CFL

Oops. I see you tried the decoder in a different loco but you don't say whether you tried a different decoder in the recalcitrant vehicle.

I don't think it is that simple. I was led to believe that just putting two or more locos (double or triple headed for the UK, a lash up for the US) requires careful matching of the locos, especially regarding their speeds. Basically if one loco is slower than the other then then the quicker loco will drag the slow one putting mechanical strain on it. I think that the locos had to be timed over a set distance to find their speeds and adjust to compensate but I may be wrong as usual.

CV 5 = 160 should see it fly off at the curves. It is a bubble car isn't it? Not an ICE.

Bingo! Writing the reset then group two then group one gives the desired result, as in: White lights in the forward direction of travel. Red lights at the rear. Alternate with direction of travel. Interior light permanently on even at standstill. All light functions operate on f0, f4 does not toggle the interior light. As you say it is a bit weird, I can only think that something in group two negates a setting in group one. Writing group one after group two overwrites the negative. Anyway, it works exactly as I want and it was well worth the minor effort on my part and the great effort on your part. I cannot thank you enough and am in your debt. You are without doubt a Ian

From the list CV 273 to CV 288 inclusive: 273 = 16 274 = 0 275 = 0 276 = 0 277 = 0 278 = 0 279 = 128 280 = 0 281 = 0 282 = 0 283 = 0 284 = 0 285 = 17 286 = 2 287 = 0 288 = 0 Now it is bedtime, don't forget we are an hour ahead. I will be back tomorrow of course.

I did do the second group, all the readings were correct. Sorry, by all lights I meant white in the direction of travel, red at rear and interior light illuminated.

Update: CV 257 = 0 no lights at all. CV 257= 144 all lights on f0 but only in one direction, the reverse direction no lights at all. Oh so close...

I did say about Uhlenbrock. So far the only hiccup is CV 257 = 144 reads CV 257 = 0 CV 31 = 0 There is no need at all for: f2 operates parking lights f4 operates interior lights (as long as f0 operates interior lights) so far so good

Many a true word...

I just received a reply from Uhlenbrock, they suggest; CV 33 = 33 CV 34 = 34 so they obviously think basic mapping will cover it. Personally I doubt it, but here goes nothing... Well that was cobblers, all their changes did was switch off the tail lights.

To start with: CV 38 = 32 CV 96 = 0 but the instructions do say this has to be changed to CV 96 = 1 for advanced mapping. If it helps the instructions also say the lights values can be altered in CV 116 and from A1 (CV 117) up to A7 (CV 123). I also found a copy of another, later, e-mail from Uhlenbrock where they say: if CV 33 = 5 set CV 33 = 9 or if CV 33 = 9 set CV 33 = 5 if CV 34 = 10 set CV 34 = 6 or if CV 34 = 6 set CV 34 = 10 this apparently is to make the tail lights directional. I think the advanced mapping is the only option, as it reads the simple mapping is not going to give the results that I am after. It looks like the Uhlenbrock Next18 series are pretty well much of a muchness, the more advanced ones look to be specifically for sound. If you can work out the mapping then I can do the inputs but note the original settings in case it all goes haywire to reset them. If it really goes belly up then there is always the factory reset then start again but hopefully not. Also my German is okay but not perfect so if I know what to look for I can translate. Let's give it a go, cheers, Ian

The CVs are: CV 100 = 8 CV 101 = 0 The instructions insist that when an f value is moved then it's original CV should be set to 0, presumably to stop a conflict between the two CVs. I just got out the Tillig instructions, according to them the decoder was initially set to: CV 35 = 0 CV 36 = 12 CV 37 = 0 CV 100 = 8 CV 113 = 2 CV 114 = 4 CV 186 = 47 CV 187 = 8 Then: f0 front light dependent on direction of travel f1 sound if a SUSI is fitted f2 rear light dependent on direction of travel f3 sound if a SUSI is fitted f4 interior lighting f5 shunting mode I hope this is of some help. I don't know why but something at the back of my mind says A1 isn't the control for the rear lights, it might be something Uhlenbrock mentioned in an earlier e-mail but I cannot check.

