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Big Boy Set & DT200 Throttle User Manual

1. Generally you don t need to worry about these codes since the system automatically uses them transparently to most users They give you a convenient and valuable insight as to how locomotives are operating on the layout Note If the right hand side of the status display shows FF during address selection this means that the Command Station has reached the limit of in use and common locomotives that it can refresh at one time To free up refresh slots space for loco Addresses make sure any locomotives you are not using are unselected to common at speed 0 The DT200 can handle approximately 20 active locos with any available address 9 6 Controlling Lights amp Functions MU LOCO SWITCH N N fam F 1 Press the key once to enter the Light Function control mode for the i Cl Cc display active locomotive The display ADDRESS SPEED will show Fn oo with the n flashing to indicate that the function number of the function you wish to change needs to be selected 2 Once you are in the Fnoo mode use one of the 5 blue keys to choose which function you want to change key will now select and change the Light or FO function Each time the key is pressed while in the Fnoo mode the Light FO will change from OFF to ON or vice versa The display will show F0 on for light ON and show F0 oF for light OFF This is the same for the other functions F1 F2 F3 F4 31 You can mix amp match and change any of the 5 fun
2. The Digitrax Universal Panels UP 1 UP 2 amp UP 3 provide simple plug and play alternatives to wiring RJ12 phone jacks around the layout The UP 1 is shown in the hook up diagram This fascia mounted panel provides 2 RJ12 1 5 pin DIN amp 1 1 4 Stereo jacks as well as Track Status and LocoNet Busy indicators Instructions for changing the RJ12 plugs to the DIN or Stereo type plug on the DT200 s that you use as walkaround throttles are included with the UP 1 The DT200 used as the system Command Station must remain wired with the RJ12 plug The back of the panel provides 3 RJ12 jacks for daisy chaining from the B end of the LA 2 to the first UP 1 to the next UP 1 UP2 or UP3 and so on Rather than wiring each outlet you simply use 6 conductor phone wire with male plugs on each end to make the connection from one Universal panel to the next UP 2 provides two 1 4 stereo jacks in front and two RJ12 jacks in back UP 3 provides two RJ12 s in front and back and keep alive jack capability Other LocoNet devices such as the DS54 can also be plugged into LocoNet via the Universal Panels For more information contact your local dealer 15 5 0 LocoNet The Digitrax Difference LocoNet is a powerful communications network specially designed for model railroad operation It is engineered for rapid response even when many throttles amp other devices are connected to the network To engineer LocoNet we used all of the best features of the po
3. SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 DCC DCC COMMAND STATION 2 To prevent total layout shutdown when shorts occur in any given section If a short occurs in one section only that section shuts down the rest of the layout keeps operating To section the layout you will connect additional boosters and power supplies To do this connect the DB100 s two gray terminals SYNC amp GROUND with a short length of wire and set the Mode switch to RUN oF to set up the DB100 as a booster when it is initially power up Connect to other DB100 s on LocoNet via either LocoNet Port A or B using regular 6 conductor RJ12 extension cables 12 4 2 Separate Programming Track MAIN LAYOUT RAILA RAIL B PROGRAMMING TRACK DOUBLE ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED SIDING GAPS RAIL A DCC W ro Decoders are programmed when the command station sends programming information to them through the rails This information is sent as a broadcast message to any decoder that is listening This means that you could reprogram all the locos on the track with one keystroke To prevent this it is useful to add an isolated programming track to your layout and program locos as follows 1 Run the loco you want to program onto the programming track 2 Throw the switch to disable the rest of the layout 3 Switch your command station to program mode and follow the manufacturer s instructions for programmin
4. In some DB 100 boosters the over temp indicator will also be lit when there is no track status This is normal and you should not be alarmed TECHNICAL NOTES If the unit shuts down frequently try the following remedies move the unit so that the heat sink has an unimpeded flow of cool air lower the track load current reduce the input voltage place the unit out of direct radiant heat e g sunshine or room heater try direct cooling air onto the heat sink from a small fan Note that if the unit is being run too close to its preset current limit it may clip or mutilate some outgoing packets to keep the track current within acceptable limits If this happens often the DB100a will react like there is an overload and briefly shut down and beep 5 times In this case the track is not truly short circuited but overloaded Reduce the track current load or partition the layout into more isolated DCC sections using additional boosters The DB100a current limiting strategy is very safe for use with your expensive brass locomotives and WILL NOT weld them to the track if derailed The DB100a senses the short circuit very quickly and shuts down track power if the problem persists for more than a few thousandths of a second The unit will back off and beep 5 times giving a few second delay before sensing if the fault has been cleared The resetting strategy is sophisticated to be sure damage is not likely during a track fault The unit automatically and convenie
5. LOCO_NET 5 Yellow GROUND Blue RAIL_SYNC a The signals RAIL_SYNC and are used by the booster modes of the DB100 These are high impedance differential line decoder inputs that may be used to connect a command control signal for boosting to the track They have an input common mode range of 20V with respect to the ground terminal The differential drive signal should be above 2 volts as input hysteresis is built in Common mode rejection on the input allows the unit to boost from a different system without sharing ground connections and needing opto isolation Just connect RAIL_SYNC to the ground reference of the signal source and RAIL_SYNC to the signal assuming a signal of say 5 V For an input signal on RAIL_SYNC that swings from ground to say 5V connect the system grounds and connect RAIL_SYNC to ground via a 22 Kilohm 1 4 watt resistor 6 9 Mode switch This is the most important operational control on your booster A If the DB100 is running as a ANINA Command Station it controls whether the track power is ON or if programming operations are enabled B If the DB100 is configured as a booster it controls whether track power is on When the DB100 is a booster determined by SYNC terminal connection at input power on see 6 7 above turn the switch o OFF to turn off track power even if input power is present C Moving the switch to P R tells the unit to be an Auto Reversing Booster and ORUN tell
6. The left hand side of the display shows the loco address active on the Left Throttle Knob and the right hand side of the display shows the loco address active on the Right Throttle Knob MU ing or consisting with the DT200 allows you to lashup any DCC Baseline compatible decoders 35 with different addresses You can add a MU ed locomotive in either direction and in any physical location in the lashup Note that we always add or MU LINK a loco to the TOP loco of a consist The TOP loco is special in that it has the speed and overall direction of the consist and all other loco s added or linked into the consist will be controlled by running the TOP loco on a single throttle knob The TOP loco is always defined as the loco on the Right Throttle Knob when the MU Link is performed Consists are controlled through the TOP locomotive and all loco s in the consist will be common in use or idle based on the state of the TOP loco Each loco within a consist will maintain it s original 14 28 or 128 speed step setting To run a loco in a consist with loadable speed tables set the locomotive status for 28 speed step mode and program the decoder in that locomotive to operate with the loadable speed table enabled See section 12 5 A consist can be made common and run by any other throttle and can also be Dispatched 11 1 MU Link Adding a Loco to a Consist 1 You will add the active loco on the Left Throttle Knob to the TOP loco active on th
7. With DCC this is a recommended but optional layout practice Connections to a large layout should be via a parallel conductor power bus similar to the recommended practices used in most conventional layouts with appropriate larger copper conductors feeding taps up to the track every 10 feet or so It is advisable to keep all conductors twisted to keep the geometry best for minimum RF radiation Some experimentation may be needed on your layout to ensure no circulating ground loops are present Try to wire all the power feeds away from the boosters and command stations in a radial star like configuration so no large magnetic induction loops are created It is not possible to place filter or ANY capacitors across the track as these will short out the DCC signals Be sure that no capacitors are bridging your DCC sections When converting between Digitrax DCC track sections and adjacent conventional DC powered tracks both rails must have insulating gaps The DC supply must have 18 some form of current control we recommend a 5 Watt to 10 Watt 12 Volt lamp be placed in series with one of the DC power pack supply leads This allows the DCC booster to drive the locomotive properly onto the DC track with minimum interruption and stress to the Booster and decoders and locomotive wheels The lamp will light as the locomotive bridges the gaps You should try to cross these gaps quickly and not bridge the two systems for any longer than necessary 6 5
8. and capacity rated for driving the DB100 A fuse or other positive overload safety device must be present in the power supply leads In no case should the fuse rating be more than a 5 amp slow blow fuse and should be no greater than the current output capacity of the Class II power supply The power supply should not be shared with any other equipment to prevent unexpected phasing or short circuit problems To ensure correct RFI performance the power input must be floating in that neither lead is connected to the Safety ground of a typical 110V power cord The AC power safety ground should be connected to the GRAY GROUND terminal on the DB100a Minimum input voltage is 12V DC or 12V AC rms to ensure correct operation of internal logic The power to the DB100 should not be rapidly cycled ON OFF ON When power to the unit is switched off wait 30 seconds before turning on the power again The unit is designed to absorb and dissipate the power difference between the input voltage and the selected scale output stabilized voltage at the current load being drawn This means that large input voltages when smaller output scale e g N scale voltage limits are selected will cause greater heat buildup in the unit as the output load current is increased to the maximum Over temperature thermal shutdown may occur in this situation This protects the components from thermal stresses that degrade long term reliability The ratings and operating envelope of power
9. input and output are conditional on not generating over 17 temperature conditions Over temperature is not directly injurious to the DB100 or its reliability but will cause the inconvenience of automatic temporary suspension of track power Each installation will be affected differently due to normal room temperature cooling airflow around the DB100 scale voltage in use and load current draw Over temperature shut down is usually not encountered except in the case where a user is pushing for maximum available power rating 6 2 Power On Indicator This green LED indicator glows when input power is ON The DB100 will indicate power ON in most situations because it draws less than 1 watt when on Standby with Track Power OFF The O POWER ON LED will continue to glow for several seconds after power to the unit is turned off 6 3 Ground Terminal The 2 terminals marked GROUND provide electrical safety features and an RF ground reference for minimum radiated noise Either ground terminal may be used It should be the ONLY point of any DB100 installation that is connected to the AC safety ground pin provided on most 3 pin 110V AC power sockets TECHNICAL NOTES If the power outlet is a 2 pin ungrounded unit this ground terminal can be connected with a GREEN 14 AWG multi stranded conductor to a cold metallic water pipe ground as defined in the National Electrical Code This is a safety precaution that should not be ignored 6 4 RAILA RA
10. Stop 24 7 8 E Select Set 24 7 9 W Mode Dispatch 24 7 10 Function FO Light Control 24 7 11 amp Left amp Right Throttle Direction Change Arrows 25 7 12 Up Add amp Down Delete Arrows 25 7 13 F3 Fl F2 F4 Keys 25 8 0 DT200 MAJOR SYSTEM MODES 25 8 1 Advanced Throttle Mode 25 8 1 1 Walkaround Operation On LocoNet 25 8 1 2 Time Out Lost Loco Problems 26 8 2 Command Station Mode 26 8 3 Track Power On Mode 27 8 4 Track Power Off Mode 27 8 5 Stop Mode 28 8 6 Programming Mode 28 8 7 DT200 Unit Reset 28 9 0 LOCO Mode Running Trains 28 mO igo synoi 9 1 The GE L Select Message 28 HESS RED 9 2 Loco Address amp Speed Display 29 9 3 Locomotive Speed Control 29 9 4 Locomotive Direction Control 30 9 5 Selecting A Loco amp Setting It To A Throttle 30 9 6 Controlling Lights amp Functions 31 9 6 1 Controlling Functions On Consisted Locos 32 9 7 Dispatching Locomotives 32 9 8 Editing the Status of a Locomotive 33 9 8 1 Note for LENZ MARKLIN ARNOLD decoder users 34 9 8 2 Unlimited Status Editing With the Command Station 34 10 0 SWITCH Mode Changing switches 35 11 0 MU Setting up and maintaining consists 35 11 1 MU Link Adding a Loco to a Consist 36 11 2 MU UNLINK Breaking A Loco Out Of A Consist 37 11 3 MU of Mismatched Locomotives 37 12 0 DT200 Programming Mode 37 12 1 Programming Track 38 12 2 Using Your DT200 To Program Decoders 38 12 3 Loco Address Programming 39 12 4 Programming Configuration Varia
