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Digitrax
DS-54 Quad Stationary Decoder (Note, new DS64 is quite different and does not
require all of this)
The Digitrax DS-54 is really
quite a simple computer/controller to program once you uncover and fix a few quirks and sort out a
lot of misinformation.
Before you even
open the package or the documentation (which at this writing is hopelessly
confusing to most mortals) start a plan. At least sketch where you are
going to place the units, where the power is going to come from and how you
are going to number your turnouts and decoders.
A general
note: In the documentation, in the labeling of the DS-54 and in most posts
about the DS-54 they refer to the "switch" input and
"switch" outputs. Even on the Digitrax throttle you refer to the
turnout as a "switch". This is not standard nomenclature
for model railroading since the term "switch" usually refers to an
electrical switch and the railroad routing track device is referred to as a
"turnout". I will use the term "switch" as this is
how Digitrax labels it in the documentation and will show "turnout" as a bracketed
reference. e.g. switch [turnout].
In my system, the
programming was rather a pain because:
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I am modeling
a prototype (what a concept!) and the railroad had milepost numbers for
areas, like stations, towers, diamonds and yards. I found these
numbers from timetables of the era that I was modeling. Most are
easily found on the Internet or from timetables at
train shows. I bought several along with "rules" for my roads.
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Because of the
large number of blocks and turnouts, I made up some consecutive milepost numbers between the
prototype markers. I used single digits, not
fractions unless it was a yard or the railroad's designation. For
example, Norfolk Southern (old), at the Edgeton Diamond is NS231.5.
The Glenwood yard is NS231.2 and the Boylan Diamond is NS233.1. Tracks
south of Boylan would then be NS238, NS251 etc. North of Edgeton would
be NS230, NS229, etc. Each of these numbers then corresponds to a
block. The turnouts are numbered based on the entering block. At
the throat of the turnout, which is located at the end of NS229 two blocks
north of Edgeton, it is numbered just 229. Look at my computer control
(WinLok) page to get a full understanding of the numbering.
Planning,
planning, planning.
Now comes the hard
part. A DS-54, in spite of all its wonderful features, does not have the
capability to give an individual address to each output port. If you want
an different individual switch [turnout] address for each output, just buy the
DS-44 and only use slow motion machines and no feedback. This was hardly
an alternative for me since I wanted computerized train control (CTC). So,
I am stuck with the limitations of the DS-54 and a little problem of how to make
it work with an odd numbering scheme. Since the way that a DS-54's outputs
are numbered, the switch [turnout] connected to output port "D"=the
decoder address of the DS-54 times 4. This means, if the address of the
DS-54 is set to 26 then D is 26*4 or 104. C is D-1 or 103. B is D-2
or 102 and A is D-3 or 101. This is simple math but maddening.
Let's say I wanted
229. Well, then I would just divide 229 by 4 or 57.25. This means
that I would set the decoder address to 58 (have to use next highest whole
number) and then subtract. 58*4=232 (the D address) and 231=C, 230=B,
229=A. Ok, but, I don't need a 230, 231 or 232! So, I spent a lot of
time trying to find the best possible "natural" numbers for my layout
since there are quite a few consecutive switch numberings, and then just used
command station routes to alias the prototype.
So 229 is a dummy
route with 102 being the B output of stationary decoder address #26. You
could just as easily address three DS-54's as 2,3 and 4 with consecutive output
switch [turnout] addresses 5 through 16. And since they all come
from the factory as address #1, don't use that. Simple enough? Oh,
you are limited to the number of routes that you can have. That's why I
spent so much time trying to figure out which numbers to use! Also, see
the "considerations" below before you spend a lot of time driving
yourself crazy over this.
By the way, have
you noticed that the stationary decoder address is never used? and does not
overlap with engine decoder numbers? And that the switch [turnout] numbers
are also separate so you can have a turnout number 26 and an engine number 26
and a stationary decoder 26? But you can't have a BD-162/168 as the same
stationary decoder/board number as your DS-54's...sheesh! Since the first
turnout is 54 then the lowest DS-54 board number would be 14 (remember, 54/4?). I decided to not
use any number below 19 for DS-54's and reserved all of my PM-42's and BD-162/168
addresses for the range of 2 to 18.
Ok...ready,
set...not yet!
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No matter what
it says in the documentation or what any other web site implies or what you
would like to believe, you cannot program this device without wiring it (at
least temporarily) to the programming track or programming terminals.
