DCC Settings

[Inukshuk]

I am new to DCC operation and was wondering if I have the right DCC settings. I have an Atlas  GP7 Phase 1 with and NCE decoder.  It will hardly pull a four coach passenger train.  Yet I have s Kato RS-2 with a Digitrac decoder that will pull the coaches so fast they almost fly off the track.  Is it the Decoder settings or the motor?

[nickelplate759]

If by "will barely pull" you mean that the wheels spin and the train won't move, then DCC settings won't help - the issue is one of poor traction, not motor control.  If you are referring to speed, then Decoder settings might make a difference.   First step would be to reset the decoder to factory defaults (for NCE decoders set CV30=2)  and see if that changes anything.

[woodone]

I am going to take a guess that the Atlas GP7 has the Atlas scale speed motor, the Kato RS-2 motor runs much faster than the Atlas.
What do you have for a DCC setting for CV-5 in the GP7 ?
That could make a difference too.

[nickelplate759]

Another thought or two:

1.  When the Atlas GP7 "barely pulls", is the motor spinning but the wheels barely turning?  If so, then the problem is mechanical, and suggest that either the drive couplings on both ends of the motor are slipping.  Another possibility is that the drive train to only one truck is either jammed up or slipping, so that only one truck is actually trying to move the engine forward.  Again, not a DCC problem.

2. Your Kato unit sounds like it is working just fine.  There are settings that you can program into the decoder to limit the top speed if you want.

[peteski]

Before making any more suggestions, IMO we really need to find out exactly what "hardly pull a four coach passenger train" means?  Need better problem description with more details.

[Inukshuk]

I further thought it might be mechanical, and was wondering if it is the connection to the trucks that might be slipping.

[nickelplate759]

@Inukshuk - If you can take the body off it's easy to tell if this is the problem, as you will see the motor spin while the wheels barely move.  This problem tends to be accompanied by a fair amount of noise as well.

[peteski]

I further thought it might be mechanical, and was wondering if it is the connection to the trucks that might be slipping.

Are we talking about mechanical or electrical connection?

If the worm was not properly engaging the worm-gear in the truck, it would make a loud and ugly noise.
I suppose the universal couplings (if this loco has those) on the motor or worm shaft could be split and slipping on the shaft, causing one of the trucks to not be running. Dragging truck would cause lack of pulling power. Those things are something you would  need to look for and check.

You still have not described exactly what you mean by "hardly pull a four coach passenger train".  Can you hear the motor revving fast, but the loco is slipping on the track?  Can you be a bit more descriptive in the problem statement?

[Inukshuk]

By hardly pulling means I have to assist manually to get it going and then grinds to a halt on the tuns.

[nickelplate759]

By hardly pulling means I have to assist manually to get it going and then grinds to a halt on the tuns.

Hmm - that could also be an electrical contact issue.  When it stops is it still making mechanical noises? Is the headlight still on?   If it's completely dead, then the issue is likely electrical contact.          There are few things to check:

1. are the wheels and track clean?
2. are the bronze contact strips that ride on top of the trucks (one on each side of the frame) in the right places?
3. is the DCC board snugly in place?  You would have to take the shell off to check this.

[Inukshuk]

Slove it:  The Sill Plate was riding too low to the track and catching.  Thx.

[nickelplate759]

Well, that'll do it too!  Good problem solving.