11. TRACK STATUS Indicator The O Track Status indicator shows that there is voltage on the track drive terminals The color indicates the signal type If it is orange the track is getting normal DCC signal with no analog zero stretching See below TECHNICAL NOTES The color of the TRACK STATUS led is an indication of the signal type If it glows orange the track sees a normal DCC signal with no zero stretch and a conventional locomotive on the track will hum gently and not move If the color is green a negative stretched zero signal is being boosted for operation of a conventional locomotive A red led color indicates a zero stretch analog signal is being transmitted to the rails for a conventional locomotive to be operated in the reverse direction The DCC decoder equipped locomotives are still reading their Digital commands normally and performing as commanded If the Track Status LED is not lit there is no voltage on the track the track power to the DB100a may be OFF Note that during short circuit faults a sophisticated recovery strategy is being executed by a DB100a that will periodically attempt to restore power to the track 6 6 OVER TEMP or FAULT Indicator The DB100 will automatically shut down when the heat sink temperature rises to approximately 45 to 50 degrees Celsius and the O OVER TEMP or FAULT indicator will glow red The DB100 automatically resumes operation when the heat sink cools down to approximately 40 degrees Celsius
12. The Command Station operator can use this capability to change the Status of a locomotive under the control of another throttle Use this feature with care In contrast DT200 s operating as throttles can only edit the status of locos that are available for them to select i e common idle or new Table II Loco STATUS Codes Left Status State Selectable Refreshed Pome eee ee Pox New selectable eau 1x Common selectable refreshed Idle selectable not refreshed Common __ not selectable In use not selectable Right Status Meaning pit vame ne xl Special 28 Examples If a loco s status code is 03 it is new selectable refreshed and 128 speed step operation Ifa loco s status code is 52 it is part of a consist 34 common not selectable because it is not the TOP of the consist and operating in baseline 14 speed step mode 10 0 SWITCH Mode Changing switches To change the position of a switch press until the SWITCH mode indicator is on The display shows the switch address in the left hand side of the display The right 2 digits display the switch position and will be a t to indicate the switch is thrown or c to indicate the switch is closed not turning out If this t or c indicator is flashing it means that the LocoNet Command Station does not know the current switch direction This display example shows Switch 2 is in an unknown direction MY LOCO SWITCH T s Use either Thro
13. a and the address you were last controlling will appear in the left hand side of the LCD and will be flashing Unplug the throttle while the address is flashing and plug it back in and the DT200 will log on to that address the direction indicator light for the throttle you are controlling will light up and you will have the locomotive under control again If you were controlling 2 addresses before you lost control you will need to re log on to the other address as well by touching the non active throttle the one without the direction indicator lit When you touch the inactive throttle the L amp O SWITCH 4 LCD will display G E X L Next press En and the address for the ADDRESS S SPEED second throttle will be displayed flashing in the LCD Unplug the DT200 again and plug it back in to log on to the second throttle again Of course you can avoid this problem by keeping your DT200 plugged in at all times and only unplugging while walking from one plug in location to the next 8 2 Command Station Mode 1 To enter Command Station Mode the DT200 must be disconnected from any LocoNet connections 2 Press the and right arrow keys simultaneously for about 2 seconds until the unit beeps and the GREEN master mode MST LED is lit 3 Then you can plug the DT200 into the DB100 or LA 2 adapter to run the system 26 LocoNet requires that only one command station be present on the system at a time Therefore only one DT
14. amp assigning values to them until you are finished Just be sure that the colon in the center of the display remains on steady while you are in the programming mode When you are finished with your programming session return the the RUN mode by pressing Ep Be together until the DT200 programming indicator O R6 no longer glows red 12 3 Loco Address Programming The initial program display will show Ad 01 that is showing the Locomotive Address CV 1 is the starting default to be programmed Programming Mode Displa The left side of the display is the decimal number of the Configuration Variable that will be programmed The display shows Ad 01 The Ad is an alias for my Loco SWITCH the Loco address CV that is defined as CV 1 H The rest of the CV s display as numbers The R d E DT200 can write a loco address from 0 to 127 ADDRESS SPEED using the mixed mode decimal numbers shown in Table I All other CV s can be programmed in hexadecimal the full data range of 0 FF hex See Table VI for Hexadecimal numbers The right side of the display is the data to be stored in the CV number displayed on the left side of the display To program a loco address 1 Once you are in Program Mode select Loco Address programming by turning the Left Throttle Knob counter clockwise until the Left side of the display is showing flashing Ad 2 Then use the Right Throttle Knob to change the Right side of the display to
15. and stop the loco first before commanding a direction change but it s up to you If the decoder has a non zero deceleration rate that matches the scale effect of braking the train then you can simply command an instant reverse of direction and the system and decoder will make the locomotive slow down at the programmed deceleration rate stop and accelerate again at the programmed acceleration rate 9 5 Selecting A Loco amp Setting It To A Throttle 1 To select a new locomotive address to run in the display active throttle press the key to enter address select mode The left hand side of the display that shows the address digits will flash to indicate that you need to choose an address MU LOCO SWITCH This display shows locomotive address NX r am iam 21 selected but not set Notice the status 12 indicate this address is common 14 speed step 7 ADDRESS N SPEED 2 Turn either throttle knob or use the A IY keys to scan through to the address you want 3 Press the key again to SET that loco address If the address request is successful the display will now show the locomotive information at the speed and direction the system has remembered it When you request address select on a display active throttle the current displayed locomotive will be made common or released to the system for anyone to select Once you have entered address select you can browse for another locomotive
16. following table Please refer to your decoder manual for more CV s and their meaning as it relates to your specific decoder Table II Most Commonly Used CV s Ad 1 Loco Address 0 99 decimal A0 C7 mixed mode Start Voltage Vstart 0 FF hexadecimal 02 06 Mid point Voltage Vmid 0 FFhex CV s 65 to 95 are allocated to the 28 step Loadable Speed Table function and table V lists the actual usages 40 Table IV Configuration Register Values These are some of the common hexadecimal hex values used in the Configuration register CV 29 and their meaning Value in CV29 Meaning to Decoder in hex Speed Steps Std of Adv A 0 14 Standard Mode No 0 28 128 Advanced Mode No 0 28 128 Advanced Mode 1 0 2 6 6 Enable Loadable Speed Yes Table Note that with Digitrax decoders if 128 speed steps are sent by the command station then the 14 28 speed step and Loadable speed table selections are not used 12 5 User Loadable Speed Tables To Set Up a Loadable Speed Table 1 Set up your command station for programming mode or use a computer programmer like the PR 1 2 Place the loco you wish to program on the programming track 3 With the DT200 Program CV s 65 through 96 with the values listed in Table V To do this dial in the CV on the left knob and the value to be entered on the right knob and press Select Set to program the CV and data value To program the full table you wil
17. in 44 a table and program individual CV s on your DT200 The software loads the appropriate CV s with the correct data automatically e The PR 1 s DS54 option allows full programming of the powerful features of the DS54 Stationary Animation decoderError Bookmark not defined This makes setting up complex DS54 configurations a breeze since you can simply click on the options desired Best of all on top of being able to read back and write a new configuration to a DS54 it is also possible to read and write that particular setup to a named computer disk file and copy it to another DS54 if desired e General access to all RP 9 2 2 CV s and support for decoders without such sophisticated capabilities is also provided For users wanting the most convenient and sophisticated Programming capabilities the PR1 is an excellent choice 13 0 LA 2 Keep Alive Jacks amp Shutting Down the System When the layout is powered down we recommend that you change the DT200 that is running as the Master command station to Advanced Throttle mode so it can power down and conserve its battery Do this by following the instructions below When you turn off track power the DT200 acting as the master will stop making DCC packets and all other Advanced Throttles on LocoNet will power down and show idLE when the LocoNet wires pins 3 and 4 of the RJ12 plug fall below 5Volts for more than 1 4 of a second If the Railsynce lines on LocoNet pins 1 and 6 of t
18. like it always has on a Big Boy As an added bonus there are several additional features a DT200 can access when it is running with a DCS100 as the system command station For example the DT200 can now work with nested consists set up advanced consists display the actual position of all turnouts and can select amp run locos with Motorola Trinary Format decoders on the layout 15 3 Using A DT100 Throttle With Your Big Boy Set Simply insert the battery in your DT100 setup any Throttle options you wish to change amp plug it in to any LocoNet Jack It is ready to run Complete operating instructions for the DT100 are included in the Chief Manual Also see Chief Manual section 22 0 for information about the specifics of running and Editing the Fast Clock feature 15 4 Differences Between Chief and Big Boy Operations Differences between the DT100 amp DT200 The following are differences that users of DT200 s will notice when they use DT100 s A Steady ORANGE in DIR indicators show that Track power is OFF B Flashing ORANGE in DIR indicators show that the track is idLE Paused Stopped In the DT200 this was indicated by a flashing colon 2 in the LCD C Flashing Colon with no other mode flags means that the fast clock time is being displayed on the LCD All DT100 s have a synchronized networked 51 fast clock with an integral 24 hr Alarm The fast clock will synchronize between DT100 s even when they are operated
19. prompt for the user to do something 7 7 Run Stop Press to toggle between RUN amp STOP See section 8 0 for other special uses for Run Stop 7 8 Select Set Used for selecting and setting loco addresses on the throttles When you are in Select Address mode the Left hand side of the display the address side will be flash and the LOCO mode indicator will be ON 7 9 Mode Dispatch Press to move from one operational mode to another LOCO is the DT200 s default mode since most of the time you are running locos Press to change to SWITCH then to MU then back to LOCO To Dispatch or offer a locomotive you have set up on a DT200 to a BT 2 limited throttle press this key while in Select Address mode 7 10 Function FO Light Control Press once to enter Function Mode The display shows Fn oo 24 Press again to toggle the directional lights on or off Or press the key above F1 F2 F3 or F4 to change any of those functions that are available in your loco 7 11 3 Left amp Right Throttle Direction Change Arrows Changes the direction of the loco on the Throttles 7 12 Up Add amp Down Delete Arrows Use to browse addresses and increase decrease speed Use to MU Link and MU Unlink locos from consists 7 13 F3 F1 F2 F4 Keys Active when in function mode Use the keys above these designations to access the various decoder functions 8 0 DT200 MAJOR SYSTEM MODES The DT200 s MAJOR mode changes are controlled b
20. reversing sections 13 20 21 RJ12 COMPONENTS 15 RUN STOP 24 S scale voltage switch 21 sectioning the layout 12 Select Set 24 selecting a locomotive to run 7 8 28 30 shutting down the system 45 46 shutting down the system 9 sleep switch or sleep plug 46 sleep switch sleep plug 46 47 speed control 29 speed display 29 speed matching of locos 41 status editing a 14 speed step decoder 32 status editing a decoder 33 34 STOP Mode 28 straight line normal tracking 52 SWITCH mode 24 35 sync terminal 20 T timeouts 26 Track Status 19 track wiring 12 14 15 Transformers 5 17 troubleshooting 48 U Using A DT100 Throttle With Your Big Boy Set 51 Using Your DT200 To Program Decoders 38 W walkaround operation 25 Warranty and Repair Information 53 wiring See track wiring wiring LocoNet color code 21 DT200 Cheat Sheet ag slg slg amp t Make Command Station Press amp Hold Together RUN MODE Le Reset STOP amp DISP amp Together RUN L Idle STOP amp Together Note Press Run Stop a little ahead of other keys when used in combinations RUN DB100 Power ON STOP amp Together RUN DB100 Power OFF STOP amp Together Loco Status Change SEL FUNC SET Select Adress FOX Left Side of Display Address Right Side of Display Status SEL SEL SEL SET J SET J SET Status 10 28 Speed Steps 12 14 Speed Steps 13 128 Speed Steps MO
21. the loco address you want to program into the decoder on the programming track The display will scroll through address numbers and flash indicating you are scanning to a new value for the loco address to store in the Ad CV 39 3 When you have the new loco address you want in the Right hand flashing display press the key to SET or program this value into the decoder The display will flash and the loco will pulse briefly as it is programmed to its new address It is that easy to reprogram a loco address When you are finished programming and want to return to LOCO mode simply press E and simultaneously again to return to LOCO mode 12 4 Programming Configuration Variables CV s To program a CV 1 To program any other CV simply select it by turning the Left knob until the CV number you want to program appears in the Left hand side of the display Then turn the Right knob until the data value you want to write to the CV you selected appears in the right side of the display When the values you want are in the display press the key to set the values In order to give you the most power possible in a programmer in a unit as compact as the DT200 it was necessary to use hexadecimal numbers for the data to be stored in all but the Address CV CV 1 Table VI shows how the hexadecimal numbers correspond to regular decimal numbers you are probably used to The CV s that you will use most are listed in the
