# Undid my first NCE consist, now SD45 won't react



## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Maybe it's just deja vu. I seem to recall reading a posting about three years ago and of course I haven't been able to search it down now.

I created my first 2-loco consist today;then deleted it, figuring I need to read up more to get them to run smoothly together. But now the A/C SD45 just sits there. The numberboards lights are on, but I can't get it to do anything else. I've tried the "reset" (#7) and even that didn't do anything. (I had no trouble returning the GP40 to normal operation.)

Can someone point me in the right diretion?

JackM


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Are you running on Airwire? 

I'm not familiar with how Airwire does consisting, advanced or "old style"... 

Clearly the address is wrong now... you will probably solve the problem fastest by resetting the decoder... by the way what decoder are you using? 

Greg


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

"Any consist may be deleted from memory. The consist selected for deletion should not be
active. Before starting, make sure the active locomotive or consist is not showing on the
normal display. For this example, Consist 12 will be deleted.
is the command for selecting and deleting a
consist. Now scroll through consist memory to find the
lead locomotive of the consist. The E indicates that you
are in the edit mode for consists in memory.
When the display shows the consist to be delete, push the
# key. This deletes the consist plus all locomotives added
to the consist. The display returns back to the previously
active locomotive or consist.
Note: There is a good reason to not have the deleted consist also be currently active. If the
deleted consist is also the active consist, it may seem that nothing has changed, except that
the E and M have turn off when you press the # key. However, if you use the SHOW 2
command, you will find that the deleted consist is no longer in memory.You can continue
to control the “deleted” consist but the moment you select another locomotive or consist,
the consist will officially be deleted."

Jack,

IF you are using Airwire, note what I have copied above. This MIGHT help.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

My apologies, I didn't give full details. This has nothing to do with Airwire. I don't have Airwire, just a standard NCE system. 

The SD45 has the NCE 408 decoder in it, no sound card yet. It was the rear loco in the consist, with the GP40 in front. The GP40 has a QSI Titan. I deleted the consist and the GP40 is running as per usual. 

The SD45 has the numberboard lights on with rail power, but I can't get it to react other than that. I've tried the NCE #7 factory reset on my Programming track, but nothing changed. 

Obviously, there's something I didn't do it right. 

JackM


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg should be able to give you a better answer, but in the meantime have you tried reprogramming the address into the SD45? Maybe it just got nuked somehow... 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, did you make an advanced consist? Did you use the normal "kill consist" command, and you deleted the CONSIST NUMBER not using the LOCOMOTIVE NUMBER? 

I'm not familiar with the #7 factory reset... is this on the programming track AND in programming track mode? 

from the 408 manual, setting cv 30 = 2 on the programming track will reset the decoder (note it resets the address too) 

Greg


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Greg - 

Yes, this was an advanced consist, as opposed to "old". 

I don't recall exactly how I first attempted to delete the consist. I think I first deleted the lead engine (GP40), then attempted to delete the rear engine (SD45) which I was not able to do. I then just pushed a bunch of random buttons (only partially kidding) and wasn't able to get rid of the consists. I then noticed the "consist setup group", pressed del and successfully deleted the consist. (Four years, I never needed those buttons. Now I should use them?) 

I make light of my dumbness. I apply my own sense of logic first, then I apply the instructions. Yes, I think I tried to delete the last engine instead of deleting the consist. (In high school the Jebbies would've called that "pecatta mortale".) The cab tells me there are no consists, so I would expect that the engine should've been returned to its normal state. Apparently I just confused it instead. 

"#7 factory reset" refers to the Programming track Option 7 - recovery programming which is supposed to set all registers to factory values. It sounds like that accomplishes the same as setting cv 30 to 2. 

So, if you can point me in the right direction: I want the short adr to be 003, and then I should set the long address to, in this case, 701 and then it should be good to go? Should I do Programming Track Option #7 first? 

Thanks for your help. I owe you a couple Negra Modelo's*. 

JackM 

*Most of my Northern brethern are unfamiliar with this excellent brew.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, so in the future, you kill the entire consist in one fell swoop... use the "clear"button... to clear the consiste... add and del are to add and delete locos from the consist... 

so, now you want to just do a factory reset... put the loco on the programming track and see if it responds (you can check cv1 for example)... then issue the reset command and do it with cv30 set to zero. 

You were using the separate programming track output, right? 

No problem Jack we'll fix it... sounds like the decoder is scrambled... and the 408 is an older decoder and not quite as robust and today's designs. 

Greg


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Nothing like seriously messing up to teach one to do it the right way! 

I'll try to spend some unscrambling time on the programming track tonight and let you know what happens. 

JackM


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I wasn't optimistic this morning, figuring I was only going to do repeat what I did before. But the SD45 is running again!

I think it was either your idea,Greg, of reseting by poking a 2 into CV20 (rather than using Programming Option 7), or I was putting in the short addr AFTER I programmed the long addr. I wouldn't think that would matter.

But I'm a happy camper now. Thanks for your help.

JackM


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

And I promise I'll use the clear, add and del buttons as intended.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The order of setting addresses is unimportant, although the order of activating them is. I've never used the programming option to reset the decoder, I always use the CV's from the decoder manual. 

Whatever did the trick, I'm glad it is working now. 

Have fun! 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

You may want to delete the consist number also if you have not. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Another tip, on an NCE system (speaking advanced consists) you want all the locos on the track when deleting a consist. 

All systems using advanced consisting will program the special consist registers and addresses in the loco, but most ALSO keep a "consist memory" in the DCC command station. 

You can delete a consist by the NCE throttle without the locos on the track BUT then the locos are still consisted in THEIR minds... although now, the NCE system does not know about the consist. 

There's good reasons that the system "remembers" the consist as well as programs the decoders consist address. Won't bore the people here, but it makes a lot of sense. 

Just remember to have the entire consist on the track when you want to modify or delete it... if you don't then you might be in "decoder reset" land. 

Regards, Greg (you really don't have to reset the decoder, clearing the consist address in the decoders would be enough)


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