Most modern command stations and decoders are set up to run 28/128 speed steps. If you are using older command stations or decoders you may need to adjust one or the other to get the trains to run.Why are more speed steps better?The reason you want to use a command station and decoders with 128 speed steps is for smoother speed control of your locomotives. Digital command control signals are just that, digital. When you send speed commands with your throttle, you are sending digital instructions telling the decoder to change from the current speed to a different speed. When ...
Status Editing - a DCC decoder's status can be manually changed by a Digitrax command station at any time the decoder is selectable. Speed steps are the increments of motor voltage that a locomotive's mobile decoder produces. Most DCC decoders can operate in 14, 28 or 128 speed steps. In some cases, older decoders operate only in 14 steps. You also may find that it is better to adjust the number of speed steps used by a particular decoder. Digitrax uses status editing to change how the command station communicates with an individual decoder. Our systems power up with the ...
This article was originally posted on this site in 2006, but the source material dates back much further than that, probably back to the early 1990's, when DCC was an emerging control system. The article discusses non-sound mobile decoder programming operations. Many of the issues discussed in this article are less relevant when using recently produced decoders, but this text still does cover some questions which may be raised when you are using mobile decoders which were manufactured by other companies. These decoders will operate in the Digitrax environment, but you may need to make some adjustments.The earliest Digitrax mobile ...
The EDIT Key is used to enter the Edit Mode for editing the fast clock, routes, signaling, etc. It is also used to status edit decoders while in locomotive address selection mode.
When I turn the throttle knob, my locomotive quickly changes speed in large increments.A very common common problem is the throttle "jumping" 3 or more steps each time the throttle is turned. This simply means the system is not set for 128 Speed Steps in that particular address.Earlier decoders, and some less expensive decoders, were set up for 28-speed steps or even 14-speed steps; very early command stations were only capable of handling 28 or 14 speed steps. Technology has marched on, and most modern systems now operate using 128 Speed Steps.When first turned on, Digitrax systems are set to ...
The Digitrax DCS50 Zephyr is set at the factory to send 128 speed step commands to all mobile decoders.If you have a non-Digitrax decoder that can’t run in 128 speed step mode, you can change the number of speed steps the DCS50 sends to that decoder so that you will be able to control the decoder. This is called status editing the decoder. When you status edit a decoder, the DCS50 will send a different format to that specific decoder address without affecting the 128 speed step operation of Digitrax decoders and other 128 speed step decoders on the railroad.NOTE: ...