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E link & rail master not working with american DCC locomotive


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I have got a brand new rail master & e link, and it seems to be working fine, no errors and the e link controller is not red in the settings, however it will not recognize my DCC locomotive, it is factory set to 0003 and it still doesnt recognize it, the locomotive in question is a broadway limited i1sa with broadway limited's custom dcc chip & smoke, im not sure if its a locomotive issue or e link issue (the locomotive runs fine with sound & smoke in dc and dcc with other controllers)

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The reference to "Custom" rings alarm bells with me as well. Likely to only have been tested with American brand controllers or European brands that sell significantly in the US.

I suggest that you delete the loco from your Railmaster roster and add it again, but this time following the procedure documented in FAQ2 in the 'Railmaster FAQ' Index sticky thread.

Be sure to follow the recommendation in that FAQ to NOT TOUCH the green tick in the CV Writing screen at any time in the loco adding procedure. It is using this green tick that can cause issues with unrecognised decoders. Initially just add the loco as address 0003 so that you completely avoid the CV writing screen altogether. If you can get RM to operate the loco as address 0003 then you are halfway there.

If you find that you can then operate the loco on the main track using address 0003, then use the 'Steam Loco' icon in the bottom row of the 'Locomotive Setting Screen' [and not the main CV writing screen which is the " i " icon] to try changing the DCC Address with the loco moved onto the 'programming track'. Test for the address change success or not back on the main track.

Additional Information just to note:

American Broadcom decoders plus some other American brands, particularly if sound versions are known to have issues being programmed by European controllers due to the way power is applied to the programming outputs. So much so, that another US company make a programming power booster (PowerPax) that connects to the PROG output of the controller, which then provides a programming power boost to the decoder being programmed. The PowerPax only fixes the American decoder programming issue and has no impact on the loco being operated by the controller. The fact that the US company produce the PowerPax product infers that some American decoders are problematic brands.

powerpax dcc programming booster - Google Search

Also see this PowerPax review that specifically mentions Broadcom. Review found in the Google search results linked above.

PowerPax Programming Booster Review

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This does not help answer your question but I have a Bachmann USA SD40 Loco on my layout that was DCC fitted and it works perfectly. I have no idea what Decoder is fitted because I have failed completely to be able to remove the body!

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“Custom DCC chip” rings alarm bells.
What other DCC controllers have you tried it with?

 

 

the bachmann ez command control and bachmanns default controller, the DCC chip broadway make in-house is a fairly complex one with lots of sounds which railmaster doesn't account for as-well, such as sounds which synchronize with the lights of the locomotive, i know the locomotive is being powered because when i use a function on it, it outputs a low buzz from the speaker.

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i suggest that you delete the loco from your Railmaster roster and add it again, but this time following the procedure documented in FAQ2 in the 'Railmaster FAQ' Index sticky thread.
Be sure to follow the recommendation in that FAQ to NOT TOUCH the green tick in the CV Writing screen at any time in the loco adding procedure. It is using this green tick that can cause issues with unrecognised decoders. Initially just add the loco as address 0003 so that you completely avoid the CV writing screen altogether. If you can get RM to operate the loco as address 0003 then you are halfway there.

 

 

ok, i will try this

 

 

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Have you defined the sounds in the loco function list including adding the suffix on/off for toggled functions. Until defined RM cannot send an instruction to operate them.

 

 

yes i did add the sounds defined in the locos manual, none of them worked, even if i wrote directly what the manual said and what rail master offered

 

 

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In view of all comments I would revert to asking HRMS for help using thebuilt in query form. Once in contact you could send them the decoder manual which will help them to iron out what appears to be comms issues twixt RM and this loco.

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