# Problems with programming LGB and Massoth locos and decoders



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I've been trying to program my LGB locos (with LGB or Massoth decoders) using these variations:

1. LGB 50111 Power Supply with LGB Central Station III (DiMax wireless) & Massoth Navigator on mainline isolated from all other rollingstock


2. LGB 50111 Power Supply with LGB Central Station II & LGB 55016 Loco Remote on isolated track 


3. LGB 50111 Power Supply with LGB 55015 Universal Remote on programming track 

I find both the LGB and Massoth instructions confusing so it is probable that I am not doing something right .

Sometimes everything turns out perfect while other times nothing happens and other times there are undesired or unanticipated results.

Any ideas as to where I can find instructions that are easier to understand? Otherwise I would like to talk with someone who is successfully using some or all of these components.

This is a done deal in that I already own the above equipment and the locos and decoders that I am trying to program. 

I may eventually look at something additional but it would have to be 100% compatible with my current LGB equipment and decoders including serial and parallel +14 and 28 steps.

All I really need are Serial, Parallel, loco ID, bell, whistle, smoke & light control.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Jerry

PS at 70 my memory and mental dexterity are not what they used to be. I am adapting to it but I may repeat the same question.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The easiest way to program the MTS decoders was the 55045 computer module.
This unit will read all the present values of a decoder and allow you to store the values on your computer. Good news is the softwasre will run on most older Microsoft software/computers. I use XP.

The 55015/55016 would not read out decoder values so you were doing blind programming. It is like driving in a forest on a moonless night with no lights and doing 50 MPH!!!

The Massoth unit will read the current values, but you would need to write them down. No fun at over 100 locations on each decoder!! And newer decoders have up to 1000 addresses.


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

Dan Pierce said:


> The Massoth unit will read the current values, but you would need to write them down. No fun at over 100 locations on each decoder!! And newer decoders have up to 1000 addresses.


This statement is *totally incorrect*. Dan, I don't know which Massoth unit you are talking about???

The Massoth PC Module and the Massoth DCC programmer allow a user to save decoders' CV values in xml files that can be printed out, re- read by the Massoth DCC programmer, or edited in xml notepad. 
BTW: The Massoth DCC programmer can also be used with the LGB 55045. 

Mohammed
http://www.massothusa.com
http://www.allaboutlgb.com


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## riderdan (Jan 2, 2014)

mbendebba said:


> This statement is *totally incorrect*. Dan, I don't know which Massoth unit you are talking about???
> 
> The Massoth PC Module and the Massoth DCC programmer allow a user to save decoders' CV values in xml files that can be printed out, re- read by the Massoth DCC programmer, or edited in xml notepad.
> BTW: The Massoth DCC programmer can also be used with the LGB 55045.
> ...


I don't think I'd suggest that asking users to hand-edit XML files is a "feature"  It's pretty trivial to screw up when editing an XML file (just one bracket missing from one tag and the whole thing's no longer valid XML) and fixing a 3,000-line one that you've screwed up can be a taxing chore. Ask me how I know


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

riderdan said:


> I don't think I'd suggest that asking users to hand-edit XML files is a "feature"  It's pretty trivial to screw up when editing an XML file (just one bracket missing from one tag and the whole thing's no longer valid XML) and fixing a 3,000-line one that you've screwed up can be a taxing chore. Ask me how I know


Let me rephrase: The Massoth PC module and the Massoth DCC programmer allows a user to read, change, display on screen and paper, and electronically store all the CV values of a decoder. The same is true when you use the LGB 55045 PC module with the Massoth DCC programmer.
 

Mohammed
www.allaboutlgb.com
www.massothusa.com


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks guys,

My problem now is that I KNOW I have a 55045 around here somewhere but I can't find it. I have the 55060 and the wires for (and instructions for) both the 55060 and the 55045 but neither the box for the 55045 or the 55045 itself (I have the box for the 55060). The problem is that I have not used MTS for years and I've put the stuff away other than in a particular cabinet and the 55045 is not there.

As far as I recall I never used the 55045 or the 55060 because I was running straight track power.

This morning I may have realized why I did not pursue MTS further when I tried running two LGB SC Mikados with each pulling 6 Aristo lighted Heavyweights. The Central Station III went out immediately and I checked the Jumbo which confirmed that the two trains were drawing 7 amps. If I just turned on another siding with a similar train the lighted Heavyweights alone would probably kick it at or over 10 amps.

I now have some other issues but for now I REALLY need to find that 55045.

Thanks,

Jerry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

time to change those aristo cars to LEDs... I also had a 10 amp train, and 7 of it was the lights in the USAT streamliners.

Greg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

oops. double post


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Perhaps my comment for people other than Jerry was not taken well about Massoth, but I know Jerry wants the KISS method and it is his questions I am answering and Jerry stated he had all the old MTS stuff and I responded to Jerry knowing what he had and how he wants to keep it simple.
Using the 55045 with the Masoth software was not very nice when I tried it.
I did figure it out, but I was unable to get a friend to use it successfully who had the MTS and Navigator and Massoth system.
Again I was trying to help the original poster and use the KISS principle. (no shouting please).


