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	Booster, Command Station, Mobile Decoder, Other, Power Supply, Stationary Decoder, Throttle

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: Track Power

Most systems have a simple process for applying power to the track. There will be a button somewhere on the throttle which instructs the booster to apply power to the track, or remove it. Simple utility throttles usually don't have a power button.

Except for Digitrax.

Digitrax has three states for track power:

1. Off, no power to track
2. Idle: Track power is on; Command Station is only sending Idle Packets
   1. In this state the lights and sound will work, but the train will not move.
3. Run: Track power is on; Command Station is sending commands.

When in Idle, the track power indicator on the throttle is blinking. Pressing Y+ will change the state to ON, and the indicator will no longer blink.

This behaviour confuses many users, especially those new to DCC and Digitrax.

Edit FAQ Related Articles: Digitrax Hints, Digitrax Hints/Throttle Troubleshooting Related Manufacturer: Digitrax Categories: Beginner, Other, Power

Q: What is detection actually providing if I do not Install transponding?

Detection simply detects the presence of a train on a section of track bounded by gaps and fed by a detection system such as the Digitrax BDL boards. Engines are automatically detected (non-transponding) since they draw power whether moving or not. Rolling stock can be detected by using resistance wheel sets, or in the case of passenger cars and cabooses, lights. By using resistor wheels on the last car of a train the block will always show detection when occupied as long as the train is no longer than any single block. Detection is mandatory for computer control. It is how the computer knows what blocks are occupied.

Transponding will display the ID of the train, usually the engine's number or the rolling stock's ID number. A transponder section acts like a detection section since if an engine is transponding, it is obviously occupying a block. Cars, passenger cars and cabooses, unless equipped with a transponder, will not be identified.

Edit FAQ  Related Manufacturer: Digitrax Categories: Transponding

Consisting with the Digitrax DT602 and UT6 Throttles

The methodology used by the DT602 and UT6 is different than that of the DT40x and DT50x series throttles. One must ignore previous experience with those throttles when using a DT602 or UT6.

How to Consist

Refer the the DT602 or UT6 Manual as necessary.

The DT602 and UT6 use Universal Consisting for simple and easy consisting. This is the most flexible and realistic method.

• Soft Keys:
  • DT602
    • Those labelled A, B and C below the display, whose functions will be indicated at the bottom of the display.
  • UT6
    • Activated by the Menu key, using the numeric keys surrounding the display.

DT602

Adding a Locomotive to a Consist

1. Choose the two locomotives to be consisted
   1. Ensure they are both running in the same direction
2. Select the Top Address, which will control the consist. Press the Loco Key and enter the desired address, then press the Loco Key to enter the address.
3. Again press the Loco Key to re–enter the locomotive selection mode. The large numbers in the display's Locomotive Info Area will alternate between black and grey.
   1. The soft keys will change, offering options MU, Recall and More.
4. Press the "A" key labelled MU. The throttle will enter MU Mode and the Top Address will be shown beneath the flashing locomotive address.
   1. It will state "Consist To:", then the chosen Top locomotive's address.
   2. An MU+ soft key will be available.
5. Using the keypad, enter the address of the locomotive to be added to the consist.
6. Press the A soft key labelled MU+ to make a consist with the newly selected address
7. The DT602 will create a consist with the flashing address to the Top locomotive, exit MU mode, and the Top locomotive will remain selected.
8. To add additional locomotives, repeat steps 3 – 6.

Remove a Locomotive from a Consist

1. Select the locomotive to be removed.
   1. Press the Loco Key and enter the address
   2. The displayed address will alternate between black and grey, and the consist flag (cn) should appear in the Loco Info Area indicating the address is part of a consist.
   3. The soft key options displayed will be "MU", "Real" and "More".
2. Press the A key to enter MU mode. If the flashing address is part of a consist the soft keys will change to include an "MU–" option.
3. Press the MU– soft key (B). The flashing address will be removed from the consist and that locomotive will now be selected on the throttle.

UT6

The following are a condensed version, review the UT6 manual for the complete consisting process. The UT6 is similar except for the following: After the first three steps shown in the DT602 instructions,

1. Press the Menu Key to display available options. The following soft keys will be available:
   1. Recall
   2. Status Edit
   3. MU+
   4. MU–
   5. Dispch (Dispatch)
2. Press the 9 key (MU+) to enter the MU Add mode. The display will show the Top Address above the flashing locomotive address. It will display "Consist To", and the chosen Top Address to confirm the consist address which will be added to.
3. Enter the locomotive's address on the keypad
4. Press the Function/Shift key to add the address to the consist.
5. Additional addresses may be added by pressing Function/Shift, or press the LOCO key to ext to the originally selected Top Address

Removing an Address

To remove a locomotive from a consist, select its address.

1. Press the Loco key and enter the address. The large address number will alternate between black and gray, and the cn flag will be displayed, indicating the selected address is part of a consist.
2. Press the Menu key
   1. MU– will only be displayed if the address is part of a consist
3. Press MU– (8) The flashing address will be removed from the consist, the MU mode will exit and the removed address will be selected on the throttle.

Error Messages

If it is not possible to create a consist, the display will have an informational message in the scrolling help text line.

• This is often caused by attempting to add a locomotive which is part of another consist, or which is under the control of another throttle.

Performance Characteristics

Locomotives to be consisted should be similar in performance, such as all operating in the same speed step mode and matched speeds.

Edit FAQ Related Articles: MU Consisting, MU Consisting/Speed Matching, Speed Steps, What is Status Editing?, DT602, UT6 Related Manufacturer: Digitrax Categories: Multifunction Decoder, Throttle

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