22. you are ready to run again on the DT200 master press HR Run Stop 46 47 Without LA 2 Master amp Throttle Keep Alive When the layout is powered down we recommend that you change the DT200 that is running as the Master command station to Advanced Throttle mode so it can power down and conserve its battery Do this by pressing HR Run Stop amp Left Arrow keys together When you do this you are turning off track power the DT200 acting as the master will stop making DCC packets and all other throttles on LocoNet will power down and show idLE when the LocoNet wires pins 3 and 4 of the RJ12 plug fall below 5Volts for more than 1 4 of a second To build a Keep Alive power jack 1 Wire pins 2 3 4 and 5 of an RJ12 socket to the negative lead of a 12 volt power supply 2 Connect the positive lead of the 12 volt supply through a 1k 1 4Watt resistor to pins 1 and 6 This will keep a DT200 Throttle from using the internal battery when it is hooked into this socket thus extending battery life 14 0 Troubleshooting 14 1 Clean Track The majority of intermittent operation faults can be traced to bad connections and poor or noisy wheel pickups on locomotives Check track cleanliness and quality of wheel pickups The DCC digital packet communication strategy performs exceptionally well in a less than perfect environment and will often mask bad connections until they are really impossible to work with 14 2 Decoder Won
23. 0 33 CV29 configuration register 41 CV s 38 40 CV s most common 40 D DCC 3 4 12 18 56 Decimal to Hexadecimal Conversion Chart 55 decoder programming 13 24 28 37 38 decoder programming PR1 amp computer 44 decoder won t respond to commands 48 Differences Between Chief and Big Boy Operations 51 Differences between the DT100 amp DT200 51 direction of travel 25 30 dispatching 24 32 display active locomotive 31 DT200 50 E emergency stop 48 encoders 22 F fault 19 FCC information 49 FF in display 31 flashing colon 7 24 function control 24 25 31 function control MU ed locos 32 G grounding 18 I idle loco status 30 in use loco status 25 30 33 34 35 K keep alive jack 45 L LA 1 or LA 2 50 layout wiring See track wiring Lenz 34 lights 8 31 lights problems with 49 loadable speed tables 37 41 42 43 44 LOCO mode 24 28 loco status codes 30 31 33 34 locomotive wheel pickups 48 LocoNet 16 20 lost locomotives 26 M Making A DT200 The Command Station 7 Making track amp booster connections 5 Marklin 34 mechanical problems with locos 48 mode switch 21 MODE DISPATCH 24 MU mode 24 MU operations 31 32 35 N new loco status 30 33 O over temp 19 P programming See decoder programming programming track 13 38 Q QUICK INSTALLATION GUIDE 5 R reset DT200 28
24. 2 6 The Simplest Way to Program Your Digitrax Decoders Yet Digitrax PR1 Decoder Programmer and your PC The PRI is a low cost IBM PC Windows based Advanced Programmer developed by Digitrax to give you a more convenient and less cryptic method of programming decoders The programmer software was developed in close co operation with Tannersoft who also developed the excellent LocoNet Certified Winlok 2 0 Windows layout monitoring and control program To program decoders using the Digitrax PR1 you will need e Digitrax PR1 programmer and software e Windows computer with an available COM port e 15Volt DC power supply e Programming track wired to the PR1 with the cable provided with the PR 1 With this set up you can read and write all the decoder CV s without worrying where they are and what they mean Several features of the PR 1 are of particular value e With the PR 1 software s graphical capabilities you can draw the Loadable Speed step curve you want and send it directly to the decoder via the PRI s programming track You can also read back a decoder s Speed table via the PR1 to the same graphical display and optionally save all the decoder information to and from named files on a computer disk This makes it simple to load the same speed table into several different decoders e FX options can be selected by pointing to choices that let you program the rich variety of possible lighting effects without having to look up numbers
25. 200 in a system will be the Command Station and ONLY when no other device is already acting as a Command Station on the LocoNet When the DT200 is operating as the command station this means the DT200 has a special connection to LocoNet amp is not a walkaround throttle when operating in this mode 8 3 Track Power On Mode Press the and keys simultaneously to have the DT200 command station turn on the track power amp go through power up sequencing LocoNet will generally supply most of the power requirements of the DT200 acting as either a Command Station or an Advanced Throttles when they are plugged in Note A DT200 without battery installed can be connected to a powered LocoNet The unit will log on if there is sufficient LocoNet power available and can be run as an advanced throttle If a unit being run without a battery is disconnected it will not be able to automatically reconnect and log on its previously active throttles and the locomotives that were selected and in use prior to disconnection will remain in use until purged by the system or the Command Station performs an unlimited status edit to change the loco to common 8 4 Track Power Off Mode Press the and VW keys simultaneously to have the Command Station turn OFF track power and stop generating DCC packets Note that in some LocoNet configurations this can unpower LocoNet itself If this is the case the throttles will display IdLE and only the Command Station will be able to
26. 237 All warranties on Digitrax products are limited to refund of purchase 04 199 c7 price or repair or replacement of Digitrax products at the sole discretion of Digitrax In the event that Digitrax products are not installed or used in accordance with the manufacturer s specifications any and all warranties either expressed or implied are void Except to the extent expressly stated in this section there are no warranties express or implied including but not limited to any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose 123 7b 162 A2 201 c9 202 cA 203 ob 204 205 e0 167 a7 206 cE 129 207 oF 208_ 40 131 209 di 2 210 o2 211 s6 173 aa 212 o4 213 o5 214 o6 7 e9 176 bo 215 38 216 8 140 8c 179 b3 218 2 Fe 142 8E 181 b5 220 ac sat 144 90 183 b7 222 dE me o2 185 bo 224 94 187 bb 226 227 96 189 bd 228 229 98 191 bF 230 53 99 192 co 231 232 155 9 194 c2 233 NINNIN NIN N AJAJAJA w a BO P O 0 oa i a a ojo N R m fo MINNN LLKS KSN KSN On amp Go PO N A a Ro Po AR NO NIN als ojo N o Ww ES oO Aooanyayayay ojo ajay a R AIBA BI R BR BR BO OO CO N OD Ory BR Co Po O O C NID or BY PO o a a ow AJAJAJA AISAIAJI DAAI BRIAR BR BR BR CO CG Co CO CO CO C9 CO CO CO CO CO CO CO POPPY DO POT NY PO PY PY N OO DPlOlO N O
27. D on A ovl N eol mnim eio oO S O oO Ni oD ny co pl O TIM QJ oO o S O aIN Ko ojojo ojo 00 00 00 Co CO CO NIN gs N oy ol py COIN ajA WIN CO OO oo aja Djo ES SEN a o als zaf c jaa ojojojojojojojo WIN O C N m N PEN pana Par farg ar lolo wjnj o ar A oa NIN TN NN D1 D1 DD DID D HD D H HD HD HD HD H o 1 O1 O1 G1 C1 O1 C1 G1 O1 C1 1 G1 G1 C1 C1 Ca BYR BLOM O T MI Q O oblo WO N OM on AJ oV poy nimee oO BS O C N OJ A cd po O mm g a AR mimm mimi mim ojona A w TH TY pai pai pal TY u puu bul puu ai aal pu u a a a a nim eio or ooN oan Aono mnm lolo 38 O o 02 01 05 06 st T 13 14 15 54 55 Index 2 2 digit short address 29 4 4 digit long address 29 A adding a loco to a consist MU 36 Adding Chief Components To Your Big Boy Set 50 address display 29 addresses above 99 29 analog locomotive 6 8 14 37 analog operation 41 Arnold 34 B ballistic tracking 52 batteries 7 27 45 breaking up a consist MU 37 BT 2 24 32 C can t select a loco on the DT200 9 Challenger 20 21 Chief 50 clean track 48 common loco status 25 27 30 31 33 34 configuration register CV29 41 configuration variables See CV s Connecting to the track 18 Consisting See MU operations Converting your DT200 to a DT10
28. DE MODE MU Set UP DSP DISP A Left Loco will consist with right loco NOTE Locos must all be heading in the same relative direction when consisted MODE MODE MU Break UP DISP DISP Left Loco will break off from consist RUN FUNG Program Mode STOP FS Left Display Configuration Variable Right Display Value Refer to Table III for most commonly used CV s amp value ranges SEL get to Set the CV amp Value
29. Dafak Big Boy Set amp DT200 Throttle User Manual Table of Contents Page 1 0 Introduction 3 2 0 DT200 Command Station Throttle Features and Specifications 4 3 0 Big Boy QUICK INSTALLATION GUIDE 5 3 1 Making track amp booster connections 5 3 2 Making A DT200 The Command Station 7 3 3 How to select the locomotive you want to run 7 3 4 Selecting a second locomotive to run 8 3 5 Shutting Down the System When You Are Finished 9 Hook Up Diagram DT200 amp LocoNet 10 4 0 Track Wiring Considerations 12 4 1 Sectioning the Layout 12 4 2 Separate Programming Track 13 4 3 Reverse Loop Wiring 13 4 4 Bi color Track Indicators 14 4 5 LocoNet Wiring Components 15 5 0 LocoNet The Digitrax Difference 16 6 0 DB100 Control Panel 17 6 1 Power Input 17 6 2 Power On Indicator 18 6 3 Ground Terminal 18 6 4 RAILA RAILB Terminals 18 6 5 TRACK STATUS Indicator 19 6 6 OVER TEMP or FAULT Indicator 19 6 7 SYNC Terminal 20 Set Up Of DB100 Operational Mode 20 6 71 Challenger Command Station Mode 20 6 72 Regular Booster Mode 20 6 73 Intelligent Auto reversing booster MODE 20 6 8 LocoNet Ports A amp B 20 6 9 oy Mode switch 21 6 10 Scale Voltage Switch O G HO N 21 7 0 DT200 LocoNet Throttle Control Panel 22 7 1 General color codes 22 7 2 The Left amp Right Throttle Knobs 22 DT200 Control Panel 23 7 3 8 Direction Indicators 24 7 4 POG Program Mode Indicator 24 7 5 MSTO Master Command Station Mode Indicator 24 7 6 LCD Display 24 7 7 E Run
30. IL B Terminals Connect these terminals to the track or track feed conductor bus on all Digitrax Boosters and Command Stations Note We recommend that you use stranded 12 14awg to connect your DB100 to your track because it is easier to connect stranded wire to the DB100 s push terminals TECHNICAL NOTES The output is a BALANCED drive to the two track lines This means that the two track terminals both develop drive voltage with respect to the ground terminal and neither track lines or extensions of them should be shorted to ground In addition the two terminals are driven out of phase so that while one is at a small voltage with respect to ground the other is at a larger voltage with respect to ground This is a characteristic of the DCC command signal and the balanced line drive helps keep unintended radiated radio emissions to a minimum The implication for you as a user is that the track sections must be isolated and phase of each track i e the side that is connected to the RAIL A of a Digitrax track terminal is important This issue will be important on large layouts where the layout is isolated into many sections with individual Boosters driving them This is very beneficial in a DCC driven layout because it allows the rest of the layout to keep running even when an isolated track section experiences a short circuit or problem such as a derail or balky switches that shut it down This is similar to blocking in a conventional layout
31. UT will not be able to change its speed or direction while it is consisted 36 Once a consist is set up and linked to the TOP locomotive this TOP loco can be run from either throttle 11 2 MU UNLINK Breaking A Loco Out Of A Consist 1 Select the address of the loco that you want to release from a consist on the Left throttle The display will show cn for the loco speed confirming this loco is part of a consist MU Loco SWITCH The display example shows loco 36 consisted and selected J 5 m 2 ek the key until you are in MU TONER Cr 3 Press the key to unlink the locomotive The unlink is complete The Left throttle becomes active with the loco you just unlinked The unlinked loco will be broken out of the consist at the current speed and direction that it was going in the consist You can uncouple and run the unlinked loco as an independent loco again If a DT200 is acting as a Command Station it can link many loco s to a single TOP loco as a consist It can also create and maintain numerous independent consists Any of these consists cannot then be added to another active consist or be nested This limitation on the nesting of consists is peculiar only to the DT200 Command station and not the LocoNet language When using any of the more powerful LocoNet command stations such as the DCS100 or DCS200 a DT200 throttle can nest consists of consists many deep The LocoNet language has provisions for full cont
32. a DT100 detects changes to its locomotive it will track the changes amp if the loco is active in the display the speed direction will update in the display amp the unit clicks See Chief Manual section 13 2 for a full discussion of this feature J The DT100 has provisions for programming components of the future Digitrax Signaling System Compatible with data format supported by Tannersoft Winlok etc K The DT100 has a throttle option mode that is accessible when you first power up each throttle This mode allows you to configure your throttle for Ballistic or Straight Line tracking Audible Feedback On or Off Fast Clock On Off amp much more See Chief Manual section 20 0 for DT100 Option setups amp values L The DT100 has selectable Ballistic knob tracking amp auto repeat keys If a DT200 has been used on a Chief set amp is going to be used as the Master Command Station for a Big Boy set this throttle must be reset to erase the Chief setup information it may still carry To do this simply remove the battery to power down the throttle and then replace the battery to reset the throttle OR 52 do a throttle reset by pressing ml A amp simultaneously If the DT200 is just being used as a throttle on a Big Boy this step is not needed 15 5 Converting Your DT200 to a DT100 Your DT200 can be converted into a DT100 with capability of accessing all the expanded Chief features Once this conversion is made p
