Railmaster - some locos work some don't and my elite won't work

[Fritham Jct]

Hi

I'm using hornby rail master on a PC with an elite connected via USB and an e-link.

I'm sure I've missed something incredibly obvious but no idea what as I've spent hours trying and I can't work out where I've gone wrong.

So two problems.

1. Some locos work, some don't. Lots of the earlier locos I set up on rail master work fine. However at the moment if I add a loco they don't work. I can programme numbers, read them on the programming tracks however none respond when on the layout. The locos work fine on my test track under DCC.

I'm wondering if there is some limit that I've reached In terms of locos?

2: My elite is connected and shows on the rail master screen but I can't get it to make locos respond. The settings are all as per the manual.

If anyone can spare some time to suggest solutions that would be really appreciated.

[Fishmanoz]

Just a couple of clarifications from me until someone with more knowledge comes along:

• you have Elite and eLink, are they Controller A and Controller B used together? Only Controller A can program locos
• yes, there’s a slightly unusual loco limit, may be 60 but not sure. If more than the limit, you have to arrange them in groups. Someone will add to this for you. How many do you have?

PS. No need to put 2 carriage returns between paras. Forum software adds one.

[96RAF]

Fishy is correct in saying there is a group limit which is actually 64. If you have hit this limit go back and in set up tick them into similar groups, say steam and diesel for starters.

If you are using both controllers - A for locos and B for points - are they both showing as connected in the green controller icon top right of screen and also neither is showing as pink in the main setup screen.

If both controllers are connected and showing no fault in setup then it may be the Elite programming has failed. Simply swap controllers A and B and adjust the setup screen to match.

Also check that each controller settings in RM are the same as in your PC device manager, particularly the comm port.

You say the Elite doesn’t work, is that through RM or using it direct.

[Fritham Jct]

Hi both

To answer your questions and pose a few more...

I do have quite a few locos as my brother's are all on my system as well so I'll check the groups I may well have hit 64.

I have eLink and the Elite, both are showing as connected - Can I use both the elite and the elink to drive locos or can I use only one? If so how do I connect them. I currently have the elink powering the track and programming track and connected via USB to the laptop. The elite is connected via USB to the laptop and plugged in to the mains. I have no wire connecting the track and elite directly. I've not been able to local a connection diagram anywhere.

Am I best using only one of them eg the elite with a select and forgetting the elink?

Many thanks for your time

[Fritham Jct]

Hi both

To answer your questions and pose a few more...

I do have quite a few locos as my brother's are all on my system as well so I'll check the groups I may well have hit 64.

I have eLink and the Elite, both are showing as connected - Can I use both the elite and the elink to drive locos or can I use only one? If so how do I connect them. I currently have the elink powering the track and programming track and connected via USB to the laptop. The elite is connected via USB to the laptop and plugged in to the mains. I have no wire connecting the track and elite directly. I've not been able to local a connection diagram anywhere.

Am I best using only one of them eg the elite with a select and forgetting the elink?

Many thanks for your time

[P-Henny]

Some Railmaster DCC basics.

You can not under any circumstances connect more than one DCC controller directly to a layout running track at the same time.

Railmaster only supports using two controllers in this very specific following configuration.

The controller (Elite or eLink) can be connected as controller A. ONLY controller A can be used to program and/or control a loco. If you then connect a second controller (Elite or eLink) as controller B, then controller B can ONLY be used to connect to Accessory Decoders and be used to operate accessories such as point motors and signals. Controller B can NOT be used to operate or program a loco. The outputs of controller A and controller B must never be electrically or physically be connected together.

If you never connect a second controller B, then controller A (default Railmaster configuration) is used for everything. That is to say, programming and controlling locos, AS WELL as operating accessories such as points and signals.

In my view, Elite is a better controller than eLink, therefore I personnally would use that as controller A and relegate the eLink to a drawer as a spare.

Also, with an Elite used as controller A to control locos, the two knobs on the Elite can be synchronised to two software throttle sliders in Railmaster, thus rotating the Elite knobs will control the loco speed and move the synchronised slider on the Railmaster screen to match. You don't have to use this feature and to be honest it is best avoided, I just mention it for information.

[Fritham Jct]

Hi Guys

I think I've resolved this. Thank you.

Jeremy

[Yelrow]

Would be good for future posts to tell us how.

[Fishmanoz]

Replying as per Yelrow would be good.

Also, as you’ve described it, your Elite can do nothing as it’s not actually connected to anything DCC via its track/programming output. The only controller you can use as described is eLink via RM. The only way you can use 2 controllers (A and B) is to have A connected to track/programming track and B connected via a bus or directly to points and accessory decoders using its track output and no connection between the outputs of the two controllers.

If you are just starting out, I’d suggest using only the Elite as Controller A for now and put the eLink away. That will remove any confusion between the two.