# DCC/ Digitrax/JMRI/LocoBuffer Help



## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

I need some help with getting my DCC/ Digitrax/JMRI/LocoBuffer up and working.* Experience has taught me that the more information I can provide, the better people can help me.* So here is what I got, what I've done and what's not happening. Let me say this first, I think, think, my problem is as simple as something being adjusted in the settings. But I could be wrong.

I recently acquired a Digitrax Chief 2 system, used.* I was able to take the components to a friends house, where we used his layout and Digitrax system to test my components.* Everything I expected to work, did.* The command station is a DCS100, powered up and worked fine. My friend made the suggestion that I setup up the command station to (sorry I forget the actual wording) and we did, We went into command station setup and selected it to remember on power up, what it was doing before power shut off. Tested that by killing power with a loco running around track.* Power died and when we turned power back on, after powering up, loco started running again.* All is good.*

We then put my UP3 universal panel into his setup with my command station and tested it.* It work correctly as well with his throttles and the two of mine that I expected too work.* Other two that I was told would not work, didn't.

We then deleted the old roster of locos that were in the Command Station.* He suggested that since I was not using a layout, but only a three foot long piece of track to test and program decoders, that when I hooked everything up, to choose Programming on Main.

So I tear it down and take it home.* Once home, and after some fine help here on another thread, I was able to get a power supply that worked. (See photo below)

I also picked up a LocoBuffer to use to connect the system to my laptop. (See photo below)

So once I have all this laid out on bench, I made some wire leads to use from command station to test track. I used speaker wire which is all I had at the moment. Soldered the ends to the test track and stripped wires and put those ends in to the Rail A and Rail B of command station.* I then cut the end of the power supply and stripped them and inserted them into the "Power In" slots on Command Station. PS was not plugged in.* Once this was ready, I plugged the UP3 into the LocoNet A slot and plugged one of the good throttles in the UP3 after installing a good 9volt battery.*I then plugged the PS cord into a power strip, aka surge protector* Then placed a loco with decoder installed, tested and working good, on the test track.* So!* Then it was time to flip on the power to the power strip.

When I did, the Command station did the beeps that I have learned to be normal, the loco didn't catch on fire and there were no sparks or smoke!!* So far so good!* I then went through the steps to steal the loco and press F0 to turn on head lights. Rear headlights came on.* I reversed direction and front heads lights came on.* I advanced throttle, loco moved, reversed direction with throttle and it did what it should done!*

Yea!!!* WooHoo!!! All looked good!!!

I then downloaded and installed JMRI which came with several icons on my desktop which confused me.One icon said JMRI DecoderPro and the other said DecoderPro3.*

So I then started the process of unboxing, connecting and installing drivers for the LocoBuffer.*

Once I got that installed, correctly I hoped, I tried to put all this together.* I clicked on decoder pro 3 and went through the setup procedures which included identify what port the LocoBuffer had been assigned and entering that accordingly. I then selected the Programming on Main mentioned above.* All looked good. So I moved on to New Loco and when I selected that I got the Create New Loco screen.* (later I will come back to this) I then clicked "read type from decoder".* I immediately got errors #301 NO LOCO DETECTED and #308 NO ACKNOWLEDGE FROM LOCO. I pressed this several times and continued to get same errors.* I then shut down JMRI, laptop and powered off Digitrax system. And then powered them back on. Digitrax seemed fine, loco would still light up and move.* Throttle would still control loco. Opened JMRI, went to new loco and tried again.* Same results. Same error messages. At this point I shut it all down and went to bed.