33. ating that the locomotive you have just selected is being run in 128 speed step mode As the value in the SPEED display increases the locomotive on the track with the matching address will begin to move in the direction indicated Note The DT200 command station defaults to 128 speed step operation so if you are using a locomotive with a decoder that does not have 128 step capability please refer to section 9 8 amp 9 8 1 for instructions to modify the speed step mode for this locomotive If you can t control the operation of the lights in your locomotive with the DT200 in default 128 or 28 speed step mode be sure that the decoder is programmed in advanced 28 speed step mode Please refer to Section 14 5 Strange Lights for corrective measures Note The display shows Address amp SPEED for throttle that is active The active throttle is the one with the flashing direction indicator For complete locomotive programming instructions see section 12 0 3 4 Selecting a second locomotive to run A Turn the Left throttle knob about 1 8 turn to activate the left throttle The display will change to SE L to show that the Left throttle is active but has no loco selected Press the key Follow the procedure in step 3 3 B above amp scan for the locomotive address you want to run with the Left throttle When you have scanned to the address you want press to SET this address as active on the Left throttle Now use the Left throttle to ru
34. ation is designed to address all DCC decoders by using their 2 digit short address CVO1 Many Big Boy users use the convention that the last two digits of each locomotive s road number are programmed as the locomotive decoder s address If you are using extended packet format EPF decoders Digitrax FX or other EPF decoders with your Big Boy you will be able to address them by their 2 digit short addresses CVO1 Since these decoders have both 2 digit short addresses and 4 digit long addresses you will also be able to run them on systems that handle 4 digit long addresses See your Decoder Manual CV section for more information about this feature 9 3 Locomotive Speed Control To control the speed of a locomotive just turn the Throttle Knob that is set to the locomotive whose speed you want to change If the throttle was not already active in the display it will now become display active and the display will show its address and current speed commanded Alternately speed can be increased and decreased by using the keys 29 9 4 Locomotive Direction Control To change the direction of a locomotive just press the Direction arrow ot associated with the throttle that is running the locomotive The direction indicator of the throttle will change color to show the new direction commanded If the throttle was not display active its information will appear in the display Really it is more prototypical to close the throttle to 0 speed
35. ay the information for the throttle not currently in the display turn the Throttle Knob not currently in the display or change the direction of the loco not currently displayed and the display will change to that Throttle Knob mO igo suto 9 1 The SE L Select Message HES RSME If a Throttle Knob does NOT have a locomotive selected when you try to make it display its information with its knob or direction change arrow the display will show SE L This means that there is no active loco on the Throttle you 28 tried to display and that you need to press to select a locomotive and set it to that Throttle before you can use it 9 2 Loco Address amp Speed Display The numbers to the left of the colon and above the word ADDRESS are the address of the locomotive and the numbers to the right of the and above the words SPEED are the speed for the Throttle currently displayed The speed is shown as a of full speed and is NOT actual speed step codes sent to the decoders in the locomotives Note For addresses above 99 please refer to Table I below to translate the mixed mode hexadecimal value that shows in the display for addresses above 99 Table I Translation Table for Decimal to Mixed Mode Hexadecimal Numbers for Loco and Switch Addresses Above 99 099 o 99 T 100 AO 110 bO 120 c0 fete te ee mo fas me e 126 fee __ mo las ms le T mo ao moe o _ Note The DT200 Command St
36. bles CV s 40 12 5 User Loadable Speed Tables 41 12 6 The Simplest Way to Program Your Digitrax Decoders Yet Digitrax PR1 Decoder Programmer and your PC 44 13 0 LA 2 Keep Alive Jacks amp Shutting Down the System 45 13 1 LA 2 LocoNet Adapter with DC Power Jack For Master amp Throttle Keep Alive 45 13 2 Shutting Down the System 46 Sleep Switch Sleep Plug Diagram 47 14 0 Troubleshooting 48 14 1 Clean Track 48 14 2 Decoder Won t Respond 48 14 3 Emergency Stop 48 14 4 Mechanical Drive Train Problems 48 14 5 Strange Lights not the ones in the sky 49 14 6 FCC Information 49 15 0 Adding Chief Components To Your Big Boy Set 50 15 1 Adding a DCS100 To Your Big Boy Layout 50 15 2 Using A DT200 Throttle With Your Chief Set 51 15 3 Using A DT100 Throttle With Your Big Boy Set 51 15 4 Differences Between Chief and Big Boy Operations 51 15 5 Converting Your DT200 to a DT100 53 16 0 Warranty and Repair Information 53 Index 56 DT200 Cheat Sheet 1 1 0 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of a Digitrax DT200 Digital Command Station and Throttle combination The overall design of the Digitrax Command Control system allows you to create a working layout by connecting various system components in the configuration that best meets your needs The Digitrax system drastically reduces and simplifies layout wiring you probably won t need to rewire your existing system To create a DCC system you will need a Command Statio
37. cable described in the Challenger Manual If you are adding additional boosters to a Big Boy or Chief simply use 6 conductor male to male telco type wires for these connections See Hook Up Diagram for details 6 73 Intelligent Auto reversing booster MODE Use this section to configure your booster as an automatic reversing booster Connect the two terminals SYNC amp GROUND either one with a short length of wire and set the Mode switch to P R to select this mode on initial power up If you are adding boosters to a Challenger Set connect the first additional DB100 using BC 2 cable described in the Challenger Manual If you are adding additional boosters to a Big Boy or Chief simply use 6 conductor male to male telco type wires for these connections See Hook Up Diagram for details 6 8 LocoNet Ports A amp B These are the access ports for expanded Digitrax systems that allow you to daisy chain additional Digitrax products using cost effective phone style flat cables 20 You will use one of these ports for your LA2 and the other is available for booster bus expansion as detailed in the Hook Up Diagram TECHNICAL NOTES The pinouts for the two RJ11 6 pin connectors are identical and they are wired in parallel Looking into the DB100a pin 1 is in the Telco standard position to the RIGHT side We use the convention of white conductor in the cable to pin 1 PIN WIRECOLOR NAME RAIL_SYNC 2 Black GROUND LOCO_NET
38. cal operation You can pick and choose from among the variables and set each one independently or you can use the default values that are preprogrammed Each of these CV s can be set up when your command station is in the programming mode or by using the Digitrax PR 1 Computer Programmer amp your PC The CV s are remembered in the decoder until it is reprogrammed to a new value It is a good idea to run your decoders with the default values that come pre programmed in your decoders until you get used to the system and what it can do for you before you begin customizing Initially you should keep deceleration numeric values as small as practical This allows you to adapt to the delays in deceleration you have programmed without crashing your valuable locomotives 12 1 Programming Track We recommend that you use an electrically isolated section of track for programming decoders because the programming information sent by the DT200 is a broadcast signal that will be seen by all locos on powered track sections In a broadcast programming scenario this saves great aggravation because a user could accidentally re program all mobile decoders in one fell swoop An electrically isolated siding works very well as a programming track See Section 4 2 for wiring instructions for a separate programming track The following is an outline of how to program CV s with your DT200 command station followed by explanations of the most often used CV s 12 2 Using Y
39. ction One DB100 can be used to handle more than one reverse section at a time however the unit can only fix one gap at a time If more than one train is entering or leaving the reverse loops connected to a single booster at the same time a short will occur More than one train can be in the reverse loop at any time but only one can cross the double gap at a time 4 4 Bi color Track Indicators Hooking up Bicolor LED indicators around the layout is a convenient way to see the power status of sections of the layout at a glance The LED indicates whether a track section is powered up if Zero stretching Analog mode is being used and its local direction and can even be used to indicate if the GAPS in a reverse section are matched or not You will need One 2 lead bi color LED Radio Shack 276 012 One ballast or current setting resistor We recommend a 1K 1 4 watt resistor Radio Shack 271 1321 for reasonable brightness and current levels eConnect the 1K resistor in series with either one of the LED leads to make a ballasted LED eWith the 2 leaded bi color LED there is no strict polarity to observe the emitted color will depend on the direction the LED leads are connected to the track eSimply connect the ballasted led across the track to indicate the track is powered If you connect a ballasted led across one of the double gaps of a reverse section the LED will be OFF not lit when the gap polarity is matched 14 4 5 L
40. ctions while you are in the Fnoo mode until you are satisfied with the settings and return to LOCO mode To make it easier to control sound features F2 is a non latching function This means that if F2 is used to control a whistle or horn sound from the decoder it will only sound when F2 is held down in the Fnoo mode To exit back to LOCO mode just adjust either throttle press the or key or wait for the 6 second no input time out to elapse and the DT200 will return to LOCO mode by itself Note that for proper light operation you must be sure that the decoder s speed steps match the speed steps sent by the Command Station If you are using a Digitrax or other Advanced capability decoder we recommend it be programmed to Advanced mode and the DT200 run in the 128 speed step default mode or 28 step mode For other DCC Baseline only decoders you will need to edit the status of the locomotive to 14 speed step mode to have correct motor amp light operation See also Status Edit in section 9 8 9 6 1 Controlling Functions On Consisted Locos OEven though a locomotive is part of a consist you can still access its function outputs independently SELECT amp SET the address of a locomotive that is a part of consist In this case the display will show XX cn to show that locomotive address XX is part of a consist and can t have its speed or direction changed The throttle knob and direction arrow will NOT operate However the functions on th
41. der s programming when performing the decoder test procedure In any case if you are not able to turn the locomotives lights on and off you will need to change CV 29 to 06 to have proper light operation when using the DT200 in its optimum 128 speed step mode 14 6 FCC Information Radio or TV Interference this information is MANDATED by the FCC This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential environment This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different form that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Note that any modifications to the equ
42. e Right Throttle Knob Run the Left loco so it is in the location you where you want it to be in the lashup 2 When it is in position typically coupled physically in the lashup be sure that it is traveling in the SAME PHYSICAL DIRECTION ON THE TRACK as the TOP or Right hand throttle loco The direction indicators DO NOT matter at this time since the relative loco directions at the time of MU Linking determine the new loco direction in the final consist So you can actually bring in a helper or extra B unit in either direction and add it head to head tail to tail or head to tail as you wish If you get this step wrong the MU linked locos will not travel in the same directions when the consist moves 3 Press the key until you get to MU mode the MU mode indicator will be lit 4 Press the key to MU LINK the locos That s all 5 The Left Throttle s direction indicator will go inactive but the display will show the address of the Left throttle loco with cn in the SPEED part of the display This indicates the loco that was in the Left throttle is now consisted to the Right throttle TOP loco The Right throttle will now control the speed and direction of the loco that was in the Left throttle You can consist loco s that are moving and or are coupled and the TOP loco can be a phantom or non existent locomotive address You can access the functions of the TOP loco as normal You can select a consisted loco and change its functions B
43. e computer hooked up to the system At this point just press again and scan for a different loco address that is not in use During loco address selection the right hand side of the display shows complete status information of any locomotive address in the display We call this feature browsing Sections 9 8 9 8 2 give details of locomotive status codes and what they mean You only have to be aware of this feature if you want more complex operations But for now just take some time and have fun running your trains 3 5 Shutting Down the System When You Are Finished When you are finished with your operating session shut down the Big Boy by simply pressing Run Stop amp Left Hand Reverse Arrow simultaneously amp hold for a couple of seconds until the unit beeps and displays idLE If you plan to start from scratch next time you operate and set up new throttle assignments and consists then simply unplug the DT200 amp remove the battery Note the battery can be stored in reverse polarity inside the DT200 when it is not in use with no adverse effects to the unit If you wish to retain the DT200 s information you will need to do one of the following 1 If the LocoNet is going to be OFF for a long time we recommend changing the Command Station to Advanced Throttle mode See section 8 1 so it can go IDLE and reduce its power consumption If it is subsequently re selected as a Command Station it will remember exactly its state prior to b
