Cannot programme "Earl of St Germans" Castle on eLink

[Jspider]

I am sure I am missing something, but please can you help me with what is probably a basic question.

I recently bought the "Earl of St Germans" Castle Early BR with DCC fitted and sound. I put on my track and made sure there were no other locos or points decoders connected. Using Railmaster with eLink, I clicked the loco button, and selected a new DCC ID - 005. found the loco from the names list and clicked the tick. It all looked okay, but no response at all from the loco when I tried to set it moving. 

When I tried it with my old Select, it worked only on the dfefault 003 setting. So I thought to try and set it to 005 on the Select, but the red light only flashed three times (instead of seven) and no surprise the loco didn't respond on 005 but still worked on 003.

I've obviously done something basic wrong, but cannot work out what it is from the PDF. Any help gratefully received

[96RAF]

Presuming it is TTS sound and not some other make of sound decoder installed...

Turn the loco physically round on the programming track and try programming and control again. Certain TTS decoders had to be reprogrammed by return to Hornby due to a directional issue. One way it would work and t’other way it wouldn’t.

[Chrissaf]

Assuming it is not a faulty batch TTS decoder as highlighted by Rob in the above post, then read on. If it is a 'faulty batch' decoder (i.e functions correctly when reversed on the track) then it will need to be sent back to Hornby to have new decoder firmware installed. This is what Rob meant when he used the 'reprogramming' term.

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I have assumed that you have no prior knowledge, so I am documenting the procedure completely from scratch. I do acknowledge however from reading your posting history that some of what follows may be familiar to you. But it is best to start with a 'clean slate'.

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If you haven't done so already. You need to create a throttle for your R3383TTS loco in RailMaster (RM). I'm not convinced from reading your posted query that this is something you have done correctly yet. Particularly as you have stated that you are struggling to follow the PDF (I assume you mean the RailMaster user manual).

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This previous post gives guidance on how to set up a new loco from scratch. When you get to 'Step 6' and 'Step 7' stop following the documented method in the post linked below. Instead, come back to this post and follow the address configuration procedure documented further down this page.

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/loco-registration/?p=1

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See my reply 3rd one down on the page that opens when clicking the link above. Note that the loco used in the example process documented in the link above is a R3390TTS loco. When reading and following the linked above documented procedure, substitute R3390T with your loco R3383T. When using the search for loco box, do not add the last TS characters, just search on R3383T.

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As you create the throttle. I recommend when following the documented procedure in the above link. You leave the loco address at its default 003 address, you can come back and change the address later. In other words, at 'Step 5' in my documented procedure leave the loco ID as 003.

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First of all (with the loco throttle created using DCC Address 003)......can you control the loco on DCC Address 003 using RailMaster & eLink? (since you can using the Select). You do need to confirm that the loco is working with RM on the default address 003 first, else there is little likelihood of being able to change the loco address to something different.

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If you can use RM to control the loco on DCC Address 003, then try using RailMaster and eLink to readdress the loco to DCC Address 005 or the new address of your choice. But be aware, that the method of changing the loco DCC Address is completely different to how you do it using the Select.

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With the Select, you remove all the locos and other decoders except the one you want to change from the track. You seem to be aware of this as you wrote:

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I put on my track and made sure there were no other locos or points decoders connected.

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However, with the RailMaster / eLink combination. You connect a separate isolated track piece to the 'PROG A&B' output of the eLink. This is termed the 'Programming' track. You then place the loco on this 'programming' track piece. Once on the 'programming' track. Open the 'Loco Settings' screen (see below). Select the loco you have just created (using the previously linked process documentation) in the top left hand corner list, so that the rest of the window populates with the loco settings.

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Note that the Loco DCC Address writing procedure described below. Can be a more efficient address writing procedure than following 'Step 6' and 'Step 7' described in the previously linked 'How To' post documented above.

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Loco Settings Screen.

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With your loco selected in the window, click the 'Loco' icon circled in red. This will open the set 'Loco Address' dialogue window. Use this window to set the Loco DCC Address to 005 (or another number of your choice). Follow 'on screen' prompts to save and write the address to the loco. Remember, the loco needs to be sitting on the 'Programming' track piece for this task.

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If the new address is successfully configured and accepted. Then you can move the loco back onto the main layout track to test it on the new address. Remember you need to go back to 'Step 5' in the previous instructions to change the default 003 address to the new address you have just configured and 'save' the changes. Else the RM throttle will still display the default 003 address and not the new one.

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TIP: I write long posts. If you intend to write a reply, it would be appreciated if you didn't use the 'White Arrow in Blue Box' button. This is not a 'Reply to this post button. It is best to write any reply you want to make in the 'Reply Text Box' at the very bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

 

Particularly as my reply includes an image. If you use the blue button, any reply you write, may be held back for image approval. Even though it is already a previously published image.

[BagEndJct]

@Jspider

 

To state the obvious (sorry!): you say you placed the loco on the track ensuring no other locos were there. In order to program a loco from your eLink, the loco has to be placed on an entirely separate section of track which is connected to the special outlets on the eLink. See the two right hand terminals here, labelled "PROG".

[Jspider]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my post. I have checked that there is no "directional issue" fault with the decoder. Thank you for that tip RAF96. Thanks also to BagEndJct for the image to I was sure to use PROG on the eLink. Of course big thank you to Chrisaff - your posts are so useful. I think basically I should print them out and create a additonal document to enhance the RM Guide (which is the PDF I referred to).

I have sound and motion on the "Earl" now. 

Much appteciate everyone's support 

[Chrissaf]

I have to acknowledge that the RM manual lacks clarity in certain areas. 'Setting up a locomotive for the first time' by a virtual first time user, is just one of those clarity lacking manual areas.

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I have sound and motion on the "Earl" now.

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Glad to have been of help....

[BagEndJct]

Good news. Well done.

 

With reference to Chris' comments on the manual, I must say I am enjoying the RM articles at the front of recent Hornby Magazines and am learning things from those I had not gleaned from the manual (too much to take in!).