Great start! I would like to see short (2-3 minute) videos of one "function" at a time. For example; A short video on ditch light programming, a short vid on sound volumes, a short vid on light type options and so one. Thanks for ESU instruction.
Great video! Very concise! I was wondering if you have considered a Decoder Buddy and a 58429 to help install lights. I usually use all or close to all 12 lighting functions.
VERY interesting video! I have a MRC DCC system. Couple questions...Do I need any special hardware to use the program used in the video (I have a MACBOOK). If programming different decoders (Digitrax, ESU, TSU, etc,...) will I need any special hardware for each one? Thanks!
Excellent video. I have two questions that you may be able to help me with. First I have Advanced Consisted three Scaletrains SD40-2 locomotives. Two forward and one in reverse. The problem I have is that the front and rear locomotive's headlights and rear lights work. I have tried not using the headlight and rear light functions during programming and is has not worked. Do you have a possible solution? Secondly and more important I have not been able to find anyone who knows how to program automatic horns and bell. With Soundtraxx you can program your locomotive so you automatically get a single horn sound every time the locomotive stops, two blasts when it moves forward and three blasts when it moves in reverse. You can also automatically get the bell to sound when it moves in reverse for a select time. Thank you Steve
Sorry this has taken so long to reply. I just found this video. I have two remarks that should apply to your questions: About the lights: When using the ESU software, in the function mapping section, you should look near the bottom of the screen and you'll see a section where you can enable or disable any of the functions while the locomotive is in consist. Disable the light, horn, bell and any other functions you don't want to work while that locomotive is in a consist. These do not affect the functions of the lead locomotive! About the horn: One of my hot buttons as I worked for a railroad. If the engineer blew the horn every time the train moved, one or more of the ground crew would be up in the cab having a serious talk with that engineer! Watch some of the old films of passenger trains leaving a station and you'll not hear the horn at leaving. And certainly not when it comes to a stop! Go down to a yard near you and watch the crew switching cars, you'll most likely not hear the horn either. Normally, the horn would be used if the engineer was going to start moving when he wasn't sure the ground crew was expecting it. Comes under the excessive use rule. Besides, if you are running an operating session with several people, it would soon become very annoying. That said, it's your railroad and that's what you want, that's what you should have. But no, I don't know who you would do that. The same applies to automatic headlights where, if the headlight is on, it changes itself when you change the direction of the locomotive. That does not happen in real life. However, in real life, the headlights are set up so that the rear headlight of the lead locomotive becomes the front headlight of the read unit. So at night, when a train is picking up cars from a siding, using a consist of locomotives, the engineer can turn on the read headlight (which is now the front headlight of the rear loco) so the cut of cars can be seen. On my locomotives, I do this by setting the headlight function off when in consist, applying front headlight to function 3, in addition to function 0, and setting function 3 to be enabled while in consist. That way, I can turn on the front headlight of the rear locomotive while coupling to cars. This works for me as I'm using A and B units and B units don't have front headlights. If you're running road switchers, you'd have to dedicate one or more units to be end units and not enable function 3 in any of the second units.
Just got an EMD SCL SD45 Scale Trains unit and want to have it start as soon as I place the unit on the track. I know to set f8 off = not f8, but when I do this the number boards do not light. How would the best way for me to set the number boards to light once unit is placed on the track? Or where should I find this info? Thank you,
This video was very helpful. I know this video is over 4 years old. Hope you get the time to make more!
very helpful.
Great start! I would like to see short (2-3 minute) videos of one "function" at a time. For example; A short video on ditch light programming, a short vid on sound volumes, a short vid on light type options and so one. Thanks for ESU instruction.
Thank you. Very helpful. Please keep these up.
Thanks this is a great help!!
how easy is to dim the ditch lighting LEDs if they brightness too much to reduced to about 50%?
Great video! Very concise! I was wondering if you have considered a Decoder Buddy and a 58429 to help install lights. I usually use all or close to all 12 lighting functions.
VERY interesting video! I have a MRC DCC system. Couple questions...Do I need any special hardware to use the program used in the video (I have a MACBOOK). If programming different decoders (Digitrax, ESU, TSU, etc,...) will I need any special hardware for each one? Thanks!
Just wondering did you use the Lokprogrammer or JMRI? I have been able to read some of the cv's in JMRI. I don't have a programmer. Thanks!
Excellent video. I have two questions that you may be able to help me with. First I have Advanced Consisted three Scaletrains SD40-2 locomotives. Two forward and one in reverse. The problem I have is that the front and rear locomotive's headlights and rear lights work. I have tried not using the headlight and rear light functions during programming and is has not worked. Do you have a possible solution?
Secondly and more important I have not been able to find anyone who knows how to program automatic horns and bell. With Soundtraxx you can program your locomotive so you automatically get a single horn sound every time the locomotive stops, two blasts when it moves forward and three blasts when it moves in reverse. You can also automatically get the bell to sound when it moves in reverse for a select time. Thank you Steve
Sorry this has taken so long to reply. I just found this video.
I have two remarks that should apply to your questions:
About the lights: When using the ESU software, in the function mapping section, you should look near the bottom of the screen and you'll see a section where you can enable or disable any of the functions while the locomotive is in consist. Disable the light, horn, bell and any other functions you don't want to work while that locomotive is in a consist. These do not affect the functions of the lead locomotive!
About the horn: One of my hot buttons as I worked for a railroad. If the engineer blew the horn every time the train moved, one or more of the ground crew would be up in the cab having a serious talk with that engineer! Watch some of the old films of passenger trains leaving a station and you'll not hear the horn at leaving. And certainly not when it comes to a stop! Go down to a yard near you and watch the crew switching cars, you'll most likely not hear the horn either. Normally, the horn would be used if the engineer was going to start moving when he wasn't sure the ground crew was expecting it. Comes under the excessive use rule. Besides, if you are running an operating session with several people, it would soon become very annoying. That said, it's your railroad and that's what you want, that's what you should have. But no, I don't know who you would do that.
The same applies to automatic headlights where, if the headlight is on, it changes itself when you change the direction of the locomotive. That does not happen in real life. However, in real life, the headlights are set up so that the rear headlight of the lead locomotive becomes the front headlight of the read unit. So at night, when a train is picking up cars from a siding, using a consist of locomotives, the engineer can turn on the read headlight (which is now the front headlight of the rear loco) so the cut of cars can be seen. On my locomotives, I do this by setting the headlight function off when in consist, applying front headlight to function 3, in addition to function 0, and setting function 3 to be enabled while in consist. That way, I can turn on the front headlight of the rear locomotive while coupling to cars. This works for me as I'm using A and B units and B units don't have front headlights. If you're running road switchers, you'd have to dedicate one or more units to be end units and not enable function 3 in any of the second units.
Just got an EMD SCL SD45 Scale Trains unit and want to have it start as soon as I place the unit on the track. I know to set f8 off = not f8, but when I do this the number boards do not light. How would the best way for me to set the number boards to light once unit is placed on the track? Or where should I find this info? Thank you,
you can map it to a Not F# function so you can disable it at any time
So how do you program to keep the forward ditch lights and the headlights on even in reverse so it is more prototypical?
Like he showed in the video, de-select the 'Forward' option in your function map.