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Offline dickinsonj  
#1 Posted : 27 February 2020 21:32:48(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
I have had my 37604/43114 VT 11.5 train since 2016 and the lighting has always been correct before putting it on my track today. But now the forward running engine unit displays red taillights while the reverse running engine displays white headlights. I am at a loss as to how this happened since it was fine when it was packed away several months ago. More importantly I'm not sure how to correct this problem, which is killing my enjoyment of one of my favorite trains.

I seem to remember that there is a bit you can flip to make the lighting match the direction of travel, although I have no idea why I should need to do that after three years of normal use.

Any help that anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated!
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#2 Posted : 27 February 2020 21:47:13(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
One more data point on this problem.

The rear slider is the one picking up power now rather than the front slider. I suppose that there is a clue there too but I have no idea what it means.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline Bart  
#3 Posted : 27 February 2020 22:37:44(UTC)
Bart

Netherlands   
Joined: 13/05/2002(UTC)
Posts: 670
I'm not familiar with the 37604's inside but it sounds like a bistable relay that switches between front and rear pickup shoes, and apparently, the front/headlights are wired through the relay, rather than directly from the decoder. I assume that the relay should be switched by a single pulse from the decoder each time when reversing. Apparently, it just has missed a single pulse (e.g. due to poor contact in a coupler or rail contact), and, as it is bistable, it now is permanently out of phase with the decoder direction.
Just my guess. Now you have a diagnosis, but no therapy yet
*Bart
Offline Bart  
#4 Posted : 27 February 2020 22:44:02(UTC)
Bart

Netherlands   
Joined: 13/05/2002(UTC)
Posts: 670
Originally Posted by: Bart Go to Quoted Post

Just my guess. Now you have a diagnosis, but no therapy yet


It may be helpful to locate the bistable relay board (if present, and if my theory is correct). If it is located in another coach than the decoder, try to uncouple the section with the relay, and let the decoder change direction once. Before uncoupling, make sure that the train section with the decoder is the one with the active pickup shoe.

*Bart
Offline dickinsonj  
#5 Posted : 27 February 2020 22:47:16(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: Bart Go to Quoted Post
Now you have a diagnosis, but no therapy yet


Yes , I agree Bart. I knew that there was a relay to change the pickup and it makes sense that the headlights might be wired through the relay. I thought that it was a good sign the the lights and the slider still match. The cars were all securely coupled and I had just cleaned all of the wheels when power was first applied, so I don't know how a pulse was missed - but your diagnosis does fit my symptoms.

Hopefully someone will know how to get this back into phase and provide a cure!
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#6 Posted : 27 February 2020 22:49:42(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: Bart Go to Quoted Post
It may be helpful to locate the bistable relay board (if present, and if my theory is correct). If it is located in another coach than the decoder, try to uncouple the section with the relay, and let the decoder change direction once. Before uncoupling, make sure that the train section with the decoder is the one with the active pickup shoe.


I will have to open the power cars up and see if I can locate the relay and figure out a way to get it back into phase. The relay makes a click each time it cycles direction, and if I power it up with the loco bodies removed I should find it. Maybe I can temporarily disconnect the relay, change motor direction and then reconnect the relay?

My trains have been finding more ways to break than I can find ways to fix them here lately, which is getting pretty old about now. ThumbDown

Thanks for the ideas.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline applor  
#7 Posted : 27 February 2020 23:22:26(UTC)
applor

Australia   
Joined: 21/05/2004(UTC)
Posts: 1,653
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
One more data point on this problem.

The rear slider is the one picking up power now rather than the front slider. I suppose that there is a clue there too but I have no idea what it means.


I think it simply means that forward and reverse directions have been swapped.

As you noted in your first post there is a bit to change direction in the decoder. The bit is easy to find on the CS2 - are you using a CS2?

Go to edit locomotive and edit CV's and then I think its the 'Others' tab you will see one labelled direction or Richtung.

See here:

https://www.marklin-user...n-MFX-swap-direction-bit

Alternatively you could just factory reset the decoder.
modelling era IIIa (1951-1955) Germany
Offline Bart  
#8 Posted : 27 February 2020 23:45:46(UTC)
Bart

Netherlands   
Joined: 13/05/2002(UTC)
Posts: 670
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: Bart Go to Quoted Post
It may be helpful to locate the bistable relay board (if present, and if my theory is correct). If it is located in another coach than the decoder, try to uncouple the section with the relay, and let the decoder change direction once. Before uncoupling, make sure that the train section with the decoder is the one with the active pickup shoe.


