HO Spectrum Shay DCC / Sound - Changing Locomotive Address

[Klondike Trainmaster]

I recently purchased a second new HO Shay with factory DCC and Sound.  I have been able to change CV's with the exception of the locomotive address, both 03 as delivered.  I'm using a Digitrax DCS 100 Command Station Booster with a DT402R Throttle.  I've tried everything I can think of from the Tsunami Steam Sound Users Guide to Digitrax on youtube and I can't get either to change.  Thank you in advance for your advice.

[rich1998]

I have read many times here that putting a 1k resistor across the rails works for programming with a Digitrax controller.

Rich

[Klondike Trainmaster]

Thank you for your reply Rich.  Can you provide any more details please?  Can anyone confirm this advice?

[plint]

Are you using the mainline (take all other locos off)  or a program track?

[plint]

Do a search here, on the forum for "change address".

[rich1998]

I found this in my links. Give it a try. It is a little old.

https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,3301.0.html

Rich

[Klondike Trainmaster]

Thank you gentlemen for all of your advise and suggestions.  Unfortunately, the 1000 ohm resistor did not work for me.  I "laid" it across the track, I "held it down with my fingertips" across the track and I taped it to both rails across the track.  Nothing.  I did however, find a solution for the time being.  In one of the links, a member suggested using a four digit address instead of a two digit address.  Now, my Shay #10 is 1000 on my throttle and Shay #17 is 1700 on my throttle.  Not what I want, but it's better than both of them #03.  Thank you all once again and if anyone has other ideas, I look forward to hearing them.

[prr22]

Are you using CV 17/18/29?  I hear people try to change the address other ways and this is not usually successful for me.

https://www.digitrax.com/support/cv/calculators/

[Klondike Trainmaster]

Good Evening PRR22, Thank you for your reply and question: "Are you using CV 17/18/29?  I hear people try to change the address other ways and this is not usually successful for me.:

Forgive my ignorance about CV's.  I've gotten comfortable with changing sounds and volumes and changing locomotive addresses on my Proto2000 steam locomotives, but I haven't done any experimenting with CV 17/18/29 and I don't want to without an expert walking me step by step through those processes.  I'm just confounded why these Shays were designed to be so difficult in changing the locomotive address.

[prr22]

Ah, I understand where you are coming from.  Try the attached video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMMGWNX6AsI

The CV calculator was included in my above post.

[Klondike Trainmaster]

Thank you PRR2.  Being a former Marine and Afghanistan Vet, nothing Should scare me, but watching that young fellow go through all those CV's gave me the shakes.  I wish he were here in my train room as I'm sure he could have this done in no time, but not me!  Thank you for all your advice.

[prr22]

Any time.  I'd be happy to go through the process and send a video.  Keep an eye open in the next day or two...  Trust me, not as scary as it may seem!!

[Klondike Trainmaster]

That would be OUTSTANDING PRR22!  Thank you in advance.

[graywolf]

Wow PRR22, out of curiosity I watched the video you sent and can't believe how complicated it is to program the address with a Digitrax controller. My NCE Powercab is so much easier ---all you have to do is follow on screen prompts and you are done in a matter of one minute. No calculations necessary --- I suspect the NCE unit does that for you internally.

[Klondike Trainmaster]

Good afternoon graywolf,  Thank you for your interest in this subject.  Have you changed the address on the Shay using your NCE Powercab?  If you have, would you share your details.  I took my Shay to my local Model Railroad shop and they attempted to make the address change using the shop's NCE Powercab and they couldn't make the change.