The Power Cab can hold 16 consists.
The valid consist numbers ( Consist ID Number) on a Power Cab are 112-127. Do not change this number! The system will assign it for you automatically. Write it down. You might need it later.
Running 2 or 3 Locomotives together is called a Consist. When you want to run more than one locomotive at the same time, in the same train, they can be put together in a consist. Watch This!
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The following sections are in the Power Cab manual starting on Page 27
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OLD AND ADVANCED CONSISTS EXPLAINED
Before setting up any consist an explanation is needed to understand the operating differences
between Advanced and Old Style consists (also called brute force or Universal). Basic decoders
that have a short address but no CONSIST address (Early Lenz, MRC 30x/31x series and
Digitrax 120 series Decoders) can not be used with advanced consisting.
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ADVANCED CONSISTS
Decoders that support advanced consisting have an additional short address, the CONSIST address, in
addition to their normal Long and Short addresses. The consist address is stored in CV19 and can
have a value of 112-127.
A decoder considers itself in a consist if the Consist Address (CV19) is something other than 0 or
128. A decoder is added to a consist when the command station sends a command to set the consist
address in the decoder to the consist number. The decoder will now use this new consist address for
speed and direction commands. This has many advantages including the need for fewer communications
on the track and no need for the operator or command station to keep track of which locomotives are
in what consist on the layout.
Each locomotive in an advanced consist will still respond to function or programming commands using
the original locomotive address. This means the operator can turn lights or other functions on or
off for each locomotive individually.
To kill an entire consist, a command is broadcast on the tracks for each decoder with that consist
number to clear its consist address and return to individual operation. Locomotives can also be
individually dropped from a consist. You can also add locomotives to a consist after the initial
set up of that consist.
Advanced style consists can easily be taken from layout to layout and they will continue to operate
as a single unit.
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OLD STYLE CONSISTS (also called brute force or Universal)
With an Old Style consist, the command station keeps track of each locomotive in the consist within
the memory of the command station. Each speed change of the cab generates a separate speed command
to each of the decoders in the consist. These extra speed commands on the track have significant
ramifications if you have a lot of consists operating at one time as in a club situation. The
effect is to slow down locomotive response to the throttle speed controls.
Use this method of building a consist with MRC and Digitrax 120 series decoders. Decoders in an old
style consist have no knowledge of being in a consist and will not operate as a unit when moved to
another layout. You can add one or more advanced consists to any old style consist.
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SETTING UP AN ADVANCED CONSIST
To set up a consist press SETUP. This screen allows you to choose the type of consist to be
created. For those consists that will contain advanced decoders, press ENTER to select the advanced
mode.
CONSIST 2:00PM ENTER=ADV 1=OLD
An advanced consist has no limit to the number of loco’s assigned.
NOTE: you can not setup, add, or delete a loco from a consist while the locomotive is moving. It
must be at speed 0. Decoders will not accept consist commands while they are in motion. This
prevents reception of false consist make/break commands
due to electrical noise generated by the wheels rolling on the track.
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CONSIST ADDRESS:
The consist address can be any number from 112 through 127. The system will suggest the first
available consist address (the priority is highest to lowest). Press ENTER to accept this
address.
SETUP 2:00PM CON ADDR: 127
You may enter any other number you wish (from 112 to 127) then press the ENTER key. If you have
locomotives on the layout using short addresses make sure you don’t pick an address already in use.
This is one reason to use long addresses with your loco fleet. It will keep the short addresses
free for consists.
ENTERING THE LEAD LOCO NUMBER
Entering the lead loco number is optional but recommended. The command station keeps track of
consists by their lead loco number. The locomotive is the loco that the command station will send
function commands to. For example: headlight on/off commands. If the command station did not know
the lead loco it would not know which locomotive should have the headlight turned on or off.
The lead loco number also acts as an alias for the consist number entered above. Say you have a
bunch of consists stored on staging tracks and you wish to operate one of them. After the consist
is set up, you can select the consist by pressing SEL LOCO then entering either the lead loco
number or the consist number. The lead loco number is typically easiest to remember because it is
the number printed right on the locomotive. The consist address may not relate to any visible or
easily remembered number.
SETUP 2:00PM LEAD LOCO: _
Enter the lead loco number followed by pressing the ENTER key.
ENTERING THE LEAD LOCO DIRECTION
If the locomotive is to operate in the forward direction press ENTER. Press the DIRECTION key if
you wish to have the locomotive operate in the reverse direction. Subsequent presses of the
DIRECTION key will keep changing the direction. When you get the direction you desire press the
ENTER key.
CONSIST 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
This informs the decoder whether the loco is in the line-up facing forward or reverse. For
instance, in an A-B-A consist the lead A unit and the B unit will be setup in the Forward
direction, and the second A unit will be setup in the Reverse direction.
ENTERING THE REAR LOCO NUMBER
Entering the rear loco number is optional. The command station keeps track of consists by their
lead or rear loco number. If you select the consist by the rear loco number the direction of the
consist will be reversed from the direction of operation if you selected it by the lead loco. You
don’t have to enter a rear loco number if you don’t need/want to operate the consist in reverse.
The rear loco number also act as an alias for the consist number just as the lead loco number.
SETUP 2:00PM REAR LOCO: _
Enter the rear loco number followed by the ENTER key.
NOTE: If you plan on dropping the rear loco from the consist later on, DO NOT enter it as the rear
loco. Enter it later on when prompted for mid-consist locos.
ENTERING THE REAR LOCO DIRECTION
If the locomotive is to operate in the normal direction press ENTER. Press the DIRECTION key if you
wish to have the locomotive operate in the reverse direction. Subsequent presses of the DIRECTION
key will keep changing the direction. When you get the direction you desire press the ENTER key.
