# LGB 20570/20582 F7AB Santa Fe Diesel Set with Onboard MTS/DCC/DC Decoder



## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

I'm going to sell the subject set for a custom and testing it out, trying to get it to operate in Parallel sound mode. This model has the MTS Onboard decoder in the F7A unit and a regular sound board in the F7B unit. I first tested the locomotive F7A with the F7B unit connected by the two cables using my Piko Command Station, and then tried my Massoth Command Station, but I could only activate the sounds by serial commands with both command stations, i.e., press F-Key #1 x times, e.g., the Bell is F2 so but I must press the F-Key #1 two times to get the bell to sound. Using my Massoth PC Interface Module, I set the Address to 3 and 28 Speed Steps; no luck; so then I reset the MTS decoder CV55=55 and then set CV29 to 4 (Digital & Analog Mode), but still no luck. The owner of this set thinks he was able to just press F-Key #2 for the bell to work. So I'm confirming what DCC system he was using......if it's an LGB MTS II, then it's Serial Mode only.

Any help would be appreciated.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

MTS II was available in parallel mode also, usually with a "P" suffix, but not always.

I think I would concentrate on the decoders, get the part numbers, get the manuals and find what it takes to engage parallel mode.

Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

New engines on the MTS II P system default to serial. You must hit F and 9 to swirch the unit to parallel.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Right, but he is using a Massoth system, is the procedure to "force" parallel the same on his Massoth system?


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

As near as I can tell, the F7A and B listed above were not built with decoders. LGB used the 55020 and 55021 in the early years on the F7's. 20570 is the red Santa Fe. These models were produced starting in 1996, before the 'on board' decoders were made. On board decoders have different wiring than the 55020 and 55021 decoders. Lenz 55020 decoders (LENZ name etched on decoder) were very limited and could only do 14 speed steps and only 4 locations were writable!! 55020 (non Lenz) were 14 speed steps and later versions of 55021 were 14/28 steps. In the LGB notes below, 'original' I assume refers to the Lenz version only as the Massoth version has many more CV that can be changed.

So, decoder type depends on when they were added and what was chosen!!

LGB note on original 55020 decoders

Are LGB MTS decoders identical to Lenz decoders?
Can I program advanced functions on my MTS decoders?
Yes. LGB 55020 MTS Decoders have advanced functions. To program these functions, you need a 55015 Universal Remote and a programming track. You can program the following functions, depending on the type of decoder:

V2, V3 [in brackets: factory setting]:
Register 1: Loco address (00-22) [3]
Register 2: Voltage of first speed step (01-15) [01]
Register 3: Acceleration (01-15, 01 fast, 15 gradual) [01]
 Register 4: Braking (01-15, 01 fast braking, 15 gradual) [01]
Register 5: [4]; 0: normal direction, no analog operation; 1 opposite direction, no analog operation; 4 normal direction, analog operation possible; 5 opposite direction, analog operation possible.
Register 6: System settings (should be 0 or 1, otherwise programming of other registers is blocked)


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

Greg & Dan - I took one last crack at the CV settings yesterday and finally got the sound to operate in Parallel Mode by setting the Speed Steps to 14. I had originally set the MTS onboard decoder to 28 Speed Steps like I do to all LGB locomotives......I hadn't seen in the User Manual's CV listings that CV 67 - 94 apparently must also be used to program 28 Speed Steps. I'm leaving it in 14 Speed Steps and the new owner can figure out how to adjust CV67 - 94 to get the sound to work in Parallel Mode when using 28 Speed Steps!

For clairfication, LGB made the LGB 20570/20582 Road #329 in two versions. The first version was produced during 1997 - 2002 with a DCC Decoder Interface on the main board. The second version was produced during 2003 - 2004 with the MTS/DC On-board decoder, which is the model my customer bought from a train store in 2004. I'm selling it for him on consignment on both my Website and eBay.......it's in like new condition with hardly any usage evidenced by the very slight wear on the slider shoes. I posted a short video of it operating on my small indoor layout with the link to it on eBay: 




Tom


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

All LGB 'on board' decoders will work on at 28 speed steps, it is the Digital system that must be set to 28 speed steps, not 128!! Decoders only need to be set for 14 or 28/128, only 2 choices there but the 128 capability is not there in many LGB decoders.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

LGB333$$$$ said:


> For clairfication, LGB made the LGB 20570/20582 Road #329 in two versions. The first version was produced during 1997 - 2002 with a DCC Decoder Interface on the main board. The second version was produced during 2003 - 2004 with the MTS/DC On-board decoder, which is the model my customer bought from a train store in 2004.
> Tom


If I believe what is shown in the LGB catalogs, an I have no reason not to, there were actually three versions of the LGB 20570.
The loco is first shown in the LGB 1996 New Items brochure; production was planned for 1997.
But that model did not yet have a decoder interface.
The 1997 and 1998 LGB catalogs also show that model with no DCC interface
The LGB 20570 with a DCC interface was first shown in the LGB 2000 catalog

Knut


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

Hi Knut - Yes, I see those differences on your GartenBahn site. LGB, then Marklin/LGB, made so many versions of the ATFS F7A, it gets very complex to sort them out!


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