Next morning with the little time I had, I tried again. Same results. I guess I was hoping the gremlins would be asleep 

That afternoon I tried again.* Same results and doing what I should NOT have done, started nosing around and playing with stuff.* Back to the new loco and read type from decoder screen. At the top center of that window is a drop down box.* Programming Mode was to it's left. Paged Mode was displayed.* I click the drop down arrow and saw three other options. Going too fast, I changed them to different things and then pressed read type from decoder.* On one of them, I think it was "Direct Byte", when I pressed read type from decoder, the command station started beeping that awful noise and wouldn't stop....* I killed power to system... ugh. I think this was a mistake. And then powered it back on. Command station powered on with beeps, but no lights on loco and I could get anything to do anything. Even throttle was displaying crazy words and numbers flashing real fast!* I dropped my head knowing something was damaged.* At this point I had to leave for an appointment. :-(

When I came back, I started to think it through.* Some how I found some setting that showed track power was off and flipped that. When I did, loco lit up and I was able to control its lights, direction and speed with throttle.* (Wipes forehead) But that went away after I rebooted system. When I did, loco would light up but not respond.* :-(

This all happened over the last two days.* Currently all of this is sitting on my bench, awaiting me to make it work.

I contacted the maker of the LocoBuffer.* His suggestion was to make sure the port was set correctly.* I did and it was.* I have sent another email stating that and what I will outline below, waiting to hear back from him.

Here is why I think the problem is a "settings" issue. All of this stuff is communicating. I know this for a fact, here's why.* I can't remember where, (I'm at work right now, so much for all the information right!! Lol) but in some window, that allowed me to see, something like communications and throttle, when I turned the knob on the throttle, messages popped up in the box as rapidly as I turned the knob: "throttle 0 to 1, 1 to 2, 2 to 3" and so on, up to max.But loco didn't move.* Then when I turned power back down, I got the reverse: "throttle 99 to 98, 98 to 97" and so on.* It also reported change of direction when I presses the direction button.

So!!!!! This thing has to be communicating or it wouldn't see this right?* So if we go with that, then we have to assume ( yea I know what assume stands for) that it is plugged in and communicating on some level.

So why will it not allow me to read type from decoder?

As always thanks in advance for your help 

PS: It not that my friend who helped me test this equipment hasn't helped me. He has greatly! But he uses the Digitrax PM4 to connect to his computer and has no experience with the LocoBuffer. I tip my hat to him for all his help


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Make sure track is not in Emergency stop. you can do that by pulling up Monitor slots on the decoder pro 2


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

I think this is your problem. "choose Programming on Main". That's for after you know the type and address. You want service mode for identifying and address changing.


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

BINGO!!!! You both are correct!!!

This was determined to be two problems, and like I thought it was, both were in the settings. 

Hutch your solution was the first to be solved. I got on the phone with Mr Bronson from RR-Cirkits. We determined that the LocoBuffer was hooked up and working correctly by going to the LocoNet drop down list and selecting "Monitor LocoNet Stats." A window opened with the firmware number of the unit plus breaks and errors. Once we determined that, and their was no movement on the track or track power, he asked me to walk him through what I was doing. When I explained that I as trying to read the decoder on main, he explained what you outlined. That I must read on the programming track and once I have it stored, I can then make small changes with programming on main. So I pulled the wires from the Rail A and B slots on command station, inserted them into Program A and B and was able to read type decoder. YEA!!!

Now at this point, I was still not able to get throttles to control the locomotives, but I did have lights turned on, on the locomotives. I thanked Mr Bronson for his time and headed off to figure this out. 

Now Southern was right!!!

After running all kinds of test to determine that power was to the track and looking at manuals, noticed that the little star was blinking in the upper right had corner of the display on the throttle: the emergency stop had been activated :-( Held down the stop key for three seconds, little star stopped flashing and went solid. Turned power knob and loco moved!!!!!

NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another problem. This is something to do with settings, I just need to figure out how to adjust it. Any help with be appreciated :smilie_daumenpos:

Every time I power down the system and then power it back on, the emergency stop is engaged. There has to be away to adjust this. I know that it is my system. I used this throttle over the weekend at another layout, and it worked fine, without having to disengage the emergency stop. 

Suggestions on how to do this? :dunno:


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

Glad to hear you got it going Fasha. You're going to love JMRI.


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## I Am Fasha (Apr 2, 2013)

Yes Sir!! Just got this one bug to work out and I will be completely happy. I have firgured out that for some reason, the throttle keeps going into Global Stop at power up. Need to find a reset for that and I'll be good to go


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