44. e entire consist to a BT2 Buddy Throttle Dispatching a locomotive is also a fast and convenient way to clear a throttle for another address selection without having to wait for the unit time out back to LOCO mode This happens when you want to swap locomotive addresses for convenience from one throttle side of a DT200 to the other There is only one Dispatch marked locomotive in the system at a time Any DT200 throttle can reselect this dispatch address since it is also common 9 8 Editing the Status of a Locomotive During address selection the right hand side of the display shows the Status of the locomotive address that appears in the left hand side of the display Table II lists most of the status codes you will see and their meanings Note that you interpret each of the 2 Status digits separately For example a new loco address will always be Status 03 the first digit 0 indicates that this is the FIRST time this address has been called up is new to the system and the second digit 3 indicates the system will run this loco in the default 128 speed step mode If you wish to edit the status of a locomotive that is selected but not yet set to a throttle flashing in the left hand side of the display press the key The right hand side of the display will flash to show that you are editing the locomotive s status Use either knob or the keys to change the status value This value is displayed in the right hand side of the displa
45. eing IDLE as long as the battery is not removed or the unit is not RESET See section 8 7 See section 13 0 for how to construct a Keep Alive Power Jack Hook Up Diagram DT200 amp LocoNet 11 4 0 Track Wiring Considerations Early proponents of DCC touted the fact that you can hook up your railroad with just two wires While this is technically correct there are some issues that need clarification You should have feeders to each rail every 10 feet or so from the power bus The general rule is if your trains will run on your track with regular DC then they will run on DCC Unless you need to section your layout for added power the only gaps you need are for hard shorts like reverse loops amp uninsulated frogs If you are already wired for block control you probably don t need to rewire Just open all your blocks so that the entire track has power amp you are ready to go If you are using common rail wiring and need to section your layout you will need double gaps to separate the sections Remember no matter how you control your trains you should always use safe wiring practices 4 1 Sectioning the Layout Even though blocking is not required for train operation with DCC sectioning the layout may be indicated 1 To provide additional power to operate more locomotives than one power supply can handle For example a 5 amp booster and power supply will operate between 6 and 10 average N scale locos and between 4 and 6 HO locos
46. g the decoder 4 Switch the layout back on and run your trains SWITCH OFF WHEN PROGRAMMING 4 3 Reverse Loop Wiring You can operate reverse loops manually or automatically with Digitrax You must double gap completely isolate both ends of the reversing section If you choose manual operation power the reverse section with a separate transformer and use a switch or relay to handle the polarity change as the loco enters amp leaves the reversing section If you choose to use an additional DB100 auto reversing booster to completely automate the reversing section power the reverse loop with a separate DB100 and transformer Set up the reversing DB100 as follows On the DB100 connect the two gray terminals SYNC amp GROUND with a short length of wire and set the Mode switch to P R to select the auto reverse oF mode when the unit is initially powered up Connect to other DB100 s on LocoNet via either LocoNet Port A or B using 6 conductor RJ12 extension cables 13 Note that when the polarity change occurs DCC equipped locos will continue at the speed amp in the direction commanded but any analog engines running will reverse direction because they see the polarity change and respond to it DOUBLE DOC ROOSTER REVERSER REVERSING Two DB100 s are needed to perform the auto reverse function One DB100 acts as the master system phase reference and the other handles the polarity reversal for the reversing se
47. he RJ12 plug remain above 12Volts the minimal keep alive power needed by the DT200 s will be drawn from LocoNet and not the internal battery If you do not wish to leave LocoNet powered you can use your LA 2 as a keep alive jack for the master or build your own with the following instructions 13 1 LA 2 LocoNet Adapter with DC Power Jack For Master amp Throttle Keep Alive The 2mm DC power jack on the LA 2 allows you to keep alive your DT200 master amp other throttles when the system is powered down by powering them from LocoNet rather than from their internal batteries You will need a 12V to 15V DC supply such as the Mouser 412 1104 12v 500ma connected to the LA 2 See Diagram for connections needed When this jack is powered it will keep alive LocoNet even when the command station is off and all throttles plugged in will run off LocoNet Power and will conserve battery power You can leave this jack unconnected if you choose not to use it as a keep alive jack Follow these simple instructions in place of previous instructions for the LA 1 A Plug the LA 2 LocoNet Adapter RJ12 6 6 plug into either to the DB100 s LOCONET ports 45 B Connect the LA 2 s Orange amp Gray leads to the DB100 s two terminals Sleep Switch Sleep Plug Diagram marked RAIL A and RAIL B Connect the track to the same RAIL A and RAIL B terminals Make sure no other power packs are connected to the rails used by the DB100 C If you wish to use the
48. he Throttle Knobs on the DT200 are actually encoders They give very smooth fine speed control In 128 speed step mode it takes several complete turns of the knob to go from stop to full speed When you select a locomotive that is moving and set it on a Throttle Knob the Throttle continues to run the locomotive regardless of the position of the Knob 22 DT200 Control Panel 23 7 3_ Direction Indicators Red Loco in Reverse Green Loco in Forward Flashing Throttle Active in Display 7 4 Om Program Mode Indicator Indicates that the DT200 command station is in the program mode 7 5 1st Master Command Station Mode Indicator Indicates that the DT200 is acting as the Command Station or Master for the system 7 6 LCD Display The LCD display shows the current Operational Mode the DT200 The MU LOCO amp SWITCH mode indicators are across the top of the display Only one of these will be lit at any time The DT200 defaults to the LOCO mode and will return to this mode if you change to another operational mode and don t do anything within about 6 seconds Use the key to toggle among these operational modes nu LOGO SWITCH The colon indicates whether the unit is in Run i 3 not flashing or Lf Stop flashing ADDRESS SPEED The numbers amp letters have different meanings depending on the mode the DT200 is in and the functions you are executing They may be flashing or not A flashing display is usually a
49. ipment not expressly approved by Digitrax voids the user s authority to operate under and be in compliance with CFR 47 rules as administered by the Federal Communication Commission Digitrax believes any conscientiously installed equipment following guidelines in this manual would be unlikely to experience RFI problems For Canadian Users This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for Radio noise emission from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation or the Canadian Department of Communications Le present appariel numerique n emet pas de bruits radio electriques depassant les limites applicables aux appareils numeriques de la classe B prescrites dans le Reglement sur le brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere des Communications du Canada 49 15 0 Adding Chief Components To Your Big Boy Set With your Big Boy Set the DT200 acts as both Command Station amp Throttle for your system The DB100 series booster is a stand alone booster With the Chief Set the DCS100 acts as the Command Station amp Booster amp the DT100 is your Throttle You can add either or both the DCS100 amp or the DT 100 to a system that is already running with a DT200 command station Big Boy Starter Set Adding a DCS100 to your existing Big Boy will give you 1 The ability to run more engines at a time 2 Complete walk around capability for all DT200 throttles 3 Nested Consisting using consists as part of o
50. is an example list of components for building your own low cost power supply for use with the Challenger Set Big Boy Set Chief Set or additional DB100 series booster Part Est Cost Supplier 16V AC 6 25 Amp Transformer 4 06 8016 19 95 MCI Trans Line Cord Q114 ND 1 31 DigiKey 3AG In Line Fuse Holder F049 ND 2 32 DigiKey 5 Amp Fuseholder type Circuit PB186 ND 2 89 DigiKey Breaker Heat Shrink Sleeving DigiKey The Phone Number for MCI Transformers is 1 800 MCI TRAN In NY dial 516 587 0510 The Phone Number for DigiKey is 1 800 DIGIKEY DigiKey is also an excellent source for 6 conductor phone wiring supplies needed for the LocoNet Network connections described later Transformers and transformer kits are also available from you Digitrax Authorized Dealer 1 Most important is to be sure the 110V input voltage is safely isolated from the low voltage secondary of the transformer A properly installed safety ground will ensure that the layout cannot become a shock hazard if there is mis wiring or insulation failure 2 You must protect the primary and secondary windings of the transformer from overload A typical primary input side protection would be a 1 amp slow blow fuse in an appropriate fuse holder wired in the primary line circuit For the secondary output side we recommend a circuit breaker rated no more the minimum of either the transformer secondary current rating or the DB100 output current rati
51. is locomotive address can be modified with the regular Fnoo action described in Section 9 6 9 7 Dispatching Locomotives Dispatching is a special feature incorporated into the LocoNet language to meet the needs of clubs and serious operators that wish to enforce a strict discipline in how engineers access locomotives To dispatch a locomotive using a the DT200 press to enter address select on the active throttle select an address and press to dispatch it that s all there is to it The dispatched train can be a single locomotive or a consist that was set up by the DT200 Any LocoNet throttle with dispatch capability can take a locomotive setup in a throttle and release it to the system as common and also specially marked as the dispatch locomotive This specially marked Dispatch locomotive can be requested and acquired by any BT2 Buddy Throttle BT2 s have no address selection capability of their 32 own This is similar to how real Engineers are given trains in the prototype world by dispatchers or controllers issuing waybills and work orders The BT2 that acquires the dispatched locomotive consist will pick up the train in exactly the state it was in when it was initially dispatched i e if the unit was moving with lights on it will be acquired with no speed change and continue with lights on until the acquiring BT2 commands a new setting The TOP locomotive in a consist or MU lashup can be Dispatched to pass control of th
52. key for about a second until the colon stops flashing es e B Press the key to select an address The 7 J T ig J 4 display will show 00 03 with the 2 digits in the 7 ADDRESS N SPEED Address side left hand side of the display flashing to let you know that you need to select an address C Turn either throttle knob or use the keys to scan through the addresses until you reach the address number of the loco you want to run Notice turning the knob clockwise increases the loco address number and turning the knob counterclockwise reduces the loco address number When you have scanned to the address you want press the key again to SET this address active in the Right throttle The display will stop flashing and 7 the direction indicator next to the Right throttle will flash GREEN indicating the Right throttle is the active display throttle and the locomotive is going forward If you press the Right arrow key to change direction the direction indicator will flash RED indicating that the loco is in reverse Note The decoder shipped with all Big Boy Sets is programmed to address 03 The analog loco address is 00 If you are using decoders programmed with a Challenger Set refer to the chart at the back of this manual that translates Group Color designations into numeric addresses D Turn the Right Throttle knob clockwise and the SPEED in the left hand side of the display will increase about 1 per step or click indic
53. l need to repeat this for each CV from 65 through 96 4 After programming the table values program CV29 to the value of 16 to enable the loadable speed table If you want to disable the loadable speed table later just program CV29 to 06 and you will return to 128 speed step operation with the DT200 the speed table is still remembered and can be re activated by programming CV29 to 16 again later 5 If you are using the PR 1 programmer it is a simple matter of drawing the throttle response curve you want on the screen and pressing the Send or Program button 6 Once the table is loaded return your system to LOCO mode and run the locomotive 7 If you are speed matching locos you should get the first loco running the way you want and then match subsequent locos to it 8 If you are programming with a DT200 keep a running list of the settings you have entered so that you will know where you have been and can work out where to go next The following Table V is an example of a loadable speed table that you might choose to try 41 Table V Example Loadable Speed Table Notes for Table V Usage CV DT200 HEX Lenz Suggested 1 In order to give you the most programming power possible in a unit as Data Register Setting he DT200 it t h decimal b forth See Note 1 DECIMAL compact as the DT200 it was necessary to use hexadecimal numbers for the i Page 17 PL I data to be stored in all CV s except the address CV CV 1 Tab
