digitrax super chief

[routerock]

Hello everyone when it comes to model railroading I’m a seasoned veteran, but now that I changed to DCC I feel like one of the biggest noob out there. The problem I’m having is I can’t figure out how to change direction on an loco.. I’m trying to run an ABBA set of F units and I can’t get the trailing unit to run backwards, I’m using the Digitrax super chief to operate with. Thanks.

Bradford Greene

Rock Island Des Moines div.

[bnsf971]

Feb 12, 2015 16:20:30 GMT -8 routerock said:

Hello everyone when it comes to model railroading I’m a seasoned veteran, but now that I changed to DCC I feel like one of the biggest noob out there. The problem I’m having is I can’t figure out how to change direction on an loco.. I’m trying to run an ABBA set of F units and I can’t get the trailing unit to run backwards, I’m using the Digitrax super chief to operate with. Thanks.

Bradford Greene

Rock Island Des Moines div.

Are you using your DT400 to consist everything?
If so, the lead unit is on the right readout, and the trailing units are input on the left one. When you add a locomotive to the consist, and it is facing backwards, you would push the direction button for the lead engine, so it is reversed when you MU the trailing unit.

[bnsf971]

I'm sure you have this part, but step-by-step is as follows:
Example, engine 300, 200, 100, and 500 are being consisted, with engine 500 facing rearward, and 300 is the lead unit.
One the right throttle, push "loco", then "300" then "loco"
On the left throttle push "loco", "200", "loco"
Push "MU", then "+"
On the left throttle Push "loco" "100" "loco"
Push "MU" then "+"
Now on the RIGHT throttle, push the direction button so engine 300 is reversed.
Now, on the left throttle, push "loco", "500", "loco".
Push "MU", "+".
Your engines should all be consisted properly now.

[routerock]

Thanks for the help and that's just what i'm looking for step by step instructions on programing them. reading thru the Digitrax manual i can't find any thing about it.

[bnsf971]

Digitrax assumes you know how to do it. Every time I talk to them, I remind them not everyone is an electronics engineer.

[lee1234]

Best thing I ever did with Digitrax manuals was to go to their website and download and save the PDF versions to my hard drive. Then when I launch them from my hard drive they are searchable. Works for all PDFs that have not been scanned.

[Paul Cutler III]

routerock,
The DT402 manual is here:

www.digitrax.com/static/apps/products/throttles/dt402/documents/DT402.pdf

The MU instructions are shown in the Table of Contents, and are located in Chapter 9.1.1, page 43 & 44:

9.1.1 Adding a locomotive To A Consist
DT402 and DT402R throttles must be plugged in to LocoNet to add loco addresses to consists. DT402D may perform this untethered.

1. Select the loco address of the TOP loco on the R Throttle knob.

2. Select the address of the loco you want to consist to the TOP loco on the L Throttle knob.

3. Move the two locomotives into position. The locomotives can be headed in either direction. They can be adjacent to each other in the train or one unit can be the mid train helper or a pusher on the end of the train.

4. Before consisting the locos, make sure that both are traveling in the SAME PHYSICAL DIRECTION ON THE TRACK. (The direction indicators
may or may not match, the important thing is that the locomotives are set up to move in the same direction and are not pulling against each other.)

5. Press the MU key, the display will show the following:

(graphic of DT402 display)

the MU mode indicator on the display is lit. The loco address in the L side of the display will blink to show that it is the address that will be consisted to the address on the R Throttle.

6. The DT402 display will prompt you to press the Y/+ key to add the loco address or the N/- key to remove the loco address from the consist controlled by the TOP loco address selected on the R Throttle. You will see the display alternate between the following two screens to remind you of which key to press.

(2 graphics of DT402 display)

7. Press the Y/+ key to add the left address to the consist. The L Throttle display shows the address of the loco that was added to the consist with a cn in the text line above it. The R Throttle display shows the address of the TOP loco address and its current % of full speed. The R Throttle is now in control of the speed and direction of both locomotives in the consist.

8. Once a consist is set up and linked to the TOP locomotive, this TOP loco can be released and selected to run from either throttle on your DT402. The consist can also be dispatched to another throttle. You can access the functions of the any loco in the consist by selecting the consisted loco to a throttle and using the function keystrokes outlined in Section 7.0. You will not be able to change the speed or direction of any loco that is part of a consist while it is consisted unless it is the TOP loco.

[riogrande]

The above is helpful to me too. While I've had a radio Chief systems for a long time, it's been in storage for years and now that I'm getting a layout built, it's time to get my feet wet again.

As it is, I picked up a DT402D last year to update my Chief system as the DT100 throttle is not user friendly as a main throttle. My system only has a simplex receiver so I can only use the new throttle in IR mode or plugged in until I spring for a duplex receiver at home, however, I've already used the new throttle at a couple of modular meets to run some trains, so this is all very relevant for me - i.e. consisting loco's! So far it's been fun to use although I needed to be lead by the nose at first. Cheat sheets will be a big help until I've got it memorized.