Obviously number 1 was a prototype, it was subsequently scrapped. Possibly the rest will be stripped, fitted with a new dial then reintroduced as another rare chance to own blah blah blah.

Is it DCC ready? Anyway I would buy one to: a) eat the silver foil wrapped chocolate coin on the smokebox b) strip it for the motor c) recycle the rest via the bin where it belongs

As you calculated previously, I set CV 33 = 41 CV 34 = 38 Sorry, I should have written down the values again. If I read the instructions correctly then when the interior light (A4?) is atttached to f0 then CV 38 should be set to 0. Should that be correct?

I just changed CVs 33 and 34 as you said but the interior light still needs f4 activating. The directional lights still work as before. I also found with f0 off and f2 active only the rear red lights were on. What should be tried next? Thanks Ian

That all looks good but can you just check something? CV 33 = 41 CV 33 = 38 Shouldn't that be CV 34 = 38? If I understand correctly this puts everything onto f0, I then set the shuttle unit to run f0 continuosly, I run the tram via the shuttle and all the lights will work, the lights might or might not turn off when the tram comes to a standstill at each end of the track, if the lights are off then when the tram starts in the opposite direction the lights will switch on. If this is correct then I owe you a beer or three. One last question, will the shuttle unit 'remember' the f0 command or, like the ESU Lok Programmer, reset to default every time the plug is pulled or will it keep it's memory as a decoder does? Never mind three beers, I owe you a barrel. Beleuchtung ein unter bewegung? I shall have to look for that tomorrow. Many, many thanks, Ian

Okay, most of your CV calculations are right, but: CV 33 = 9 CV 34 = 6 CV 36 and CV 37 are correct but as I said f2 switches both ends to red lights. CV 113 = 0 finally, not an error but CV 187 is indeed the dimmer time for the head & tail lights and the interior. Changing this value of 8 to something higher does slow the transition but at 8 the time looks prototypical, any higher and it looks like the driver has to light candles. The speed of the interior light is immaterial as I want it on all the time. At the moment the lights have to be switched on using f0 (head and tail) and f4 (interior) but I need them to be permanently active. I don't remember how many times I swapped the Uhlenbrock and ESU decoders to take readings but it is statistically impossible for me to have not put the decoder in correctly at least once. The fact that I could take readings and make changes suggests the decoder was fitted correctly. The ESU can't have been damaged either as I put it in another loco and it worked straightaway. How are we doing? Ian

Those original CV values are the ones that Uhlenbrock told me I should change, at the time I didn't ask about the shuttle and permanent lighting, it was difficult enough to get the correct CV values just for any lights, as I said they gave me contradictory information so I had to go with a 'suck it and see' approach. I did try on the SDCC1 but (when I finally got it right) only the front lights came on. When I contacted BLOCKsignalling the guy said he was surprised as the DCC information was sent in packets. What that meant was never explained and anymore help was not forthcoming. As you say it looks like Uhlenbrock are difficult to fathom and after this palaver I go exclusively for ESU. Tillig & Uhlenbrock seem to be working hand in glove as an ESU decoder I tried would not work at all.