This seems simple enough but, if you have a Chief and you have mounted the
device, like most of us do, then you have to find a way to temporarily set
up a pair of wires from the command station (Chief) to the DS-54. Some
claim that they program it before they mount it. I guess I'm just not
perfect enough to do this and get it right 100% of the time.
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HEED THE
WARNING! DO NOT LEAVE THE PROGRAMMING JUMPER IN PLACE WHILE YOU HAVE
TRACK VOLTAGE CONNECTED! Interestingly enough, a questionable feature
is that if you leave the programming jumper in place and just switch any
switch (like 102) it will reprogram the address of the decoder and all four
outputs. It is therefore recommended, and probably a good idea to
check this at least three times before you apply power. Also, if you
don't have the jumper in place with program power, it will not
program. Yeah, like THIS is never going to happen.
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You will not
get feedback if you don't have a path from one of the outputs to one of the
power terminals. You can buy a tester/feedback device from us or make
one yourself. It looks like this:
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You have to
program the address over LocoNet. You can't just plug into the LocoNet
connector on the DS-54 with your throttle. This goes for all of the
other configuration variables also.
-
You should
plan on using external power also but this MUST NOT BE CONNECTED during
programming. If you do then the programming probably will not take.
GO!...almost.
So...in review:
In order to
program the DS-54, do the following:
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Remove all
inputs and outputs.
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Connect power
from the programming track or command station (Chief).
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Connect
LocoNet.
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Move
programming jumper to "program".
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Plug in tester
and connect clip (yellow lead) to one of the power terminals.
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Program the
address and CV's.
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Read back the
address and CV's to insure that they took.
(Triple
check to make sure that all of these things are in place.)
NOW!...wait a
minute!
To make the DS-54
work, do the following:
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Track power
only to the power terminals. You MUST have track power since the
commands come in from here. I don't rely on local track power. I
run a separate feed from my command station (Chief).
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Move the
programming jumper to "run".
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Remove the
yellow wire from the power and test your program.
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Triple check
your wiring. THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO IS THAT YOU PROGRAMMED YOUR
DS-54 FOR A SLOW MOTION OUTPUT AND CONNECTED IT TO A SOLENOID TURNOUT!
It is designed with so little power that it won't destroy your solenoid (at
least not right away).
Notice that the
opposite program mistake means that your slow motion machine just gets a burst
and doesn't move.
OK! Hit it!
Once you are
satisfied that the DS-54 is programmed the way you intended then:
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Remove the
tester and connect your outputs.
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Test again.
(If your turnouts don't move, don't panic. Connect the tester to
insure that the outputs are working as you intended.)
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Add external
power.
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Test again.
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Add resistors
where appropriate. This may happen for long runs to a turnout, trying
to move two slow motion machines (I've been successful doing this without
resistors) or just a grumpy machine in which case, you may want to lubricate
or eliminate binding.
Other
considerations:
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The thrill of
being able to change your turnouts by radio control is so great that I
haven't found the enthusiasm to connect my control panels. I'm
thinking seriously of getting rid of them. At this point they serve
very little useful purpose except to excite curiosity in kids who want to
know which switch to move to get their train going. Seriously though,
the panels do serve a purpose if you have children running your layout and
they prefer the UT throttles. The UT, while it has the capability,
cannot address switch numbers above 99. You will definitely want to
consider this in your planning. You can put in local control using the
panel but remember that the UT's are tethered and walk around control, while
possible, is not practical for children or most adults.
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Most layouts
use control panel switches to control turnouts by either two pushbuttons for
a solenoid or a double throw switch for slow motion machines. The
DS-54 doesn't have enough inputs to give you the two button capability AND
feedback. You could use one button to toggle (this is the default
program for the Alternate inputs). You could use your double throw
switch but you must program for it. You could even use the double
throw switch for your solenoids but again, must program for it.
-
The best
possible connection for all conditions is to use the "Alternate"
input for your panel toggle and use the "Switch" input for
feedback. While there are lots of other capabilities, most of
these functions are best served by other, less expensive electronics.
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To make more
than one solenoid turnout work you need a mini-booster. You can buy one of
these from us (DM-1) or make it yourself from our kits. Another way to handle
this is to buy more DS-54's and gang the outputs to a single input through a
route. This is easily done with the command station but can also be
done in the DS-54.
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You will want
to link the DS-54 to your CTC and this is simple using the WinLok
software. The connection to LocoNet is all that is needed.
Interestingly, Digitrax does not recommend that you connect LocoNet to your
DS-54 unless you want feedback for CTC. Notice that you MUST connect
to LocoNet to program it.
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