# Please help identify/program



## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

I got a terrific deal on two LGB 2056 Diesels Queen Mary Series. The widow was just thrilled to sell them to someone who would run them instead of all the low ball dealers she had since her husband's passing over a year ago. I just sorry I hadn't met her sooner. A local HO club layout hooked me up with her, her husband had been a member. She said they were DCC with sound.

Anyway, I put them on my programming track and was not able to read the decoder. There is a hidden toggle switch on the loco with hand written "sound: Run/Prog". Neither setting was able to read. I am using JMRI with a Digitrax PR3.

I put them on the track and was able to figure out their address, it was the last two digits of their road number. 

There are two issues, 1. the momentum setting is way too much for my taste, and 2. The sound is too low, he had an indoor layout.

I would like to be able to change these. I opened the loco and it is a very professional looking install of a decoder and separate sound decoder. There are no markings on either the motor or sound decoder. Can anyone identify them and/or tell me how to program the momentum and the sound volume on the separate decoder? Greg?









The motor decoder on the left, white sound decoder on right. Blue/White wires to sound program toggle switch









Motor decoder, what is it?

Thanks in advance!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't recognize it Mike, put it on the programming track and read back CV 7 and CV 8

CV 7 should be a version number and CV 8 will be the manufacturer's id.

You can see who manufactured it... I have a table of manufacturers id's here:

http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=320&Itemid=358

(scroll down a bit).

(the thing in the white might be an HO Tsunami)

Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

It may be Digitrax.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Right on Mike!

Digitrax DG583S
(you gotta love the rubberband holding the heatsink on ha ha!)
Not a great decoder, rated 5 amps, will not run that high. Pretty old design.
Now need to figure out the sound unit... is the sound unit wired to the motors or the track?


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## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks Mike and Greg,

I had to go out of town the last two days sorry for the delay in my reply. Yes, I was thinking Digitrax also. Greg, the programming track is not able to read any CVs. JMRI reports no decoder detected. Possibly because of the way it is all wired together? I am using JMRI, and really forget how to program with the Digitrax throttle, it was such a pain in the arse, and my railroading improved 500% when I started using JMRI to program and control my Digitrax DCS. I will have to figure this out because the momentum is so high, it drives me crazy. I haven't tried programming on the main, but will read up on that too.

So I may be able to do something with the decoder, now that I'm sure it's Digitrax, but I hope to turn the sound up. I'm sure it's set on low volume because it was used on an indoor layout.

The sound decoder is connected to the track. On the one side there is that big resistor tied into the blue/white wires that go to the toggle switch labeled "Sound run/prog". The motor connections from the Digitrax go straight back to the motor blocks.

Can I assume the toggle should be set to Prog in order to program the Digitrax motor decoder? or to program the sound decoder?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike disconnect one power lead of the sound decoder, and make sure no lights are connected directly to the power pickups.

If you get stuck, unplug the Digitrax decoder, get an NMRA plug and just connect the decoder to the programming track.

(You are SURE you are in service mode with JMRI right?)

(I think the programming switch might be for the sound decoder)

Greg


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## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks Greg, I hope to tackle this over the weekend. At least get the momentum under control, then I can worry about the sound volume.


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## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

So I was able to program on the main (OPS mode programming) to set the momentum CVs to a more reasonable value. I wasn't able to read CVs no matter how I tried.

1. I connected the program track to the DCS200, tried reading with the added switch on the loco set to run and program.
2. Connected the program track directly to the PR3, set preferences to stand alone programmer and rebooted, no read either way the switch was set.
3. Tried Ops mode (programming on the main) with the switch in either direction, no read. But was able to write changes on the sheet. I only changed acceleration and deceleration settings, and that worked for the momentum.

I assume Digitrax OPS programming doesn't allow to read CVs? Or is it something with this installation? I guess I could try with one of my other locos to be sure.

So at this point, if anyone knows CV to set volume on a Soundtraxx DSX sound only decoder, that might help. I looked at George Schreyers page, but I didn't find the CV values.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ops mode can NEVER read back on a DCC system, only service mode (programming track)...

I gather you read here: http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips8/dsx_tips.html

Notice the PG mode, and the comments about difficulty programming the decoder.

George was using an NCE system, which has multiple modes of programming on the programming track in service mode... page mode, register mode and direct mode. Not all DCC systems do this, but also notice he said the volume was low.. 


Try this page: http://www.railwayeng.com/dsx_cvs.htm

You will see the master volume is CV 50

Regards, Greg


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## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks Greg, yeah t that was George's page I found. There are two additional breadboards in the loco. Wish I read this before I opened it up. Could be the afterburner amplification he talks about? I don't want to open then up again, at least not now. They are running well in consist and much better without so much momentum.

The other link you posted is most helpful. I will try ops mode with the toggle set to prog and see if I can get more volume. Thanks so much for your help!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Any time Mike, glad you made progress!

Greg


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## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

So, I managed to send a CV 50 in ops mode to the loco using direct mode. Tried with page mode and it said no decoder, so I tried direct mode and the digitrax throttle said good.

But there is no change in volume, but now the headlight flashes! LOL I had the toggle switch on the loco set to sound prog!


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