'Your statement that Uhlenbrock ignore standard CVs is wrong.' Change CV 8 = 8 is not a factory reset, CV 59 = 1 is a factory reset. By looking at the CVs on the lok programmer and the instructions for simple mapping, CVs 33, 34,38, 100 and 101 need altering to have all the lights on, only changing CV 33 from f0 it is doubtful it will take control of all the light functions. I wan't to run the tram without a controller so there will be no function buttons available anyway. As with most trains over here in Europe the tram has red & white lights dependent on the direction of travel, red being the end-of-train signal (usually replaced with red & white boards on daylight-running goods traffic). So both sets of lights of the tram should be on, three white front and two red rear. What I am after is the directional lights and the interior lights to be active all the time, this seems to be well into the realms of advanced mapping, and not simple mapping as we have looked at here. Hopefully the people at Uhlenbrock will reply this week. Programming track out and: Change CV 33 from value 9 to value 32 (as suggested). Head lights and end lights work in one direction of travel, extinguished with change of direction, f4 works. Change CV 33 from value 9 to value 34 (as suggested). Head lights constantly white one end, red tail end, but tail end changes to white with change of direction, f4 works. Change CV 33 from value 9 to value 3 (the sum of CVs 32= 1, CV 33 = 2) Head lights constantly white one end, red tail end, but tail end changes to white with change of direction, f4 works. Change CV 33 from value 9 to value 35 (the sum of CV 33 = 1, CV 33 = 2, CV 38 = 32). Head and tail lights on but not directional, f4 works.

I knew about the headlight (29=2 at the shuttle unit) but it seems the tail light is not operated nor the interior lights. I looked for CV33 in the Uhlenbrock instructions but it is not mentioned, also Uhlenbrock completely ignore standard CVs so finding and programming values is difficult. Yesterday (Friday) I sent an e-mail to Uhlenbbrock asking for the correct entries needed or failing that some clear advice on how to work it all out myself. There could be some fun and games next week. Edit: The standard CV 33 is CV 38 for the Uhlenbrock. This noncomformity is very annoying as you can imagine.

I have two sets of the instructions as I killed the first decoder (and didn't do the expensive Tillig good pulling it to bits multiple times) and I noticed the advanced mapping. The problem is it is advanced as well as the guidance being rather presumptious as to what the modeller already knows. I could try Uhlenbrock again but they weren't of much help when the first decoder went bang and afterwards the info they supplied was often contradictory. I too believe it should be programmable but I don't know where to start at the moment. Back to some serious head scratching and midnight oil I suppose.

I have a Tillig tram with an Uhlenbrock 73236 decoder which I want to put on a shuttle line with a BLOCKsignalling SDCC1 unit, there will not be a DCC controller. On the programming track I can activate f0 (directional lights) and f4 (interior lights) but of course there is no function buttons on the shuttle unit. Does anyone know if there is a CV setting or similar to make the lights illuminate permanently? Thanks in anticipation.

I seem to be a bit late on this one, but on all my ESU light boards (I use the yellow version for old coaches) the first thing i do is hold the pickup wires (the two outer ones) against the board then snip through the tail light LED wires just where they join the soldering pads. I then put the board on my programming track and tweak the little screw to bring the lighting down to match the other carriages, after that assemble the light boards (I fix them with black tack) and assemble the carriage passing the pickup wires down through either the hole in the bogie or any other hole if present. I glue ESU wiper pickups into place on a bogie then when that has dried overnight I clip the wires to length, strip the ends and solder the wires to the pads on the power pickup - no need to worry about polarity as the lighting board has a rectifier. Now the sneaky bit, instead of putting a resistor on the board I simply put a loco on the programming track, IMPORTANT: note the values of the CVs you want to change of the loco. Then, put the carriage on the programming track (mine has an ESU Lok Programmer and ESU Lokprogrammer 5.2.5 on the computer). You can then set the CVs for the coach. Afterwards do not forget to remove the coach then reset the CVs for the locomotive. I have 4 CFL long coaches but the length of my railway means I can only run 2 on 1 train, if the other 2 are in a siding and have a different CV1 then their lights will not come on when you set the coach lights to come on for the train. Incidentally I used a Dymo labeller to mark the coaches as CV1 = 1 and CV1 = 2 for each pair and put the label underneath the relevant coaches. This method seems to work, never seen any smoke so I too suspect you may have removed the red LEDs but left the wires which touched the live rails.