# Digitrax 'd nd' error



## Stultus (Mar 24, 2014)

I put a train on the track and the headlight comes on but no ones home. Tried three different trains (2 Bachmann and one Spectrum) with pretty such the same result. Getting a 'd nd' error on every single one using a brand new Digitrax DCS51. 

Old Google results suggest either dirty track, not enough power being provided to track, known Digitrax problems with Atlas/Bachmann/insert other name here DCC chips, or the necessity to solder an additional capacitor to the test track.

At this point, I'm just trying to read the DCC to see what the engines are. I don't think any of the decoder addresses are set for default at 03 and none of them will read (or run). Any more modern thoughts for how I should troubleshoot this? Also any advice for setting up a small but hopefully bulletproof programming track for this?


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## rzw0wr (Aug 28, 2013)

I think you need to add a resistor across the rails, not a capacitor.


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## JerryH (Nov 18, 2012)

See if the loco will run with the last 2 or 4 digits of its road number. d nd means a programming track connection is open. Which program mode are you using? It should be ops mode for programming on the main. Do not try to read cvs in ops mode. Use dir for reading or writing cvs on the program track. The terminals progA and progB (one to each rail) just hook up to an electrically isolated, from the layout, piece of track.


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## Stultus (Mar 24, 2014)

JerryH said:


> See if the loco will run with the last 2 or 4 digits of its road number.


Tried that too. Nope.



JerryH said:


> Which program mode are you using? It should be ops mode for programming on the main. Do not try to read cvs in ops mode. Use dir for reading or writing cvs on the program track. The terminals progA and progB (one to each rail) just hook up to an electrically isolated, from the layout, piece of track.


Think I was in ops mode on the main, using terminals RailA & RailB. Will try using dir and progA/B on an isolated test track tomorrow. 

/Yes, I meant resistor... not capacitor. Does Radio Shack even sell those anymore? :laugh:


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## JerryH (Nov 18, 2012)

Are the locos DCC ready or DCC equipped? Will a loco run on the main if the address is set to "00"? Do not let the loco idle too long in this zero stretching mode as it will burn out the motor if it is DCC ready and not DCC equipped.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Stultus said:


> Tried that too. Nope.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, Radio Shack does have a good stock of both resistors and capacitors way in
a back corner.

Don


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## Stultus (Mar 24, 2014)

I've built a dedicated programming track and had better success. Two of the three engines I tested last night showed to be set at default '03', but still won't run on the regular test track. Maybe a conductivity issue. Will check every inch of track again and clean the rails.

The other engine still comes up 'd nd', but I'm beginning to suspect that I might have been mislead on this one, and it's only DCC ready, not already configured. I'll try it next in DC mode. If this one still has problems it might be other mechanical/electrical issues.


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## JerryH (Nov 18, 2012)

Good job. Now we know the DCS51 is working at least in programming mode. Put one of the 03 addressed locos on the layout. Make sure the track status led is lit. You can toggle it on and off with the pwr button. Press the loco button and the display will flash with the last address used. Enter 3 and press the loco button again. Set the direction lever to forward and advance the throttle and see if loco 03 will move. If it doesn't, check the voltage across the rails next to the loco with a voltmeter set on the AC voltage range. It should read around 14 vAC.

There is no DCC decoder in a DCC ready loco and hence, there is nothing to configure with it. It should run on DC only with a conventional DC power pack or with zero stretching from the DCS51 set to address 00. It is wired to take a DCC decoder, generally an easy plug in.


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## Stultus (Mar 24, 2014)

Ok, I call this a success, thanks for all of the help! At least now I've been able to sort out the DCC engines from the regular DC ones.

One of the DCC engines will run (slowly even at full throttle) and one of the DC's will run (also slow). The rest (the other ten) just sit... but that gives me some other things to troubleshoot

1) I do need to check the test track with multimeter (assuming I can find the box it is packed away in). I'm thinking that connectivity isn't terribly good. Might need to replace most of the existing brass track connectors. Maybe there is just not enough power available on the track at the moment to drive the older brass.

2) The older stuff might also have been sitting for awhile and has cleaning/lubrication issues. I gently tried to turn the wheels on the ten older non-running brass steamers but they have zero movement. Frozen up? I don't want to force them in case that would damage the motor gears.

I guess if I run into more issues (like with the lube/cleaning) I'll take it to another thread elsewhere.


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## JerryH (Nov 18, 2012)

It doesn't take much binding or friction in the drive mechanisms to slow them way down. I take it this is on an older existing DC layout. I would tend to agree you may have a lot of extra resistance in the electrical conductivity of the layout track or wiring. Try a good abrasive track cleaning first. Good luck.


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