Loco Programming

[Ralphy5]

Hello Guys,

As you know I’m quite New to DCC and have a problem of which I cannot find the answer to on the posts here.

Recently I have purchased 3 New Hornby engines. 

1/   BR 4-4-0 Fowler 2P Class '40626' - Early BR with TTS Sound

2/   Rail Road RfD Class 47 '47033' with TTS Sound

3/   BR 4 6 0 'King Richard II' 6000 Class with TTS Sound 

My Elite Reads and Runs their Decoders, and also does an excellent job on all my other Non Hornby Loco’s. It also allows me to utilize all the various functions as per their instruction sheets. 

The problem is I like using Rail Master compared to the Elite. 

This is because I find it easier to run multiple loco’s, points ect, without getting confused and pushing the wrong buttons. This usually ends badly for me, by having to push the RED STOP button in surrender! 

I also like using the Voice function and tapping a program for playback, both wonderful features of Rail Master. 

However, when using the E link with Rail Master Pro, (all up to date), when I go to program these New Loco’s, I get a message that says Rail Master doesn’t recognise the Loco’s chip and to contact Hornby ect? It is the same message as per Non Hornby Loco’s. 

So I manually program the Loco’s but, I need to manually select their Functions, and they all are limited by Rail Master’s program to only 6 Functions! 

This is also the same limitation as with all of my other Non Hornby Loco’s! 

Is there any way around this problem? Or do I need to wait for Hornby to add these New Hornby Loco’s to Rail Master’s Data Base, and always be limited to only 6 Functions with the Non Hornby Loco’s? 

Also is it possible to connect the Elite to Rail Master and use the data interface that way? 

Now I’m getting myself totally confused into what to do!!! 

So thank you in advance for your thoughts on this subject. 

R5

[Chrissaf]

Ralphy, at lot of questions in one post.

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I can't comment on the three TTS locos in the RM database, but with regard to other questions raised.

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In reverse order:

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1. Also is it possible to connect the Elite to Rail Master and use the data interface that way?

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Yes. I noted in your text that you use the Elite controller as a stand alone, but use your Railmaster & eLink primarily for programming. I assume that if you use RM & elink for layout control that you then disconnect the Elite. There is no need to keep swapping things around. Put the physical eLink interface box in a drawer somewhere and connect your Elite to RM via USB. You will have to select the Elite as controller A and change the Baud rate to 19200 in the RM Systems Settings window (see RM manual page 22) and possibly make some adjustments to your railmaster.ini file. Railmaster is totally compatible with using Elite as the track interface. Not only that, but if you include the Elite feedback=1 entry in the railmaster.ini file (see below) then the controller knob position will be fed back into RM to move the software slider (you have to select the loco using the Elite controls first for the feed back into the correct RM throttle to function). In other words when using RM in conjunction with Elite you can use both the software throttles in RM and the physical throttle knobs on the Elite simultaneously in real time.

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You (typically) need railmaster.ini to have the following entries for Elite (using Windows 8 and/or 10).

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Alternative comms=1

Check controller=0

Elite feedback=1

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To edit your .INI file. Open the RM 'Help' window. In the bottom left hand corner is a COG icon. Click it and follow on screen prompts. Elite feedback may be =0 or not present at all. Add it manually if missing. The other two will be there but may have different =values. Edit as necessary. It has been shown in other users experiences that it is best to delete the originals and type in new entries at the end of the .INI file as new additions.

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2. Six functions?

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Even when setting up a loco manually within RM you have access to 25 functions NOT six. This does seem to cause some confusion to RM users.

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On the small throttle window only 6 functions are visible. This is the same for all locos, both recognised Hornby ones and non Hornby ones. To see more than 6 functions you open the small throttle to make it a large throttle (click the top middle area of the small throttle where there is a faint blue image. This will either be a 'magnifying glass' or a 'fingerprint' depending upon the RM theme deployed).

