Digitrax

Manufacturer: Digitrax

Summary: Manufacturer of a complete line of DCC products – Everything from Starter Sets to function, multifunction and accessory decoders.

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General information
Phone	+1-850-872-9890
Fax	+1-850-872-9557
Email
CV8 ID#
Main URL	Main URL
URL to manuals	Product Manuals
Address	Digitrax, Inc. 2443 Transmitter Rd Panama City, FL 32404-3157 USA
Date Opened	1993
Date Closed
Successor
Device Types	Other, Booster, Command Station, Mobile Decoder, Power Supply, Stationary Decoder, Throttle

Getting started with Digitrax

For those just getting started with Digitrax products, or want a quick over view, we highly suggest reading the Digitrax primer. It reviews basics the basics of the Digitrax system so that one can easily compare with other DCC systems out there.

Manufacturer ID # 129

Products Offered

Digitrax offers a large number of products. Please the Digitrax Products page for details.

• Multifunction Decoders
• Function Decoders
• Accessory Decoders
• Command Stations
• Boosters
• Starter Sets
• Power Management
• Occupancy Detection

See Also

• Digitrax FAQs
• Digitrax Hints - Information on Digitrax products
• Digitrax Decoder Selection Guide - Help you match decoders to brands / models of engines.
• Contact Digitrax
• Firmware updates

References to this Manufacturer

• 5240005
• 5240025
• 5240045
• AR1
• AR1 with Digitrax Zephyr Xtra

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Digitrax FAQs

Q: My Train Keeps Stopping

If a train, that for no obvious reason, suddenly comes to a stop and adjusting the throttle causes it to resume its journey, the likely cause is two throttles are sharing the same address.

Some DCC systems allow two throttles to control a single address for the purpose of operator training, creating consists, and other functions. Digitrax uses the term Steal to indicate that the address is currently in use, and the operator can choose to take (steal) control of the address or not.

The second throttle is often referred to as a Ghost or Phantom Throttle. A product of poor operator discipline, as someone hasn't cleared that address from their throttle during a previous operating session, or earlier in the current session. That throttle is set to a zero or non-zero speed, and will regularly be polled by the command station. When that happens the ghost throttle overrides the throttle in use.

Digitrax DCC Systems:

• Every throttle, which is a LocoNet device, creates a slot when it selects a locomotive's address. The slot associates the throttle with that address.
• Variables such as speed, direction and active functions are written to that slot by the throttle. This allows the throttle to be disconnected from LocoNet without impacting the operation of a train.
  • This also allows a throttle to control multiple trains independently using multiple slots. Another throttle can steal an address, which creates a new slot associated with the second throttle.
• There are two slots assigned to that locomotive's address. One slot is set to speed zero. At some point the command station will refresh the slots. It reads the slot which is set to zero speed and sends a packet addressed to your locomotive telling it the speed is zero…

JMRI can help by using the slot monitor to clear all unused slots, or to release a specific slot.

See the article about dispatching for more details.

Edit FAQ Related Articles: Dispatching, Ghost Throttle, Slots, Throttle, Digitrax Hints/Slot Management, Difference between Steal and StealZap, Steal Related Manufacturer: Digitrax Categories: Beginner, Throttle

DCS51 (Zephyr Xtra) Cheat Sheet

Most of these should be applicable to the DCS50 and DCS52 models.

Selecting a Locomotive or Consist

1. Press the LOCO key (Display will flash)
2. Enter the address of the locomotive or consist
   1. For a consist, the address will normally be the lead locomotive
   2. For a three digit locomotive number, use a zero (0) for the first digit'"`UNIQ--ref-000000B1-QINU`"'
3. Press LOCO (Display will stop blinking)
4. Move the brake lever to Forward or Reverse
5. Move the throttle until train moves

Dispatching (Releasing) a Locomotive or Consist

1. Move the brake lever to the BRAKE position (middle)
2. Press LOCO key
3. Press EXIT key

Stealing a Locomotive or Consist

See Steal for more details.

1. Press the LOCO key (Display will flash)
2. Enter the address of the locomotive or consist
3. Press LOCO key again (Display will flash StLo)
4. Press LOCO key for a third time
   1. NOTE: Two throttles now control the train; Determine which throttle should be running it and dispatch the locomotive from the other throttle

Building a Consist

Ensure both locomotives are traveling the same direction.

1. Acquire the locomotive which will be the Master or Top (lead loco, a sound equipped loco should be the master if available)
2. Press the MU key (a blinking dot appears under MU in the display)
3. Enter the address of the second locomotive
4. Press the t + key (address reverts Master/Top)
5. Repeat steps 3 – 5 to add additional locomotives

Breaking an MU consist

1. Press the LOCO key
2. Enter the address of the locomotive to be removed from the consist
3. Press LOCO key again
4. Press MU key (the dot under MU will blink)
5. Press the c – key

Edit FAQ Related Articles: DCS51, DCS50, DCS52 Related Manufacturer: Digitrax Categories: Command Station, Throttle

Q: What is the track status light on my Digitrax system?

There is an LED on the front panel of the command station.

Orange

The track power is on

Green or Red

Zero Stretching in Use (Address 00)

Off

No track power or track power is off.

The DCS100 also has an LED to indicate it has power, and an Offline indicator which will be red if the command station's booster section has overheated, or there is no track status. A No Track Status is a normal condition.

Edit FAQ  Related Manufacturer: Digitrax Categories: Wiring

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