Advice needed please re railmaster & elink

[Paulus7272]

Hi I have a western master elink set and use railmaster pro using windows 10 I have looked through the forum but can't find the info I want, I need to return my train set as I have faulty engine when I get my replacement set do I just plug in the elink and everything will work fine as before? I have 3 engines programmed into railmas at the momen ,Or will I have to re program all my engines? Do I need to unregister my code in railmaster and start afresh sorry if punctuation is not correct on this post I have memory problems tia Paul

[Chrissaf]

It depends upon what DCC address code you have got in the loco that needs to be returned. The replacement loco will have the factory default address number 003. If your faulty loco also happened to be address 003 then there is nothing more for you to do.

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Let's say for example your faulty loco was address number 004 or 005, then you would need to put the new replacement loco, when it arrives, on to your program track (connected to the 'Prog A&B' terminals on the back of the eLink) and follow the RailMaster manual to re-address the replacement loco from the factory default 003 to the DCC address you previously used for the faulty loco.

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Under no circumstances should you deregister your installed copy of RailMaster. RailMaster activation registration has got absolutely nothing to do with configuring loco DCC addresses. If you deregister RailMaster it will stop being fully functional and you may experience problems getting it re-registered again.

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EDIT: I have just spotted that you intend to return the whole train set just for one faulty loco. Assuming that the retailer justs sends you a complete new set, complete with a new eLink and new RailMaster CD. Then you should put the RailMaster CD safely away in a drawer for a rainy day. Your existing Railmaster software is not registered to any particular eLink controller. The replacement controller will just work with your previous registered version of RailMaster. You will however need to re-address the new set locos to the same addresses that you previously used on the set locos you sent back.

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I take it then that all your track will be lifted and sent back too. Seems complete overkill to me. Are you really sure that the retailer wants the whole set sent back. Remember also, that you will still need to retain your ProPack code, you won't be getting a new one of those from your retailer.

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The retailer may (you will need to check) just send you back your old set but with a replacement loco for the faulty one. In which case my original reply above still stands and is relevant.

[96RAF]

I can see your problem in that by returning the trainset you also return RM basic and in theory you should deregister RM at some point, in anticipation of receiving a new copy in the replacement train set, which you would then have to reregister then reapply your Pro code.

 

I would have a word with the supplier and tell them the problem and maybe see if you can just send back the duff loco and keep the rest.

Rob

[Paulus7272]

Hi it was all new last October it's only been run approx a dozen times just glad I've not layed track or any of my sets yet still trying to collect stuff to do a layout got it from argos and train seemed to need a push to get it going sometimes or if it was on the track and I gave it throttle through railmaster it would start and move about a inch and stop,my other engines worked fine, I did check volts on track I was getting a reading of 11v  which I think should be higher?could not collect new one from store they said they would deliver new set and take broken one in exchange  as I had first one  delivered done it all on online chat they were very good about it, so I am happy new set another 12 months Warranty, thank you both for your help much appreciated 

[Chrissaf]

Looking at the Western Master set packaging it has a 0-6-0 loco in it. Assuming your other two locos are longer locos with more wheels on them then they probably have more electrical pickups on them. These short 6 wheeled locos are notorious for loosing power particularly when traversing points. This is not helped when the track is just loose laid and not firmly fixed down.

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You may well find that the replacement set does exactly the same thing.

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Since it is Argos, they are not geared up to just changing out the loco in isolation. Thus why they are offering to replace the whole set. Also being Argos they will have absolutely no knowledge about RailMaster activation license codes and the like. So I would suggest (as I did in my earlier reply) keep the replacement RM CD sealed and put away and just keep on using your currently activated and Propack registered installation on your PC.

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Regarding track voltage being 11 volts. The DCC signal is a high frequency (7Khz to 12Khz) variable mark / space ratio square wave. In English, because of the nature of DCC signals, you cannot rely on multi-meters to give you an accurate voltage reading. The value of the reading will vary with the quality of the test meter and whether it can measure True RMS or not. I have several meters of varying quality, one of them is 'True RMS' my meters give me readings of between 11.5 volts and 15.9 volts. So your 11 volt reading on AC voltage meter scale is most likely perfectly OK.

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PS - Regarding Warranty. I believe warranty legislation is only XX months from the original purchase date, no matter how many new replacements you might be given during the warranty period. In other words, just because they have replaced it with a new set, your Warranty is not reset as well back to day one.

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I had a water pump with a three year Warranty. It went faulty with 3 weeks left out of the 3 years. The retailer replaced it F.O.C no quibble, but that Warranty expired 3 weeks later when the original 3 year period expired. I had a similar warranty experience with a Smiths Industries security light switch.

[Chrissaf]

PS - Invest in a proper track cleaning rubber. It can help remove the oils that coat the track rails. You will be amazed what a difference a going over with a track rubber will make to the running of hesitant locos. If that doesn't make a significant improvement use a recommended cleaning fluid (such as IsoPropyl Alcohol) with cotton buds on the loco wheels (including the wheel backs where the pickup contacts rub - being extra careful not to bend or damage the delicate pickup wipers).

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Track cleaning rubber examples

Hornby R8087

Peco PL-41

[Paulus7272]

Not happy chappie lol got replacement set after 2 days I've got the same problem my western master elink set using   railmaster on windows 10, the problem is if you turn throttile up on pc the loco moves about a inch and stops if I give it a little push of it will all be it slowly does not even respond to railmaster throttle as it should if I turn throttle down engine won't do as it's told lol, went to order a 3rd replacment with argos and it's not in stock ,anyone else had similar problems please?just to clarify it was set up out of the box with the new track it came with tia Paul

[96RAF]

Just check that you have the track connected to the eLink TRACK connections and not the PROG connections.

Also that you have listed the locos in RM setup screen and that you have all the basic settings sorted as per the Getting Started sticky at page top of RM section of this forum.

[Paulus7272]

RAF96 all connections are correct,I've even reset the loco in rail master and changed it from the factory settings 03 to 04  it worked fine when I first had the set few days ago it's no different on the 04 settings, have messaged hornby with the fault now waiting there reply,