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On the full sized RM loco throttle, only 8 functions are initially visible. You click the centre of the bottom of the throttle window to open the throttle to see more functions. You can then scroll up and down the function list to see all 25.

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As well as the above statement, when in the 'Locomotive Settings' window. You have the list of functions on the right hand side each with tick boxes. The six boxes you tick are the functions that initially appear on the small throttle. The functions you do not tick, are the ones that become visible when you open and scroll the large throttle window. Even though they are not ticked they are still accessible all the same but only within the large throttle.

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When setting up the loco functions in the list manually. The text boxes in the right hand side list are completely editable. This means that you refer to the function list included on each individual loco instruction sheet (included within the loco packaging) and type the entries into the RM function list as necessary against the function number. What you type becomes the label shown on the soft button in the throttle windows. There is a character limitation (I forget off hand how many characters) so keep the label text short and abbreviated. For example "Directional Lighting on/off" could be shortened to "DirLights on/off" or just "Lights on/off". 

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For example on a Diesel loco the instructions may give a list as (the ones below I have just made up for the example):

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F0 = Lights on/off

F1 = Sound on/off

F2 = Long Horn

F3 = Short Horn

F4 = Cab Light on/off

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Note the entries with the "on/off" added. In Railmaster if you want the function to lock on and not reset after a four second delay you must include the on/off text on the button label. The on/off text may not be mentioned on the actual printed loco instruction sheet. It is fairly logical to determine which functions by their nature need to lock on or not. Just add the label on/off text as necessary.

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This should hopefully be enough information to get you started, come back with specific questions if further clarification is needed.

 

[Nick_]

When programming a loco's DCC decoder in Railmaster it doesn't matter if you get the dialog saying Railmaster doesn't recognise the make, just click and close the dialog and continue. You can then program the decoder without a problem. What Railmaster does is if it recognises the type of decoder when it reads CVs 7 & 8 it knows which CVs that particular type of decoder uses and greys-out/doesn't try to read CVs that are unused. If Railmaster doesn't recognise the decoder it will read and allow you to change any and all the CVs irrespective of whether the decorder is actually going to use them or not.

[RB51]

I think it is worth sending in the details of the chip you are using if RM does not recognise it as the details can be included in the next update. R-

[Chrissaf]

Ralphy did say they were three Hornby TTS models. One would expect the TTS decoder to be recognised by RM CV reading. There are many previous posts highlighting similar TTS decoder not recognised issues, usually in conjunction with all (or majority of) values being read as 255, yet being able to be written to OK. Forum user 'Spireblade' resolved his decoder not being recognised issue by replacing the track power connector on his programming track with directly soldered to track wires connected back to his Elite programming output.

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It is still worth investigating the cause and sending in a support request report all the same.

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I am assuming here that Ralphy is reporting a decoder not being recognised during a CV reading activity issue, rather than a loco not in the database issue, which is something completely different.

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PS - In light of the preceding paragraph I'm taking the opportunity to add an extra comment to my earlier reply.

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With regard to the section on manually editing the function list labels. This should only be necessary if:

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1. adding a Hornby loco manually (ie not in the Hornby loco database)
2. adding a non Hornby loco.

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The functions buttons should all be automatically filled in if the Hornby loco is selected from the pull down list Hornby database. This database is the one that sometimes gets updated as a RM start up background activity without user intervention. The RM PC needs to be connected (at RM start up) to the Internet for this to happen of course.

[RDS]

@Ralphy5

The Elite and RailMaster combination is a preferred option of many members on this forum (myself included), because it gives the options for Manual Control, Computer Control or a combination of both.

[96RAF]

I have had RM fail to read or wrongly ID a decoder including TTS via RM at first attempt.

 

Usually at a subsequent try all went well.

 

It may be that a new TTS loco wont be in the RM database yet but RM should still be able to read the manufacturer CV7 and decoder type CV8 and correctly list those CVs applicable to a TTS loco be it steam or diesel. There is a CV which gives the ID of the particular loco, cant remember which one now, and this would correctly label the functions for that loco.