Running Multiple Locos Together With DCC (215) 

So with Advanced Consist on the NCE, do I need to set the consist address and other settings in the decoder or just go to town with the long address ? I tried Advanced with Atlas Gold / QSI with less than desirable results. I do remember setting consist addresses in the decoders, which I'm not sure I should of done after watching this video.

@@KingTrump2024 When you program consists with NCE Advanced Consists, the system will automatically program the consist address into CV19 in the decoder. Then you can control the consist either with the consist address, or using the address of the first or last locomotive (when using the last locomotive, the direction is reversed). As for QSI, their decoders are garbage. They do not do well being programmed for consists (personal experience).

Maybe this will help you understand the difference between NCE consists and others ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/210072746-NCE-consisting-VS-the-Others and also ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001112643-Setting-up-an-Advanced-Consist-the-NCE-way

The last I heard from TCS they are still waiting delivery of the throttle cases.

We call a consist of 2 locos a double header and that most often refers back to steam locos. Most railroads here run more than 2 locos together so the term consist or multiple unit is more common and I fell back into my habit of using North American nomenclature-mea culpa.

@@TheDCCGuy No problem :-) Quadruple, or quintuple header is a bit of mouthful to say anyway! I don't think in the UK we ever saw more than two locos on a train, of course the trains are seldom, if ever, as long as North American ones - neither do they do such long routes.

In some european countries the prototype stare railways do not allow to work more than three active locos or railcars in their systems at all in general. Private city networks with own track systems have other rules and can make their own rules. Metropolitan or subway cars as example can run into more than three combined units as well as possible, limitations are mostly the platform lengths. At Frankfurt City on River Main in middle of Germany, the city networks of the Vgf using a 5 Unit Consist or Railcars during the rush hours in the morning and afternoon hours on workdays. There is one network station with a very short platform so the first railcar unit and the 5th railcar unit standing both inside the tunnel and only one door are at the platform when servicing this tunnel station. The mostly done multiple units are double header with pushing loco in the rear onto state railroads in general use, where it is needed i.e. onto deep grades at Austria as example so two very powerful old style electric locomotives came up to bring such heavy passenger trains up hill to the summit across the alps. In other causes by steam locomotives double header abd pushing locos where a comon practise in the past to move heavy weight trains in service.

We often call it double heading as well.

Yes, and it is actually quite easy with Digitrax universal consisting. Get out your manual and read the section on universal consists and do a step by step operation. The command station will actually keep track of the correct direction of each loco in the consist.

Yes, you need to get the decoder programmed and running as smooth as possible. You also need to speed match the locos so they respond the same to throttle settings. See my video on speed matching. Programming can be on the main or service mode track. The advantage of using service mode is you can read back CV settings but not on the main. My manual says recall can be set up to 6 and can be different for each cab or throttle. However I fond 2-3 to be the most convenient number when actually running trains.

@@TheDCCGuy Thank you Larry.. I have purchased your manuals and the information you have given is very helpful starting out with DCC ( after a 40 year gap and leaping into this era from my DC days). Thank you again. Colin

Depends on now you set the consist up. If you use universal consisting then you will have already entered the lead loco address and that is the one you would use. If you use advanced consisting then you use the advanced consist assigned to the locos in the consist. If that doesn’t make sense then you need to watch the various videos I have done on consisting.

Yes, but easier to just use similar models with the same decoder.

600 series of throttles.

Watch video #244

See my videos 21 & 56 on speed matching. In the end though it is easier to just consist locos from the same manufacturer and using the same decoder.

Do you want to use universal (old style) or advanced consists, it makes a difference.

See my videos on advanced consisting, that allows you to predetermine which functions respond when in a consist. That way you can specify that only the lead loco responds to horn and bell commands.

Instructions for MU operations start on page 28 of your manual.

No, it only works with the PowerCab and only in the as built configuration. When using it with the SB5 or other NCE systems you lose the feature.

Advanced consists can be taken form one layout to another and still operate as a consist since the consist address is stored in the decoders. However there are also a lot of CV settings you can make to customize loco responses using advanced consists. Unfortunately these are not written into the decoder when an NCE advanced consist is made, only the address. I guess the main advantage is it takes some of the processing load off the microprocessor in the command station, but for most folks that is not noticeable.

Assuming you are using universal consisting then you probably at some point turned the headlights on while in consists and that is stored in the command station memory. When you send function commands to a consist they only go to the top or lead loco. Try activating each consisted loco by calling it up on the left hand throttle knob and then turn the lights off.

I covered consisting in videos 53-55 and advanced consisting was in #55 so go back and take a look at that one.

@@TheDCCGuy saw that but does it also work with using esu decoder from scaletrains and broadway, been searching how to use either and everything, still trying to get use to speed matching also

It works with all DCC decoders that support advanced consisting and to my knowledge all in current production do that, it is a standard. Now some companies like SoundTraxx may provide additional features but they still support the basic features of advanced consisting.

For the Power Pro system: Number of consists: 127 advanced consists of unlimited number of locomotives each. Plus 250 old style consists up to 4 locos each.

In that case it wasn’t needed because they are identical locos with the same decoders. So they could be expected to run well together right out of the box.

I am not sure what you are asking in your first question so please reword it. You can put a decoder in a dummy engine as long as it has power pickups or a way to get power to it from the track.

@@TheDCCGuy Other then DC CAN can you run duel engines that are not DCC?

I don’t think so unless you are asking about some of the European command control systems and that would depend on how operate.

@@TheDCCGuy Ok that's what I thought but I wasn't sure.I Love the videos very informative please keep up the great work thank you.

Yes

Can you point me in the right direction to do that?

Never mind I found one of your videos that show me that, thank you!

I have no idea what a “per cab” system is. It is possible to consist them but it may take a lot to speed match them. Try doing a universal consist of them and see how far off their speeds are.

@@TheDCCGuy Power cab NCE

@@TheDCCGuy ok great thank you

Power Pro Command Station Specifications: Cabs: 63 maximum Number of simultaneous trains: 250 Number of consists: 127 advanced consists of unlimited number of locomotives each. Plus 250 old style consists up to 4 locos each. Range of locomotive addresses: 0-9999 Range of consist addresses: 1-127 Range of accessory addresses: 1-2044 Range of signal addresses: 1-2044 Computer interface: RS-232 included Of course it all depends on how many boosters you have, their collective amperage, and how that power is distributed around the layout.

Just set them on the track back to back and make sure they are running that way. Then make the consist. On NCE Set them on the track back to back, and when the throttle asks the direction of the locos hit enter when it shows F on the lead loco and then on the rear loco hot the direction key to get it to display R then finish the consist. Easy, peasy

Depends on which you prefer not what I prefer-I can’t make that decision for you. They both work.