Advanced Consist Question - Speed Difference When Consist is Setup

[paco62]

I have the Bachmann L&N FA and FA-B units, both with Soundvalue on board, using DCC with an NCE Power Cab.  When I run the units separately, they both have the almost identical acceleration rates and speed.  When I set them up using Advanced Consist, the B-unit suddenly has a lower acceleration rate; it still works as the difference isn't too great, but I worry about it pushing the A-unit and hurting that motor.  I have the same problem with a different brand of locomotive A/B units, but they have different brand decorders (digitrax for the B unit and SoundTraxx Tsunami for the A.  The acceleration problem is much more pronounced).  When I set up the other manufacturer's loco's as a basic consist, they synch up just fine.  I haven't tried setting up the Bachmann's as a basic consist yet. 

Is there a differenct acceleration CV that you need to adjust once the consist is set up?  That seems like more trouble than it's worth, if Advanced Consisting requires more adjustments just to have a bit more control, but it very well could be user error. 

[electrical whiz kid]

For acceleration, and momentum.  Read your manual; I think that might be it.  If there is a small difference, it can be corrected via that route.  If the CVs are identical, you shouldn't have that much of a difference b etween the two.
Rich C.

[paco62]

Thanks for the information.  I am aware of how to adjust those two, but what has me stumped is that they perform almost identical when ran as separate loco's, but once they are connected through an Advanced Consist, they acceleration rate changes between the two (e.g. - Lead loco starts moving at speed step 1, but second consist -B-unit- doesn't start moving until 5 or 6).  Are you saying that once I set up the advance consist, to then go in and readjust the acceleration and/or momentum CV's? 

[bapguy]

Is there another way to consist with NCE? If so try the other one to see what happens.  Joe

[timhar47]

So - heres a novice question - since its an A and a B, there is no headlight to worry about in the B, the horn & bell turned off - what stops one from having them both set at the same loco address? Wouldnt that also work?

[Doneldon]

Tim-

The short answer is yes. However, you may need to fudge your speed matching a little depending on small variances between the locomotives' mechanisms. More significantly, consisting this way makes it more difficult to break up the consist. Since both units are operating with the same address, any attempt to end the consist with both locos on the track will fail; the only thing you'll accomplish is reprogramming both engines with the same new number. You'll have to remove one locomotive from the track while you reprogram the other one, or do the reprogramming on an electrically isolated track section.
                                                                                                                                      -- D

[paco62]

Is there another way to consist with NCE? If so try the other one to see what happens.  Joe

Yes.  You can do a basic consist, which works like programming both locomotives to the same address.  When you do that (on my example where the decoders are not the same - non-bachmann locos), their speed stays synched up.  The downside is that you can only have one basic consist and you have to break it each time or you can't run another consist or just the lead locomotive.  With an advance consist, you can just put the lead loco on (if you don't want to run a consist) and it will run by itself.  You can also have multiple consists stored.