Digitrax PR4 programmer

[trainman203]

I run my my layout with the NCE Procab command station connected to the track with two wires. One for each rail.  That's it! All I need! I love simplicity! If I wanted to do wiring, I would have built a Heathkit radio kit! That is, if they still have them!

I am running wireless, so the cabs answer to an antenna that is wired into the command station, rather than being tethered into a buss to the track.

That is it!  All of it! From beginning of "wiring" to operation, 10 minutes! Or less!

The gurus and gods in Milwaukee have decreed that all layouts need a buss wire system for each track, with the layout broken up into isolated electrical zones  each with a circuit breaker. And feeders from the bus to the rail, every 3 feet or so.

In most cases, all of this is overkill for people who are obsessed with soldering. People that would solder a bing cherry onto an ice cream sundae if they could figure out how to do it.

I say that, while on larger layouts, such complication may be necessary, on most of the small home layouts most people have, all of that is ridiculous overkill.  My friend up in New York has wasted six months trying to wire a 4 x 8 layout with all the stuff discussed above.  When I finally heard about it, I told him dude, stop it, you don't need all that, just hook it up and run your trains.

[Terry Toenges]

As far as track wiring, I have wires connected to three tracks at the back of the layout. I had spliced the three wires into one wire to go into the booster. That was from when I had three separate loops.
Once I combined the loops into a thrice around, I left the three attached. One wire out of the booster to the E-Z Command.
Then the two power wires from the booster and E-Z. I have about 6' of distance I can move away from/around the layout. That gives me plenty of maneuvering room. I ordered a couple of 3' extension wires so I can stand back farther to control it when taking videos.

[Terry Toenges]

My wiring will get more complicated when I add the Azatrax crossing detectors that I have so I can run more than one train without them running into each other at the crossings. That way I can just sit back and watch them run.
I'm still contemplating how I want to run the wires for that and where to place the sensors. I have three Azatrax boxes to mount somewhere and then twelve wires to six sensors.

[trainman203]

If you are happy with default CV settings, basically running the engine back-and-forth only blowing the whistle and ringing the bell, and not much else, then the EZ command is just the thing for you.

However, if you are interested in running a steam engine and performing many of the actual operational functions of the locomotive, functions that are available on advanced decoders like the tsunami 2–2, you need more.

When my train leaves the yard, I ring the bell, and give two shorts to signal departure. So far, could've done that on an EZ command. Then I actuate the cylinder cocks as was needed on steam engines to evacuate condensate water out of the cylinders after standing for some time.  You turn that off after about 10 seconds. Then, if I have a very heavy train, I can actuate a wheel slip sound. Very, very cool I have to say, and a function not available on simpler systems. 

After I get out of the yard and enter a non-populated wooded area, I turn on the blowdown for about 10 seconds. On steam engines, impurities and particulates would settle to the bottom of the boiler into a special low place fitted with a valve to eject them and clean the boiler out. The evacuation steam would shoot 30 or 40 feet off to one side and had to be done in an isolated area, on a bridge, anyplace where no harm would come to bystanders or property.  Again, a very realistic function that can't be had on simpler systems.  Then, when running at speed out on the line, I use the Johnson bar to engage the steam cut off, which has a very audible effect on the exhaust chuff.  Or, with the Johnson bar, you can cut the steam off entirely coming to a stop in the yard and drift to a stop, with no sounds other than rod clanking coming from the locomotive. All of this stuff is unbelievably realistic, and not possible with basic systems.

In years past I was involved with live prototype steam a fair amount, learned about about all these required operational actions, and today I really enjoy the feel of actually running a model of a steam locomotive. Some people may not like doing all of that. I've had operators on my layout say it's too much to do. I personally don't feel that way. The great thing about model railroading is that you can participate on the level of watching trains, which we've all done since the Model Railroad Jurassic, or actually get involved with very hands-on operational locomotive functions, only possible in recent times with advanced DCC.

[Terry Toenges]

I think it would be neat to watch your trains run and watch you going through your process.

[Geeper]

Hi Trainman; Wow, you're really into era proto ops... DCC Steam is nifty for sure. I'm doing early era diesel, half DC and half DCC. The grandkids like Diesel spotting, looking for older diesels. We have Weyerhaeuser SW-9 switchers here in Longview. I didn't electrify my switches as back then all switches where 'manual' so I have all manual switching... I assume steam locos = manual switching like the old days. The grandkids have taken many steam train rides around Pacific NW, and they hit annual model train weekend at the local Train Museum. Life is good... Keep smiling...   

[trainman203]

https://youtu.be/KIMY5MS2tkc

[Geeper]

Hi Trainman; Nice video thanks. I have 2 Athearn Genesis with Tsunami-2 DCC and really like them (GP-18 and F7A). Their CVs are nicely designed and give good performance once set. Never had a problem with them. My Quantum DCC are more switch induced back to Mfr default settings. Never had that occur with Tsunami-2.

[trainman203]

Quantum sound is Stone Age, DCC-era Jurassic. It was great 20 years ago, but that was 20 years ago, an eternity in the digital world. Imagine having to load sound files from your computer into the decoder. That comes from the days of very small chips. I remember that quantum had very nice whistles for certain, for a whistle freak like me. my friend has a couple of early Broadway limited steam engines that came equipped with quantum sound. It's a root canal getting anything changed in them. Quantum is out of business now.

Today's tsunami 2–2 decoders are at the top of the mountain. 90 whistles, man. But. They are moving on with Bluetooth technology and are looking ahead to another generation of tsunami decoders with maybe 150 whistles in them. I have a well-placed contact there who keeps me up-to-date on what they're doing.

Replace your Quantum decoders ASAP with tsunami 2–2. You'll never regret it.

You need to go to the Soundtraxx website and look up their webinar for DCC diesel operation.

https://soundtraxx.com/reference/webinar

I'll guarantee you can make those engines crawl better than the way that decoder arrives.  Soundtraxx's webinars and videos are masterful, produced by a real guru. Their customer service is top grade.

[trainman203]

I realize I have hijacked Terry's original thread to talk about tsunami decoders, and I'm sorry about it. Any other discussion is going to be in a separate thread.

Simplicity is a real virtue with operation. Before I got into all of the advanced DCC, I was using an EZ command to run an earlier Bachmann consolidation and earlier run decapod just the way they came in the box. For a year or so I had major fun, just like that. However, while the consolidation came with pretty good default DCC Operation settings, the decapod was a terrible performer out of the box. It took me quite a while to figure out how to get into the motor control CVs to get it to run as good as the consolidation. But that took getting beyond EZ command.

In closing this discussion, I'd say after many years of fooling with these engines, that the decapod's wonky performance was an exception to the generally smooth running Bachmann steam engines. Most of them ran pretty well on the EZ command, and that should suit most people for simple running.

[Tenwheeler01]

I am using the PR4 built in the DCS52 for my first time decoder setup and to save my decoder settings. For my non-SD.. sound decoder models I will make the CV changes on the mainline. Once I have it set to my liking, Then over to the programing track to save the decoder settings to a file.  I mainly use DecoderPro.  Now for SD... sound decoders, SoundLoader has a nifty feature the Sound Test.  This runs the sound only part of the decoder on the programing track hooked to a PR4. You can play with the sounds and change the CVs while you are leasing. It gives the Throttle, direction, Function buttons and CV pull down menu so you can make changes while click buttons.  But as far as I know it only works with SDH and SDX series decoders. I have not tested other decoders with Sound Test.

Thank you.
TenWheeler01