54. le VI shows CV65 how hexadecimal numbers correspond to regular decimal numbers that you CV66 ao Teti CV67 i i 2 The Kick Start table entry allows a short voltage kick to happen when you Step 5 value CV68 OE 4 14 Page ie PLG start the Locomotive decoder from 0 speed or stopped to a moving speed A value of 0 turns this OFF Experiment with values for a particular Step 7 value CV70 16 J installation to find the best compromise 3 Forward Trim CV66 amp Reverse Trim CV95 values of 128 80 Hex will aa TC yield a scaling of 100 The same effect will occur if the value 0 or 1 is loaded for Forward or Reverse Trim i e Multiply by exactly 1 A Trim Steplivalue Cv74 24 2 36 value of 255 FF Hex will give 200 scaling of the table entry value 4 A final scaled table value of 255 FF Hex represents 100 applied motor voltage or Full speed A value of 128 80 Hex represents 50 applied Page 20 PL6 n a motor voltage i e the actual table step entry is multiplied by the appropriate Sep 5 value CV78 Step 16 value CVv79 Trim value to yield the final scaled table value that defines the voltage to apply to the motor a 5 The Steps defined in the table are for the NMRA 28 step mode Step 4 is age a ae ee ee the first motion step in the 28 Speed step code system Step 31 is the full CV82 throttle speed step When configuring the decoder to run 14 step mode Sep 20 value CV83 only every
55. lease remember that your DT100 is only a throttle amp does not have command station capabilities Therefore a DT100 cannot act as a command station in a Big Boy Set So changing your DT200 s into DT100 s is really a conversion amp not an upgrade because some features are lost while others are gained This conversion can be done by the factory or by most local dealers Please contact either Digitrax or your dealer before sending in your throttle for conversion so that we can schedule a good time for the work to be done so that you are not inconvenienced by a long wait 16 0 Warranty and Repair Information DT200 DB100 LA 2 One year guarantee on DT200 DB100 amp LA 2 These units are not user serviceable opening the case voids your warranty If a defect occurs return the unit to us for service We will repair or replace these units at our discretion at no charge to you for one year from purchase date This warranty excludes damage due to abuse such as failure to properly protect against input over current with a fuse or circuit breaker or applying excessive input voltage to the unit We will make any repair needed because of physical damage or electrical abuse at fair and reasonable rates Decoders Digitrax carefully tests every decoder we ship to be sure that you receive reliable products Because we want you to be comfortable installing your own decoders we outline a decoder test procedure that you can perform so that you can be s
56. master keep alive feature plug in a 12V DC to 15V DC power supply such as the Mouser 412 1104 12V DC 500ma to the 2mm DC power jack on the LA 2 13 2 Shutting Down the System With LA 2 Master amp Throttle Keep Alive If the Railsync lines on LocoNet pins 1 and 6 of the RJ12 plug remain above 12Volts the minimal keep alive power needed by the throttles will be drawn from LocoNet and not the internal batteries If you do not wish to leave LocoNet powered you can build a keep alive jack for the throttles or you can use the LA 2 s Master amp Throttle Keep Alive Feature as follows 1 Wire a Sleep Switch according to the diagram below This switch will be open during regular system operation and closed when shutting down the system 2 When you want to shut down the system and maintain throttles in power conservation mode first close the Sleep Switch This will cause all regular throttles connected to LocoNet to go Idle 3 Next Power down your DB100 by pressing RR Run Stop amp keys together Leave the DT200 master plugged in to the A end of the LA 2 The DT200 master will still have the master light on and will be kept alive by the LA 2 until you are ready to run your system again 4 You can leave the DB100 power on or switch it off Note the track power indicator will be off in either case TOP amp keys together and open the Sleep Switch You will then be able to resume operations where you left off 5 When
57. mming Mode Only a DT200 operating as the Command Station can program locomotive decoders To enter Programming Mode press the amp keys simultaneously Section 12 0 Decoder Programming and Configuration gives complete programming instructions 8 7 DT200 Unit Reset Press a amp keys simultaneously This three key stroke input will force the DT200 to reset and clear itself and its internal locomotive status and refresh stacks Removing and replacing the battery also causes the DT200 to reset Use this to clear a Command Station or Advanced Throttle 9 0 LOCO Mode Running Trains LOCO mode is the default mode for the DT200 because it is the mode you use to run the trains If you change to SWITCH or MU mode and don t do anything the unit will default back to LOCO mode in about 6 seconds If a throttle has a locomotive selected and under its control its associated direction indicator will be GREEN if the loco s direction is forward amp RED if its direction is reverse In addition if the direction indicator is flashing it means the associated throttle s locomotive information is currently showing in the display meaning the Address and Speed in the display are related to this throttle For example if the on the right side of the DT200 is flashing RED this means that the ADDRESS and SPEED in the display are for the loco that is currently being run by the Right Throttle Knob and that locomotive s direction is reverse To displ
58. n a Booster a Throttle and several mobile decoders for your locos LocoNet is the communications network Digitrax products use to put it all together eEach system has one Command Station that generates the DCC packets that tell the decoders what to do and produces Rail Sync so that all the devices you attach to LocoNet work together A command station can be as simple as Digitrax Challenger or as complicated as a computer eBoosters receive the DCC signal from the Command Station amplify it and put it on the track as the power that runs the locos You can have several boosters on a system each driving its own track section You can have both regular or auto reversing boosters depending on your needs eThrottles are input devices that tell the Command Station what you want the decoders to do You can have several throttles on your system The number is determined by the capabilities of the Command Station you are using When the DT200 is the command station you can run up to 20 throttles at a time eThe Decoders in the locos or under the switches receive the signal from the track decode it and tell the loco or switch what to do eThere are many different combinations of Digitrax products that you can use to set up a system that is just right for your application You can also combine Digitrax products with DCC compatible decoders boosters and computer software made by other manufacturers Your success with and enjoyment of our products are
59. n the loco selected B The Left throttle direction indicator flashes GREEN indicating that the Left throttle information is currently displayed amp the loco s direction is forward Since the display can only show information for one throttle at a time the throttle direction indicator shows which throttle is on display by flashing Notice when we started working with the Left throttle that the Right direction indicator stopped flashing and became a steady color indicating the direction of the Right throttle s locomotive To display the Right throttle address amp speed all you have to do is move the throttle knob or change the loco s direction By now you are running two locomotives and have learned some of the key concepts of using the DT200 to run locomotives Please read the following 8 sections for more in depth information about other features and capabilities of the DT200 ENJOY A few simple things to look out for the first time you hook up your DT200 If you try to access a loco address that is active on another throttle when you press to set the address the display will change back to SE L and the throttle direction indicator will not light up The address SET request failed because the LocoNet system doesn t allow you to select a locomotive address that is active or in use on another throttle anywhere else on the system This is true even if the loco address is being used by a completely different throttle or even a remot
60. ng B Connect the two GRAY terminals of the DB100 with a piece of wire to force the DB100 to power up as a booster C Set the 5 SCALE switch on the DB100 to the scale you are running N HO O G S For best low speed performance we recommend using the DB100 in the N scale setting even if you are running HO When running analog locomotives without decoders we strongly suggest that you use the DB100 N scale setting to give quieter operation and generate less heat build up in the analog engines D Set the Qi MODE switch on the DB100 to the RUN position E Plug the LA 2 LocoNet Adapter RJ12 6 6 plug into either to the DB100 s LocoNet ports F Connect the LA 2 s Orange amp Gray leads to the DB100 s two terminals marked RAIL A and RAIL B Connect the track to the same RAIL A and RAIL B terminals Make sure no other power packs are connected to the rails used by the DB100 Note We recommend that you use stranded 12 14awg to connect your DB100 to your track because it is easier to connect stranded wire to the DB100 s push terminals G Connect the two terminals marked POWER IN to the output of your transformer Power up your booster and the DB100 s POWER ON amp OVER TEMP FAULT LEDs will be lit 3 2 Making A DT200 The Command Station A Install the battery Before plugging the DT200 into ANY jack install a 9V battery in the battery compartment at the lower rear of the unit The positive end of
61. ns to control speed and select addresses eEncoder Knobs give incredibly fine speed control And when you select another loco the knob position does not change the speed of that loco No more rushing to adjust the throttle to match the loco s speed eUniVersal Consisting lets you use any DCC decoder for consisting You can even include an analog loco in a consist eAdd amp delete locos from MU lash ups with a few simple keystrokes eRun locos within a consist in any direction you choose Head to head or tail to tail Precision speed matching is a reality with Digitrax decoders with loadable speed tables eControl directional lighting amp 4 additional function outputs from the keypad Sound controls for bell amp whistle are on Fl amp F2 F2 is a non latching control that allows you to sound the horn for as long as the key is held down eControl up to 127 switch addresses from the keypad 3 0 Big Boy QUICK INSTALLATION GUIDE These simple instructions will get you up and running quickly You can investigate the specifics later but for now let s get your trains running If you are upgrading from a Challenger system simply use the DB100 booster that came with it and follow these instructions A full description of all controls and technical reference information are included in this manual See the Hook Up Diagram DT200 amp LocoNet These instructions are based on using a Digitrax DB100 series booster If you wish to use a boos
62. ntly powers up the track again when the fault is cleared 19 6 7 SYNC Terminal The DB100 s SYNC terminal allows the connection of expansion boosters without repeating the actual signal on the track drive terminals The use of this terminal is specific to each Digitrax booster and command station It lets you choose how you will use the DB100 You decide whether the DB100 is simply a Booster an Intelligent Auto reversing booster or a multi featured NINAN Digital Command Station Set Up Of DB100 Operational Mode 6 71 Challenger Command Station Mode Use this section only if you are running a Challenger If you don t connect the gray terminals SYNC amp GROUND or if you connect them with a BC 2 Cable to run slave boosters on your system the DB100 will select the command station mode when it initially powers up Use the BC 2 cable when the Sync terminal is driving slave boosters on the system An example of this is using a second DB100 running as a booster in the Intelligent Auto reversing mode to automate a reverse loop 6 72 Regular Booster Mode Use this section when you set up your booster to run with a DT200 as a Big Boy or as an add on booster for a Challenger Big Boy or Chief Set Connect the two gray terminals SYNC amp GROUND with a short length of wire to select the booster mode when DB 100 is initially powered up If you are adding boosters to a Challenger Set connect the first additional DB100 using BC 2
63. ocoNet Wiring Components SOURCE OF RJ12 COMPONENTS For a convenient source of a wide range of in stock reasonably priced LocoNet throttle network RJ12 connection products we recommend DIGIKEY The RJ12 is the 6 pin version of the RJ11 connector with all 6 pins loaded with conductors This is the connector Digitrax uses for LocoNet and the Challenger throttle bus DIGIKEY Phone 1 800 DigiKey 1 800 344 4539 They accept VISA MASTERCARD and will ship UPS FEDEX Suggested parts and Digikey part s Cable Couplers and Wall plates Part Number Description 048 0051 ND 6 Wire Adapter 1M 2F 048 0056 ND Fem Coupler Crossed 048 0060 ND Dual RJ12 Wall Plate CABLES with RJ12 plugs already on both ends H2662 07 ND 7 CABLE W PLUGS BLACK H2662 14 ND 14 CABLE W PLUGS BLACK H2662 25 ND 25 CABLE W PLUGS BLACK If you are wiring the throttle bus for Challenger use be sure that all pins are connected in the same order when connecting to a wall plate as they are when connecting to a DB100 command station booster If you are only using the wiring for a LocoNet throttle network you need not worry about this since LocoNet was designed to work for either cable connection orientation Note that a Challenger throttle bus can simply be upgraded to LocoNet throttle network with no modifications To use existing CT4 s or CTX CTY s on the full digital LocoNet you will need a CT4 LocoNet adapter which will be available from Digitrax in Winter 96
64. on a Big Boy system with a DT200 as the command station D The Switch commands are explicit Thrown amp Closed commands rather than simply toggle commands as in DT200 E The DT100 can control F5 F8 when the Hig key is pressed and held down while pressing the bottom row key corresponding to the function you want to control F The DT100 can access the DCS100 s separate service mode programming output This means that you can program decoders without shutting down operations on the main track See Chief Manual section 21 1 for full details on this programming track Programming to loco s on the mainline operation Mode programming is also available See Chief Manual section 21 7 G The Expanded Address Mode Indicator EP will blink RED when the address being displayed is an aliased four digit address amp will be steady RED when the address is a four digit long address The EP indicator will be off when using two digit short addresses H The DT100 can automatically recover common purged loco s when logged back on to LocoNet I The DT100 has a feature called slot following to allow for future products that will allow speed supervision by a computer or other device for example signal approach speed limiting Today you can use this feature for training new operators or supervising inexperienced operators You can do this by concurrently logging on to or stealing the loco that is currently in use by another throttle If
