# Phoenix Coupler Driver and Crest Revolution



## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Components used: PCD, Crest Revolution RX, Crest Revolution TX, (1) Kadee #1 Remote Coupler, (1) Phoenix “G” Remote Knuckle Coupler and a 14.8V Battery.

I assigned the same address to the RX as the engine that will be used to do the switching, which then allows for control of the couplers without having to change back and forth between the 2 receivers. The PCD is wired to the Crest RX using the 5th, 6th and 7th function wires. F5 and F6 can then be activated to open the couplers. The only programming change required was to CV214 from a default of 2 to 0, to keep the Kadee coupler in the open position when triggered rather than having it immediately close. The Kadee then remains open until a second command is sent.


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

For those of you interested in the Phoenix Un-Coupler, the new RailBoss 4 Plus now offers two outputs that will directly control the un-couplers with no Phoenix interface board required.


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

Directly control the kadee uncoupler?


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

mickey said:


> Directly control the kadee uncoupler?


Yes


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Look up the PCD on the Phoenix site, it has 4 outputs, 2 for servos and 2 for solenoids.

about $70 street price.


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

Just to clarify after talking to Phoenix, as I understand it, the new Railboss will NOT directly control the Kadee couplers, only directly control the Phoenix coupler. It only puts out for the Phoenix couplers which use a solenoid unless you you add the extra Phoenix control board for the extra expense. The Kadee coupler that is $50 needs pwc output so for Railboss to control the Kadee uncoupler, you have to have the Kadee coupler ($50) and the Phoenix uncoupler board ($75) and that would avoid having to have a separate Kadee transmitter. Doable, but it all adds up. Or you just have to go with the Phoenix coupler and it appears it is only truck mount. Please correct me if I have any wrong understandings.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Just in case anyone was wondering about a Phoenix uncoupler and a Kadee uncoupler with my RCS ESC's.
I cannot get the Phoenix to work without a small relay interface.
The Kadee works just fine. No interface needed, simply plugs into Ch # 2, Ch # 4 or Ch # 5 on the DSM2 RX.
The easy way to do it is with an inexpensive micro servo (around US$5) and a bit of nylon thread. http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/21787/smart-rs3


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mickey, you might use the terminology "servo" instead of PWC.. pwm is pulse width modulation, PWC was coined by Aristo for their PWM output of power packs.

Clearly the railboss handles solenoids, not servos.
Tony's stuff directly interfaces to servos, and needs a relay to run certain solenoids.

Greg


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

loco_man4449 Tried to reply to your message, but Reply message doesn’t show as being sent.
You will need the Phoenix Coupler Driver board connected to the drop-in board using one of the aux lighting sockets. Give Jim Callahan a call at Phoenix regarding programming of the PCD.


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## VictorSpear (Oct 19, 2011)

Just getting back into sweeping dust covers off after a while, but I did something like this five years ago before the Kadee servo/coupler came out. In fact they gave me one of the first prototypes at an ECLST show.

Circa 2013. My servo cost $7.00 - We were more interested in location mapping so the coupling/decoupling with sync sound was a separate exercise. In this example, the loco is requesting the target at location [-31] to 'open up for coupling'. The location marker number can be seen at the bottom line of the smart phone display.

https://vimeo.com/user9875946/couplerops-vb-drs

Jan 2018

I've now added NFC RFID markers that make the whole thing a lot more interesting. Precision and simple math is better than guess-timation when it's dark at night and snowing outside..

Here's some interesting info from our friends at the FRA: (somehow they have started waking up to the fact that European railways have moved way ahead of the thinking-and-doing curve. Ah well... it's all about fiscal spending for basic infrastructure.)

https://www.maurerlaw.net/blog/fra-seeks-comment-on-whether-railroad-operations-should-be-automated

Vic


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## ereuter (Feb 7, 2017)

I have 6 locomotives now with Kadee remote couplers. I've been using Arduino Pro Minis to drive them. The Arduino Servo library works well. I have found, though, that I need to cut the power to the servos (using an N-channel MOSFET in the ground) when not in use, or the motor noise makes them chatter when the engine is moving fast. It also saves power, of course. 
In my case, I'm decoding the DCC function packets in the Arudino (AirWire), but you could easily use a logic input to drive it. 
Parts cost around 5 bucks.


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