Dispatching loco on Digitrax system

[carlso]

I just read Ed's thread above and copied the pdf file for use at club running's. Possibly it will help our newbies.

His thread made me think about how to properly and permanently remove an address from the brain box stack.

We had been pressing Loco, than Disp, and then exit. This was not removing the address from the stack and we continued to see the "slot=max" warning, especially during a 5 day show. I guess the exit key closed the attempt to remove the address???

We had the brain box fail a month or two ago and it was sent to Digitrax for repair. While the club member, who sent it in, was talking to the repair person he was told the steps should be Loco key, Disp key and finally the enter key. We have been doing that and have not had any slot=max warnings. However, since Christmas the play time is greatly reduced.

Would someone,please, share your procedure. I do not know what the Digitrax system is, most all of the operators use the DT402D throttle.

Thanks in advance,
Carl

[mmyers]

First thing to be sure of is that Option switch 14 is Thrown. This enables automatic purging of addresses in the commend station. If the command station is a DCS100/200 close option switch 44. This extends the slots to 120 slots.

I use the exit button as my last button press. Always have, always worked. Enter works as well. I have also just keyed in another address after pressing the dispatch button.
However, if the speed on an address is set to 01 or higher, the address will not be automatically purged after sitting idle for 200 seconds.  It will be dispatched from the throttle, but it will still be in the stack listed as "In Use". If you look at the slot monitor in JMRI, the properly dispatched address will remain in the stack. It status will change to "Idle". Once all 120 slots have an address in them, the command station will look for an slot marked "idle" and assign it to the next loco address that is selected on a throttle. If none are available, you get the Slot=Max message This change to "Idle" will only happen if the speed is at 00 and the address is not part of a consist. The command station is designed to believe that any address at a speed above 00 and/or in a consist should remain active because the user might still be running it
The main thing is to break up consists that are no longer needed and make sure the speed is 00. The system will take care of itself if these two steps are followed. If using a UT throttle or Zephyr, move the direction switch to stop. This assures speed 00. On a Dtxxx throttle make sure the screen shows 00 then press the dispatch button. If every operator flows tehse rules, you Slot=Max problems should either go away or be minimal. (unless you have 120 engines permanently set up in consists. If that's the case, you will need a DCS240)

Martin Myers

[reinhardtjh]

From the Digitrax DT402 manual dated 3/2010

3.4.15 EXIT key
The EXIT key is used to exit the current throttle task without making
changes. Pressing this key will usually return the DT402 to Fn mode for
regular locomotive operation.

3.4.16 ENTER key
The ENTER key is used to complete the current throttle task and return to
Fn mode for normal operations.

We had been pressing Loco, than Disp, and then exit. This was not removing the address from the stack and we continued to see the "slot=max" warning, especially during a 5 day show. I guess the exit key closed the attempt to remove the address???

My interpretation is that pressing the EXIT key after the DISP key cancels the Dispatch operation.  Pressing the ENTER key would complete the Dispatch.  Your experience seems to back up that assumption.

I use the exit button as my last button press. Always have, always worked. Enter works as well. I have also just keyed in another address after pressing the dispatch button.

I believe that the other settings for purge and expanding the slots to 120 have spared you the slot=max when you press EXIT.  From the manual description I would think that ENTER is the proper ending to the DISP action.  But then, we all know that Digitrax manuals can be obtuse and may not explain all consequences of an action.

[carlso]

Thank you John and Martin, for the help. Yes, the Digitrax manuals are rather difficult, obviously written by a designer of the system. In order to help me they need to write a manual "for dummies".

Thanks again for the help,
Carl

[Ron McF]

From the manual description I would think that ENTER is the proper ending to the DISP action.

According to my manual (Rev 2.1 dated 12/09) you press the LOCO button, and then while the loco address is blinking, press DISP.  There's no mention of the ENTER or EXIT buttons at all.  That's all I've ever done to release/dispatch a loco and it always seems to work.

Regards,
Ron

[Santa Fe Guy]

Yep I agree with Ron. Ran Digitrax Duplex for many years on my SFRSD and that is exactly what we did. Also on other friends layouts using the same system without issues.
Rod.

[peteski]

Yep I agree with Ron. Ran Digitrax Duplex for many years on my SFRSD and that is exactly what we did. Also on other friends layouts using the same system without issues.
Rod.

Is it possible that the firmware in the newer throttles (after 2009) has been changed to need the ENTER key press to complete the dispatch?

[mmyers]

For some reason I just got used to hitting the exit button. It's not required. My Dt402D with the latest firmware does not require pressing a button after the "DISP" button is pressed. "SEL" is displayed. Press "LOCO' the address starts flashing. Press "DISP" and "SEL" is displayed. Tried it several times yesterday afternoon just to be sure.

Martin Myers

[Santa Fe Guy]

That's the way it's done.
Rod.