65. on or any changes to existing hardware and software Only a carefully crafted and smart Peer to Peer network can offer this open ended expandability So LocoNet is more than just hardware it is a number of operating system hardware wiring communications architecture and software innovations that are synthesized together to create the total LocoNet system concept To the average user this means Sophistication without Complexity You have a system that is easy to hook up run and expand in the future You don t need to worry about the high tech details Digitrax has already sweated them out for you Just enjoy operating your layout it s that simple and powerful 16 6 0 DB100 Control Panel 6 1 Power Input The two power in terminals on all Digitrax boosters amp command stations are the power input connections The current capacity is designed to drop off by about 10 at maximum operating temperature Never share a common power source between multiple Digitrax products Each unit should always have its own dedicated power supply DB100 Power Requirements AC or DC AC 50 60 Hz DC Max Input 22V RMS AC 28V DC Max Input 5 Amps 5 Amps Current TECHNICAL NOTES To ensure protection from electrical shock fire hazard or poor unit operation the power input must be from a National Electrical Code Class II UL listed Safety Extra Low Voltage SELV supply The user assumes all risks associated with using a power supply that is not safety
66. onnect the LocoNet cable that was connected to the B end of your LA1 or LA2 to the LocoNet B port of the DCS100 Use a male to male 6 conductor jumper from the LocoNet Port on the DB100 booster where the 50 LA 1 or LA 2 was plugged into back to the DCS100 LocoNet port A Note that the DCS100 and DB100 LocoNet A amp B ports are interchangeable 4 Reinsert the battery in your DT200 after a minute or so amp the DT200 will display idLE DO NOT make the DT200 a command station the DCS100 is handling that part of your system now Plug in your DT200 anywhere on LocoNet amp run trains as you did with your Big Boy The DT100 DT200 s amp any other devices can be connected anywhere along the LocoNet wiring 5 The expanded Chief set diagram 2 shows one way you might choose to set up your wiring for this conversion The main point to note is that you do not have the LA1 LA2 wiring adapter anymore amp you can hookup all LocoNet ports in the most convenient amp sensible manner 15 2 Using A DT200 Throttle With Your Chief Set To use your DT200 s with your Chief Set insert the battery in your DT200 amp the throttle will display idLE DO NOT make the DT200 a master command station the DCS100 is handling that part of your system now DO NOT plug in an LA 1 or LA 2 Plug in your DT200 anywhere on LocoNet amp tun trains as you did with your Big Boy A DT200 that is running as a throttle on a DCS100 command station will work just
67. or Reverse Trim values will scale or multiply all the values used in the table in the corresponding direction by the amount desired Using different Forward and Reverse Trim values allows different Forward and Reverse speeds The Trim value can multiply up the table values from 100 to 200 with 1 resolution or down from 100 to 2 with 1 resolution All the table values are non volatile and are remembered when the power is off 42 43 wj OIDA wN Note that if the Configuration Register is set up with the User Loadable Speed Table flag SET to enable the Speed Table the VSTART and VMID values are not used to by the decoder when calculating Loadable Speed Table values Many Digitrax customers have asked us why we can t formulate tables like this one for the specific locomotives that they are running The reason for this is that each and every locomotive is different If we bought 5 identical brand new locos today and put them on the test track we would probably find that they do not all run exactly the same way And as time goes on and we run these locos for different amounts of time under different sets of circumstances they will probably change even more It s really best to start with the default table shown and work with your own equipment to customize it for your own preferences If you are planning to do a lot of customizing the PR 1 is probably an easier solution for setting up loadable speed tables 1
68. our DT200 To Program Decoders Programming your Digitrax Decoder with BiGBoY 1 Once you have your system up and running switch the master DT200 to Programming Mode by pressing amp FM together until the DT200 programming indicator PRG glows red amp the msTO indicator glows green When the red indicator is on the DT200 is in programming mode Check the LCD display on the DT200 and be sure that the colon 3 in the center is on steady If it is flashing press briefly until it is steady Be sure that only the loco or locos that you want to program are on the live track section attached to the command station Note that if the display shows a flashing the track is in STOP mode and you will have to press to re start the layout The Programmer will not run when the layout is in STOP mode 38 2 Turn the left knob on the DT200 clockwise until the CV number you want to change is showing in the left hand side of the LCD display Note that CV 01 is the loco address and displays as Ad on the left side of the display See section 12 3 amp 12 4 below for more information about programming addresses and other CV s 3 Turn the right knob on the DT200 clockwise until the value you want to program for the CV selected is showing in the right hand side of the LCD display 4 Press the key to program the CV you selected on the left side of the display to the value you selected on the right side of the display 5 You can continue selecting CV s
69. r a purge of its last in use locomotives it will recognize this and not reactivate its throttles If the previously in use locos that are now common locomotives have 25 not been selected by other LocoNet throttles the original DT200 can simply reselect the matching locomotives by pressing the key for the appropriate throttle i e the DT200 throttles still remember the locomotive that was last selected The SET operation will reactivate the throttle and make the locomotive in use in exactly the state the system remembers it The designation of locomotives as in use or common ensures orderly sharing of locomotives on the layout and increases the system s ability to run more locos at a time See section 9 8 for a discussion of locomotive status in use common etc 8 1 2 Time Out Lost Loco Problems Sometimes when I plug my DT200 back in it doesn t log back on to the engine or engines I was running before I unplugged What should Ido The DT200 will release engines that are not being controlled by a connected throttle after about 200 seconds to allow other throttles to gain control of engines that may have been left running unattended by an engineer If you are not able to log back on to the address or addresses you were previously controlling you have probably been unplugged for more than 200 LK SWITCH seconds If this is the case your throttle will show G L when you ADDRESS SPEED plug in your DT200 Just Press
70. restore track power A Note About Batteries When the DT200 is connected to a powered LocoNet all of its power requirements come from LocoNet and the battery is not used When LocoNet is powered down the DT200 Command Station draws its power requirements from its internal battery In this state the battery life will be about 30 hours If the LocoNet is going to be OFF for a long time we recommend changing the Command Station to Advanced Throttle mode See section 8 1 so it can go IDLE and reduce its power consumption In this case the battery life will be more than 300 hours If it is subsequently re selected as a Command Station it will remember exactly its state prior to being IDLE as long as the battery is not removed or the unit is not RESET See section 8 7 See section 13 0 for information about LA 2 s keep alive function and how to build your own keep alive jack We do not recommend the use of NiCad rechargeable batteries since their full charge voltage of 7 2 volts is about the end of life voltage of a regular 27 alkaline cell battery You won t get very many hours of operation with rechargeable batteries 8 5 Stop Mode If the key is held down longer than about a second the DT200 will enter STOP Mode and the center colon in the display will flash In this state there is power to the track but all locomotives are stopped To return to regular operation simply press the key again until the colon stops flashing 8 6 Progra
71. rol of very complex consisting operations still using language that a DT200 can understand and use as a throttle 11 3 MU of Mismatched Locomotives If all the locomotives in the consist have performance characteristics that are closely matched it is reasonable to run all units in 128 step mode for excellent control If the units are completely mismatched then we recommend programming the decoders using the User Loadable Speed Table See section 12 5 and running the DT200 in the 28 step mode to use this feature This allows you to closely speed match the 28 step operation of each locomotive to a given reference locomotive so when they are consisted they will run well together If you want to consist with a conventional analog locomotive use the analog locomotive as the reference locomotive and match the DCC locos to it using the User Loadable Speed Table 12 0 DT200 Programming Mode The DT200 running as the Command Station has a built in programmer that allows you to change the Configuration Variables or CV s for short and customize the personality of each decoder Your DCC Decoders have many 37 different configuration variables CV s for short that allow you to set up a different operating characteristics for each decoder installed in each locomotive Each of these configuration variables controls a characteristic of the decoder These CV s allow you to customize each locomotive s performance characteristics to give you prototypi
72. s it to be a regular Booster Switching to the P R setting after initial power on will not change the auto reversing characteristics until the unit is turned off and powered up again 6 10 Scale Voltage Switch O G HO N This switch sets the maximum track Voltage limit appropriate for the selected scale These settings allow operations of locomotives at levels close to the S9 NMRA values SCALE MAX TRACK VOLTAGE 21 TECHNICAL NOTES For N scale the limit is approximately 12V peak on the track and is a couple of volts less at the motor brushes in a locomotive accounting for rectifier diode and transistor voltage drops and booster output voltage drop due to full load current For HO scale selected the output voltage is approximately 15V peak to allow full voltage at the motor brushes after decoder losses For O G scale the output voltage is approximately 20V for operation of locomotives that need a higher maximum brush voltage 7 0 DT200 LocoNet Throttle Control Panel 7 1 General color codes The DT200 is color coded according to how the keys are used The GREEN colored keys and indicators are for loco speed and direction control The only RED key is Run Stop This is so you can t miss it in case of emergency The BLUE keys are related to function control When the function mode is active the green keys in the bottom row take on the blue meanings F3 Fl Q F2 J F4 7 2 The Left amp Right Throttle Knobs T
73. second entry is used the decoder automatically uses the correct cyss sa 4 o data value ee Page 22 PL6 6 The suggested data values given in the table will give a throttle response Step 22 value cvss 6 J o 1i l Step 23 value CVR6 E ee ee curve that most US users are comfortable with The data values can be Step 24 value CV87 3 14 further modified to suit individual preferences Step 25 value CV88 i 4 126 Page 23 PL6 For the demanding user who wishes to fully customize the throttle response of Step 26 value CV89 88 1 36 pee tee p ih Step 27 value TV90 94 A 78 individual decoders and locomotives Digitrax has incorporated Loadable Speed Step 28 value CV9l 62 Tables compatible with proposed NMRA Advanced Configuration Step 29 value CVv92 Recommended Practices The table has 28 speed step data entries that allow i Page 24 PL6 lt i the User to draw an arbitrary power curve with a resolution of 1 2 from Step 30i vali TEA M the Stop to Full speed codes The shape of this curve defines the feel of the Step 31 value CV94 o CV95 Wage E decoder throttle response Once the curve is drawn the user can scale the actual speed the curve sets by using a Forward and Reverse Trim value that acts Re gister like a volume control In this way you don t have to reload the entire 28 step table if you want to change for example the maximum forward speed from 45 scale mph to 80 scale mph Changing the Forward
74. t Respond If you cannot figure out what a locomotive is doing or who it is by address do not panic Just reprogram the locomotive If the decoder is damaged all is not lost it can be repaired See the Warranty section for details 14 3 Emergency Stop If the layout starts to get away on you either PRESS awl or turn the track i r Poe power 2 OFF on the DB100 Either way will give you a chance to regain your composure and you will be able to rejoin the contest against many locomotives at once 14 4 Mechanical Drive Train Problems Pay attention to the mechanical drive train and free movement of the locomotive wheel sets This is especially important with inexpensive locomotives Using Digitrax decoders with appropriate programming settings 48 you can achieve surprisingly good quality motion if you carefully audit the mechanisms for smooth running 14 5 Strange Lights not the ones in the sky If you can t control the operation of the lights in your locomotive with the DT200 in default 128 or 28 speed step mode be sure that the decoder is programmed in advanced 28 speed step mode Do this by programming Configuration Variable 29 with a value of 06 the code for advanced mode per Table IV Refer to section 12 0 on for complete programming instructions Your Digitrax decoder may have been shipped programmed to standard 14 speed step mode the minimum industry standard Or you may have changed your deco
