Using an Isolated Track to Program Locomotives
Steve BarkleyDescription
Decoders can be used on a model railroad layout to operate a wide variety of components, from switches and lights to signals and controls. But the most important piece of equipment you can control with a decoder is the locomotive. In order to properly operate a locomotive with an onboard decoder, you have to first program it to run correctly on your trackage. Doing so requires a bit of tinkering, some decision making and, of course, a programming track.
In this lesson, modeler and DCC expert Steve Barkley shows you how to make a simple programming track that is electrically isolated, so you can program a single locomotive without reprogramming all others on your layout. You’ll learn how to utilize a programming track to program your locomotive’s decoder and change aspects of the engine’s functionality, such as its address and lighting system. With a programming track, you can easily program the decoders on your locomotives and take total control over your direct command center!
The final basic component that you're going to need is a programming track. I make my own programming track by gluing a piece of track to a piece of wood. The programming track is used to change the address of your locomotive, to change lighting functions, and basically to program the decoder in your locomotive. It is necessary that your programming track be electrically isolated from the remainder of your layout because if it's not, then when you program a locomotive on your programming track, you will also reprogram all the other locomotives on your layout. That's why it should be isolated either absolutely separate or isolated by double insulated rail joiners from the remainder of your layout.
It is said : In this lesson, modeler and DCC expert Steve Barkley shows you how to make a simple programming track that is electrically isolated, so you can program a single locomotive without reprogramming all others on your layout. You’ll learn how to utilize a programming track to program your locomotive’s decoder and change aspects of the engine’s functionality, such as its address and lighting system. With a programming track, you can easily program the decoders on your locomotives and take total control over your direct command center! Where is the video ? This one lasts 60 sec and it tells nothing of the above but how to make a programming track.