 you are sending 5. You can change this by logging into your z21 and changing the option to set the addressing in the same way that other people interpret it.

If you run the android version within an Android emulator you can run it on Windows, but it isn’t native and you are best doing on the tablet ww.bignox.com for emulator.

John, No worries, most evenings are good after about 18:00 - unfortunately this weekend I am away at Narrow Gauge North in Pudsey helping out. Droppers are for getting power to the track and you can one or several per bit of track, normally you would have lots of droppers going to the common return bus and individual dropper from the feedback decoder to each bit of track that is a feedback. You should also consider creating an accessory bus which is extremely useful. Just line up your questions and ping them over before we talk as I will know (I hope) the answers making the discussion more productive. Iain

Will see everyone at the Sales Stand - lots of bargains!

Will see everyone at the Sales Stand - lots of bargains!

Norm you change the reporting mechanism with the DR5088RC

Quite a series of questions that will not all be answered in one answer as some answers will lead to more questions. firstly a block can be as long or almost as short as you want - longer blocks mean less accuracy in positioning information whereas shorter blocks mean challenges in stopping from fast speeds safely. Blocks do not need to be able to hold a complete train, they are where you want control to either know where a train, for signalling, or to stop it - one rule is that you will always need one more block than you have trains otherwise the layout will lock up with nowhere for trains to go to. a feedback is what provides the occupancy information and you can have one or more feedbacks in a block - feedbacks are physical telling the software (iTrain) where something is , blocks are logical and where the command and control is undertaken - you drive from block to block. The trains will stop at the position you define in the block - which can be anywhere in the block, but clearly enough distance should be given to allow the train to stop at that position. you have the wiring concept correct, the feedback is fed from a feedback module e.g. DR4088xx, DR5088RC, etc and the other rail is common. You can also add feedbacks into turnouts if you want. happy to have a telephone call where it is easier to answer the questions - ping me a PM and we can work out a time to have a chat. iain

I have used then for years and only ever had one issue which needed a replacement motor that was with me within 2 days

you do not feed the adsx from the track, you feed it from a new bus that is connected to the elite - you then power the track from the booster (which is connected to the elite. What this means is that you have 100% of the elite power for the adsx but most importantly your locos are being fed by a separate device which will provide all the power. The DCC signal is available to both busses. The great advantage to this method is that when you get a track short - normally caused by over-running a point set the wrong way, then the booster will cut the track power due to the short but the turnout power is still available and you can switch the point using your elite. when the short is removed i.e. you have changed the point, then the booster will automatically reset and the trains will start again. very good way to wire your layout, and used by many, many people

create an accessory bus for the motors and use the elite to power that then feed all your track through the booster

Try playing with cv9 - you should be able to find that in the manual

I have to admit that I don't understand that diagram at all - there are red and black wires going to the same places and it would appear that the DC and DCC are connected together which is a very bad idea, but as I cant really make sense of the diagram that supposition could well be wrong.

Same loco, same decoder but now with a decent speed curve - and this the default curve from the MX617f And how was this acheived I hear someone ask? I changed the motor for a coreless motor supplied by TramFabriek (took 10 mins to change), reset the decoder and adjusted for a coreless motor. Happy bunny

it is still awfully expensive though

You are almost consuming the available 25w already with the NCE bit and the little headroom available will not be sufficient to run your lighting also. I would look for something bigger.

Can someone enlighten me as to why you would want to remove the power from the turntable please? I can see a reason on DC, but not with DCC :(

I have used ScotchLok connectors for 40 years in all sorts of wiring situations, even in model railways, and never had an issue with them when using the correct size and fitting them properly.

Most people want to keep the power on as this supplies the lights and sound. If you get an auto-reverser unit and feed the TT deck through this then you will be able to drive off and on without any shorts removing the need to turn off the power. Possibly the cheapest one is from Block Signalling