# Digitrax being dumb...help



## Moosehead14 (May 22, 2016)

We have a DCS100 command station and 2x DB150 boosters, powering a PM42 and all located in a custom control box. The front of our control box has a UP5 for direct access. When we attach any throttle here (ie. UT4, DT400, DT402D etc.) we can turn power on and off but we can't select or de-select any addresses.....until.....we attach a UR92 Panel via loconet (discovered by accident) then miraculously everything works fine!! I've tried resetting the command station using the op switch and I thought that fixed it, but it didn't.

Any suggestions? Why does nothing seem to work properly without the UR92?


----------



## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

Can you plug your throttle directly into the Command station and control things? Make sure the UR92 is not attached to the loconet when you do this.


----------



## Moosehead14 (May 22, 2016)

No, I thought the UP5 might have been the problem so I disconnected the loconet cable to isolate the DCS100. Even when I plugged in directly to the command station, I had the same issue. That's when I decided to try the Ops Sw 39 memory clear.

I know when you use the MRC Prodigy Wireless, there is a hierarchy when setting up CABs. Could there be a similar hierarchy with digitrax panels?


----------



## Moosehead14 (May 22, 2016)

Let's thicken the plot...

After some experimenting, with only DCS100 and one DB150 booster, everything works fine...when I add a second DB150 power on/off works, throttle works with whatever is addressed but I cannot change address or dispatch from the throttle....then if I add the UR92, everything works fine again?

I realize "if you find something that works, why change it?" But, this is a modular display so it is always changing size, shape and components, so I am trying to figure out the why's rather than just accept.


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I'm the MRC Prodigy guy, so I may be way off base here, but don't you have to "release" a locomotive from a throttle before another one can pick it up (you don't have to do this in the Prodigy system, so I'm not sure of the specifics)? Could that be the issue?

Just spitballin', but it might help.


----------



## Moosehead14 (May 22, 2016)

CYValleyRR, you're right. You are supposed to release/ dispatch a loco before it can be used by another throttle unless you "steal" it, but that is another thread.

However, in this case, the digits on the throttle display refuse to move. ie. when you press 'loco' to change the address, the digits on the display are supposed to blink, but they don't, when you press the numbers on the pad to change the address, nothing changes. This isn't isolated to just one throttle. I have tried several with the same response (or lack thereof!) 

Things only go back to "normal" if I take out one of the two additional boosters (doesn't matter which one) or if I add the UR92.


----------



## lovin it (Nov 21, 2012)

Have you contacted Digitrax to see if they could solve the issue? They are usually very helpful.


----------



## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Moosehead14 said:


> CYValleyRR, you're right. You are supposed to release/ dispatch a loco before it can be used by another throttle unless you "steal" it, but that is another thread.
> 
> However, in this case, the digits on the throttle display refuse to move. ie. when you press 'loco' to change the address, the digits on the display are supposed to blink, but they don't, when you press the numbers on the pad to change the address, nothing changes. This isn't isolated to just one throttle. I have tried several with the same response (or lack thereof!)
> 
> Things only go back to "normal" if I take out one of the two additional boosters (doesn't matter which one) or if I add the UR92.


Sounds to me like there is a conflict between the boosters and they're competing with each other, but with my almost zero knowledge of Digitrax, I'll bow out here. Good luck.


----------



## Moosehead14 (May 22, 2016)

From Digitrax:

*Dear Moosehead14,
The DCS100 is apparently a very old one as some of them had certain LocoNet issues that are corrected when using the UR91 or UR92. You can continue to have the UR92 connected or you can take a short LocoNet cable with just one RJ plug and strip the red and green (two center) wires in the cable and twist them together and plug the cable somewhere in LocoNet to make LocoNet behave properly. 

Your Digitrax Help Desk Team*

.....so I made about a 1" pigtail, twisted the two center wires together as instructed, plugged it into a free loconet port and I'll be damned if that didn't fix all the problems!!! :appl:

Chalk one up for team Digitrax.


----------



## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Wow, Digitrax comes thru again. I've always had good responses from Digitrax. If they just knew how to write manuals.


----------