Note to Greg, I am entering your world maybe


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

There is indeed a distinction between "it can work", and the KISS principle, and I agree with Dan that Jerry has made it clear over the years that he does want things that meet "KISS".

I respect Dan's advice. Mohammed, perhaps you can post some examples of the procedure, perhaps with screen shots so that people can judge for themselves?

Regards, Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi guys,

If I were you Jerry, for doing simple programming where all you want to do is to change a few CV's at a time, then using the navigator with your MTSIII is very fast and efficient, but that's assuming you know what is already programmed.

If, however, you don't know what is programmed in your locomotives, and you want a baseline for all your engines, what I would do is use the 55045 unit with the old MTS software, which I'm guessing you also have. That way you can read and store the CV list for each locomotive. The Massoth software will also work fine for this, but in my opinion there is nothing better than the old MTS software for working on LGB onboard decoders. If they have Massoth decoders then I would use the 55045 with the Massoth software and again, read all the CV's and save them. The Massoth software works just as well as the old MTS but it's more specific to the Massoth decoders. Try each one (both free) to see which you like best.
So...find that 55045!

Keith


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Guys,

Everything Dan and Mohammed have said has been helpful and a phone call to Mohammed helped a lot. The last thing he said was the same as Keith: ".find that 55045!"

Unfortunately, I have looked everywhere and have been unable to find that 55045. I guess I'll have to get another one.

Meanwhile I have other decoders to program, buy and install but Mohammed solved my biggest problem by telling how to bring the layout's MTS up to 10 amps with the 55090 which I already had hooked up to the inside mainline. With 10 amps I should be able to handle everything and if necessary I have a few more 55090's for wherever they may be needed.

LGB must have had me in mind when they came out with MTS as it really suits the little I want from DCC.

When LGB went bankrupt I was lured away by Aristo's new diesels and the plug in Revolution and stainless track for outdoors. 

Now with Aristo gone and decreased mobility I am back indoors with the LGB trains, brass track and MTS so for me it turns out I made the right choices back when I built these layouts.

Clearly I still have a lot to learn about MTS but within my limited needs it should not be too difficult to work out.

Thanks guys,

Jerry


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds like you're getting there Jerry, so that's good.

I would work hard to reduce your current requirement, as Greg pointed out by switching everything you can to use LED's. It's amazing how little you can get by with relatively short trains, flat grades, and efficient motors wherever possible(Buhlers).


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Keith,

I gave up on finding my 55045 so I ordered a replacement on eBay. I hate paying twice for something but perhaps I never did have a 55045 (but if not I don't know how I happen to have the serial and other cord from a 55045)???

Fortunately when I built the layouts I built them for maximum utilization within the space available including parking space for F7ABA's pulling 12 freight cars & caboose or F7ABBA's pulling 16 freight cars & caboose. The main layout is perfectly flat (the ramps, lower levels, and outside will stay with analog track power or Revolutions). 










The Moguls usually have 6 LGB coaches or 7 freight cars & caboose and the little LGB lights don't draw much power.

Perhaps the main attraction of the layout for me is that, because it is in the crawl space, it is dark as night when the lights are off. The lights are on a dimmer so I can lighten or darken it to simulate any time of day. When I run the trains the only illumination usually is just the building lights and the train lights so the bright lights of the Aristo Heavyweights are an attraction rather than a problem. The 10 amp LGB Jumbo has always been plenty of power to run anything (a separate LGB 51070 provided an extra 5 amps for the center line and wye).

I think that with Mohammed's recommendations the layout now has 10 amps for MTS power and that should work out well but if not I think Massoth has a 12 amp unit available so if necessary there is a back up plan.

A lot of my focus at the present is to get everything that is currently on the layout working with MTS with as little mental or physical work on my part (and hopefully at minimal additional expense).

For me personally I've always found DCC complicated and intimidating. At 70 I find it even more so which is why I find it very desirable to fall back to the dumbed down LGB MTS version. 

Thanks again,

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

*I Found my LGB 55045*

GOOD NEWS!!!

I had given up on finding it but I just found my LGB 55045 Programming Module under a bunch of stuff in the Caboose. I have no idea why I had left it there as I have not done any work out there for at least a year and a half (but then my original plan was to have a workshop out there).

I will download the software tomorrow (or tonight) and get busy with it tomorrow.

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I have spent the past week working with the LGB 55045, Version 6.0 of the MTS-PC software and got it working on a couple of old Toshiba XP laptops with a Garmin RS232-USB adapter cable. Also got the Massoth DCC Programmer software up and running with it but it is somewhat confusing.

I did get the DiMAX 1210Z system and have updated my old Navigator etc. so things are getting better. Today I will try to get everything to run on a Windows 7 laptop (Windows 8.1 apparently is incapable of running the LGB 55045 software V6.0). I thought I had V6.1 but at this point I'm not sure that 6.0 is not the latest version.

Getting there,

Jerry


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