75. ter made by another manufacturer please contact your dealer for more information and consult the manual for the booster you are using before you proceed 3 1 Making track amp booster connections See the Hook UP Diagram for set up instructions A Start with a DB100 series booster and your conventional power pack or other suitable transformer The DB100 accepts either 50 60 Hz AC or DC input The power pack must be overload protected for a maximum output of 5 amps Minimum input voltage is 12V AC or DC Maximum input voltage is 22V AC or 28 V DC You can use either AC or DC from a model railroad power pack or you can use a generic transformer Transformers There are many transformers and power packs that can supply the input power for the DB100 Most regular DC train control packs do not have enough power to supply the full power potential of the DB100 booster since they were designed to only run 1 locomotive in a blocked system To get the full power potential you may hook up a suitable alternative transformer You should be very careful in hooking up a transformer to be sure that you do not create a shock or fire hazard Many modelers have safely hooked up line transformers when creating their own conventional DC throttles from one of the many do it yourself project articles If you are not comfortable with the 110 Volt input wiring we strongly suggest you consult with an electrician or other competent electrical person The following
76. that is common idle or new and SET this locomotive on the throttle with another press of the key Obviously you can simply re select the locomotive you just released when you started browsing subject to someone else not selecting it in the meantime When you press the key the second time to SET a locomotive address the system makes the locomotive in use and only your throttle has control of it A new locomotive address once set on the throttle becomes in use at speed forward direction and all functions off 30 The only way to modify the Speed and Direction of consisted or MU d locomotives is to select the address of the TOP of the consist We call the key locomotive that other locomotives are consisted TO the TOP locomotive because it does not need to be in any particular physical order in the consist The TOP locomotive address controls the speed and direction of all locomotives consisted to it by the MU function See section 11 0 If during address select mode there is no input for the 6 second time out time the DT200 will abort the selection process and default back to LOCO mode with the throttle now inactive The effect of this is to clear the locomotive that was in the throttle and make it common or accessible to the rest of the system Note that the right hand side of the display shows various status codes as you browse locomotive addresses The meanings of these codes are detailed in the Status Edit section Section 9 8 2
77. the 9V battery is toward the bottom of the DT200 as marked in the battery compartment The unit is protected against incorrect battery polarity The unit will beep and display IdLE in the display when the battery is correctly installed B Before you plug in the DT200 set up your DT200 as the command station for the system press fal Run Stop amp Right Hand Reverse Arrow simultaneously amp hold for a couple of seconds until the unit beeps The Run Stop must be pressed just ahead of the Right Arrow The MST LED indicator will now glow GREEN and the IdLE message in the display will change to SE L Note that the small LCD indicator under the LOCO text above the display will be ON indicating the unit is in the LOCO mode C Plug the DT200 into the A end of LA 2 The DB100 s TRACK STATUS indicator light will glow ORANGE to indicate that the system is powering the track and the OVER TEMP FALUT indicator will no longer be lit 3 3 How to select the locomotive you want to run A Turn the Right hand knob a 1 8 turn in either direction to activate the Right hand Throttle The display will show SE L indicating that no Locomotive is selected on the Right Throttle and prompting you that the key must be pressed to activate a selection in this throttle If at ANY time the center colon in the display is flashing it means the layout is in STOP and all locomotives are stopped To return to the RUN mode simply press the fal
78. ther consists 4 The ability to run Motorola Trinary Format Decoders on your LocoNet system 5 No LA 1 or LA 2 needed 6 Throttle keep alive is built in so batteries are no longer an issue 7 Customizable system features 8 DT200 s will show actual switch position Adding one or more DT100 s to your Big Boy will give you 1 Less expensive full featured throttles 2 Fast Clock Display in all DT100 s on your system 3 DT100 s will show actual switch position 4 Customizable throttle options like ballistic tracking If you are an experienced Digitrax Big Boy or LocoNet user amp are adding a DCS100 to a working Big Boy LocoNet system enter at any installation step you feel comfortable with Refer to the system diagrams amp 2 in this manual and to the hook up diagram in your Big Boy manual for typical connections Be sure to review the display differences between the DT100 amp the DT200 if you are using a DT100 for the first time 15 1 Adding a DCS100 To Your Big Boy Layout Please note You will NOT use the DT200 as a command station when you add the DCS100 You will NOT use an LAI or LA2 when you use the DCS100 1 Unplug your DT200 master command station unit from the system amp remove its battery to clear it from master mode 2 Disconnect the LA 1 or LA 2 from your DB100 booster amp existing LocoNet wiring Put it away you won t need it as long as you are running with the DCS100 as your command station 3 C
79. ttle Knob or the keys to scan to the address of the switch you want to change Once you have the desired address in the left ADDRESS 7 WSPEED N side of the display press either key and the switch selected will change position from closed to thrown or vice versa After commanding the switch closed or thrown the switch position display will stop flashing since the Command Station now knows the current switch position The DT200 Command Station cannot read back these positions now but with the addition of future Command Stations or computer control you will be able to access this feature In this case when you scan through the switches the switch position display will not flash since the system will know the current switch position Note that the switches in the system are accessible to all throttles or control devices with switch control capabilities and are not reserved in use to a single throttle as locomotives are When you have finished your switch operations you can return to LOCO mode by pressing the key twice skipping past MU mode pressing the key or waiting for the 6 second no input time out to return the DT200 to the LOCO default mode The next time you select SWITCH mode the display will remember and start at the last switch address and position you selected 11 0 MU Setting up and maintaining consists From the default LOCO mode press the key twice to cycle through SWITCH mode to MU mode
80. ure your decoder works before you begin installing it in your locomotive If within 60 days of purchase your decoder fails to pass the decoder test procedure outlined in the instructions we will replace it free of charge to you Because we can t control the actual decoder installation we can t cover your decoder once you have tested it and started the installation In the event that you somehow manage to blow up one of these little guys we will repair or replace it for a nominal fee call for the current amount if you return the decoder to us Do not remove the shrink wrap protective sleeves from Digitrax decoders or open the Command Stations or other products None of the units have user serviceable parts and opening them will void ALL warranty protection If you are returning a decoder that failed the test procedure all wires must be their original lengths Do not cut any wires or install any units until you are sure they have passed the Decoder Test Procedure detailed in the 53 Decoder Manual Please don t return anything to Digitrax without calling and Table VI Decimal to Hexadecimal Conversion Chart getting return instructions DEC DEC DEC HEX DEC HEX DEC HEX DEC HEX In order to make sure we give you the best service possible please call 234 770 441 7992 to let us know before you send anything to us for service or as a 01 196 _ c4 return 02 119 77 158 9E 197 c5 236 f ee es 03 120 78 159 9F 198 c6
81. very important to us After all this is a hobby and it is FUN Please read this manual carefully before you install your DT200 We have included lots of hints and operating ideas based on our experience with the Digitrax system If you have questions not covered by this manual please contact your dealer 2 0 DT200 Command Station Throttle Features and Specifications e The DT200 is a combination DCC Command Station and Throttle It can operate either as the command station on a LocoNet system or as an advanced throttle on LocoNet when another device is acting as the command station e Compatible with the NMRA Baseline DCC standard Also incorporates many advanced recommended practices e Digitrax LocoNet network forms a simple reliable interconnect between all Digitrax Command Control System components using extremely reliable and convenient gold plated RJ12 6 pin modular telephone jacks eControl up to 127 locomotives 126 DCC amp 1 Analog eBuilt in programmer allows you to program each individual decoder s acceleration deceleration start voltage mid point voltage loadable speed table etc 128 speed step operation You can select 14 28 or 128 speed step operation for each individual decoder so you don t have to sacrifice performance if you have some decoders that have 128 speed steps and some that don t eLCD display amp LED indicators show throttle status at a glance amp make operation easy Use either knobs or butto
82. werful Ethernet CSMA CD Local Area Network the most universal worldwide hookup standard for computer networks We ensured that LocoNet s protocol was Peer to Peer which any LAN expert will confirm gives the most powerful and expandable software architecture LocoNet offers you a powerful yet SIMPLE plug and play connection scheme for wiring a high performance Digital Command Control railroad layout LocoNet is cost effective and easy to maintain amp gives excellent high speed total system performance In particular the system is designed to be sure that as 100 or more throttles and hundreds of sensors and other devices are added to the system there will be no operator perceptible delays as the LocoNet system executes all the operators requests Only a Peer to Peer type technology on a true two way Multiple Access network can meet these performance and expandability targets Your LocoNet network allows very simple free form wiring and has passed the stringent Radio Interference rules of FCC Part 15 Class B as required for home installations This makes adding extra devices and features simple no complex Bus connection and terminator rules to worry about We have even run throttles and sensors on a LocoNet system over 2 000 feet long using vanilla telephone wire LocoNet is expandable so that as new features are added you will simply connect and overlay these capabilities to your existing working LocoNet system without disrupti
83. y After changing the 2 Status digits right hand side of display to the value you want press to make the change and SET the locomotive into the display active throttle If the loco was originally in use the throttle will become inactive with SE L in the display A DT200 throttle will not be able to edit the status of an in use locomotive it can only edit the status of a loco that is available for it to select If the loco was common idle or new at the start of editing the new status value will be loaded and the throttle will be activated on this locomotive when the key is pressed 33 A consisted loco address cannot have its status edited To edit the status for a consisted locomotive the unit must be MU un linked from the consist 9 8 1 Note for LENZ MARKLIN ARNOLD decoder users If you have a decoder that does not understand 128 speed step or 28 speed step operations you will need to edit the status of that locomotive before running it with the DT200 You will need to change the status code to a value of x2 for example 12 so that the DT200 will operate those decoders in 14 speed step mode Mm L060 SWITCH 7 This display shows locomotive Address 27 T that is common and in 14 speed step mode ADDRESS 7 SPEED N being Status Edited 9 8 2 Unlimited Status Editing With the Command Station Note that the DT200 operating as the Command Station has a special capability to edit the status of an in use locomotive
84. y using the key in conjunction with other keys as described below 8 1 Advanced Throttle Mode This is the mode the unit is in when the battery is first loaded and is the state most DT200 s use when operating on LocoNet To change a DT200 acting as the command station to advanced throttle mode press the u and left arrow keys simultaneously The unit becomes an advanced LocoNet throttle with no command station functionality 8 1 1 Walkaround Operation On LocoNet When a DT200 is in advanced throttle mode amp detects that it is NOT connected to a powered up LocoNet it will enter the power saving IDLE mode and will display IALE This occurs when you unplug a throttle to walk around the layout When you reconnect a DT200 to a powered LocoNet it automatically logs back on to the network and verifies that the command station has an exactly matching state for any of its throttles that were active when the DT200 was disconnected If there is any discrepancy the associated throttle will not be reactivated automatically Reactivated throttles will have the direction indicator lit and the display will show the state of the last active display throttle If a DT200 with selected in use locomotives is disconnected from LocoNet for more than the system purge time about 200 seconds the Command Station will purge these in use locomotives to the common state so that other throttles can access these locomotives If the original DT200 is reconnected afte

Big Boy Set & DT200 Throttle User Manual

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Big Boy Set &amp; DT200 Throttle User Manual

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Big Boy Set & DT200 Throttle User Manual