CONSIST 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
ADDING A MID-CONSIST LOCO
At this point you can start to add more locomotives to the consist. Enter the next locomotive
(decoder address) followed by pressing the ENTER key. If you don’t want to add any more locomotives
to the consist just press ENTER.
CONSIST 2:00PM ADD LOCO: _
ENTERING THE LOCO’S DIRECTION
CONSIST 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
As with the lead locomotive, this informs the decoder if the loco is in the line-up facing forward
or reverse.
If the locomotive is to operate in the normal direction press ENTER. Press the DIRECTION key if you
wish to have the locomotive operate in the reverse direction. Subsequent presses of the DIRECTION
key will keep changing the direction. When you get the direction you desire press the ENTER key.
At this point you will be prompted to add additional locomotives. If you don’t want to add any more
locomotives to the consist just press ENTER or PROG/ESC with out entering an address.
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DROPPING A LOCOMOTIVE FROM AN ADVANCED CONSIST
To delete a consist locomotive press DEL
DEL LOCO 2:00PM ENTER LOCO: _
This will drop the loco identified from whatever consist it was part of. There is no need to know
the consist number for this operation. You cannot drop a lead or rear loco without clearing the
entire consist. Deleting a loco sets CV19 to a value of 0 in that loco.
ADDING A LOCO TO AN ADVANCED CONSIST
Select the consist.
ADD LOCO 2:00PM CONSIST ADDR: _
Press ADD . Enter the address of the consist, or lead loco, to which the loco is to be added and
then press the ENTER key.
ADD LOCO 2:00PM ADD LOCO: _
Enter the loco number to be added and press the ENTER key. Enter the loco’s direction
CONSIST 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
If the loco is to operate in the normal direction press ENTER, otherwise press the DIRECTION key
followed by pressing the ENTER key. This informs the decoder whether the locomotive is in the
line-up facing reverse.
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CLEARING AN ADVANCED CONSIST
Press CLEAR. Select the consist to be cleared.
LOC:4449 2:00PM KILL CONSIST: _
Enter the lead or rear loco number and press ENTER. This sends a command to all decoders with this
consist address to clear the consist address from the decoder. You can also enter the consist
address if you know it. All locomotives that were assigned to this consist will no longer respond
to the consist address.
CHANGING THE LEAD/REAR LOCO
Under some circumstances it is desirable to change which locomotive is to act as the lead loco of a
consist. One of these circumstances is when you want to drop the lead/rear loco from the consist.
The command station will not allow you to drop the lead/rear loco so you will want to assign a new
locomotive as lead/rear. Then you will be able to drop the old lead loco.
SETUP 2:00PM CON ADDR: _
The first step is to press SETUP. Then enter either the consist number of the current lead loco
number (address). Then press ENTER.
SETUP 2:00PM LEAD LOCO: _
Enter the new lead loco number and press ENTER. If the new lead loco is to operate in the forward
direction press ENTER. Press the DIRECTION key if you wish to have the locomotive operate in the
reverse direction. When you get the direction you desire press the ENTER key.
CONSIST 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
You are now finished changing the lead locomotive of the consist. Use a similar procedure to change
the rear loco.
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OLD STYLE CONSISTS
SETUP AN OLD STYLE CONSIST
CONSIST 2:00PM ENTER=ADV 1=OLD
Press SETUP. This screen allows you to choose the type of consist to be created. For those consists
that will contain any basic decoders, press 1. Please note that the limit on an old style consist
is two locomotives or advanced consists. NOTE: Once you setup an old style consist you will not be
able to select a new locomotive to run unless you store the consist away by pressing recall (or
clear the consist). Each cab may have up to 2 old style consists in recall.
INITIAL SCREEN DISPLAY
OLD TYPE 2:00PM CON: 000 000
This screen is “informational” to show all 4 “slots” for loco’s in the Old Style consist. Press the
ENTER key to continue.
ENTERING THE LEAD LOCO NUMBER
OLD TYPE 2:00PM LEAD LOCO: _
Enter the loco number followed by the ENTER key. The first loco to be added will be the lead loco
(the lead loco number will be displayed on the screen during normal operation). The consist will
respond to this number.
ENTERING THE LOCO DIRECTION
OLD TYPE 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
The locomotive direction is assumed to be forward, if it is to operate in reverse press the
DIRECTION key. This informs the command station the loco is in the line-up facing reverse. This
affects only the direction of the loco, not lighting. Press the ENTER key to continue.
ADD REAR LOCO
OLD TYPE 2:00PM REAR LOCO: _
Enter the second loco address followed by the ENTER key.
ENTERING THE LOCO DIRECTION
OLD TYPE 2:00PM DIR THIS LOCO: F
The locomotive direction is assumed to be forward, if it is to operate in reverse press the
DIRECTION key. This informs the command station whether the loco is in the line-up facing reverse.
This affects only the direction of the loco, not lighting. Press the ENTER key to continue.
This operation leaves the consist as the active unit for this Cab. By pressing RECALL the operator
can change to another loco/consist but the old style consist will stay with this Cab until it is
either passed to another Cab (by assigning it) or the consist is cleared.
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OLD STYLE CONSIST FULL
OLD TYPE 2:00PM CONSIST NOW FULL
The consist contains two loco’s which is the maximum amount that we support in this style of
consist. Press the ENTER key to continue.
CLEARING AN OLD STYLE CONSIST
KILL? 02:00PM ENTER=NO 1=YES:
Press 1 to clear the consist from the Command Station memory. All locomotives that were in the
consist may now be selected and operated independently.
VIEWING WHICH LOCOS ARE IN AND OLD STYLE CONSIST
Press SETUP - The locos and their direction will be displayed. Press ENTER to
return to normal operation.
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