I will have to open the power cars up and see if I can locate the relay and figure out a way to get it back into phase. The relay makes a click each time it cycles direction, and if I power it up with the loco bodies removed I should find it. Maybe I can temporarily disconnect the relay, change motor direction and then reconnect the relay?


Yes, that is the hard way. You may want to try to locate the coach with the relay first by just listening. If it is the opposite coach than the one with the decoder, just try if the decoder still works and can be reversed when the coach with the relay is detached.

If you have a CS and access to the direction bit, that would be my first try.

*Bart
Offline dickinsonj  
#9 Posted : 28 February 2020 00:51:15(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: Bart Go to Quoted Post
You may want to try to locate the coach with the relay first by just listening. If it is the opposite coach than the one with the decoder, just try if the decoder still works and can be reversed when the coach with the relay is detached.

If you have a CS and access to the direction bit, that would be my first try.


Assuming that the relay is in the power coach without the decoder, just temporarily detaching that coach and swapping directions might be the easiest approach. Flipping the direction bit should work also but getting the relay back into phase seems like a better solution to me.

Originally Posted by: applor Go to Quoted Post


https://www.marklin-user...n-MFX-swap-direction-bit

Alternatively you could just factory reset the decoder.


The factory reset would work if the direction bit has flipped but if not it would leave it like it is -- out of phase with the decoder state.

I do have a CS2 and I can change that bit or do a reset. I have several trains with that relay and selective slider feature so whatever works will probably be useful again sometime in the future.

I think that we have a diagnosis and now some treatment plans, so hopefully this patient will be better soon.

Thanks for the help guys - I will report what I learn. Once again the forum comes to my rescue. ThumpUp
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Online amartinezv  
#10 Posted : 28 February 2020 10:54:41(UTC)
amartinezv

Spain   
Joined: 25/08/2004(UTC)
Posts: 320
Location: Madrid,

Hello,

I seem to remember that something very similar happened to me with my 37605, and simply uncoupling the two tractor heads and pressing the change of direction once solved the problem.

Greetings
Antonio Martínez
marklin, IB, era 3, Train controller
www.raildigital.es/davidruso
thanks 5 users liked this useful post by amartinezv
Offline thing fish  
#11 Posted : 28 February 2020 11:58:03(UTC)
thing fish

Turkey   
Joined: 25/01/2020(UTC)
Posts: 207
Location: istanbul
Originally Posted by: amartinezv Go to Quoted Post

Hello,

I seem to remember that something very similar happened to me with my 37605, and simply uncoupling the two tractor heads and pressing the change of direction once solved the problem.

Greetings


Very useful tip. Thank you!

C.
Offline blid  
#12 Posted : 28 February 2020 12:34:00(UTC)
blid

Sweden   
Joined: 02/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 228
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Just a wild idea. Is it possible to press change direction on the controller faster than the relay performs the change? I don't think the decoder buffers the commands.
OneGauge Marklin and MTH, ESU ECoS 2.1 on LGB tracks. MTH 3-rail 0-gauge, DCS on GarGraves tracks. Z: Rokuhan tracks, analog or DCC+TC Gold.
Offline dickinsonj  
#13 Posted : 28 February 2020 13:09:54(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: amartinezv Go to Quoted Post

I seem to remember that something very similar happened to me with my 37605, and simply uncoupling the two tractor heads and pressing the change of direction once solved the problem.


Thanks Antonio, that is where I will start.

It seems like it should work and that will be my first approach, since the simplest solution is usually the best way in my experience for most problems.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#14 Posted : 28 February 2020 13:12:31(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: blid Go to Quoted Post
Just a wild idea. Is it possible to press change direction on the controller faster than the relay performs the change? I don't think the decoder buffers the commands.


Interesting idea but I don't think it would work. I think that the direction change may be what triggers the relay and what I need is a way to decouple those events, such as Antonio's idea.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline JohnjeanB  
#15 Posted : 28 February 2020 14:57:49(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi Jim
If you have a CS2 or CS3 you can reprogram the headlights into forward and reverse according to the real direction
Cheers
Jean
Offline JohnjeanB  
#16 Posted : 28 February 2020 15:28:26(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
On a second thought this VT 11.5 has no MFX capability so the headlights are hard wired
So in this case if a factory reset is not working then a wiring change seems unavoidable
Either change both motors wires (blue and green) or the headlight wires ( yellow and grey)
Strange that this happens if no wiring change has been made. On the other hand it would not be the first time that hard wired logic is changing by itself (it happened to me on a Turmtriebwagen which changed a factory-programed address)
Cheers
Jean
Offline dickinsonj  
#17 Posted : 28 February 2020 15:50:42(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
OK - I have tried several approaches now but unfortunately none of them have worked.

I am going to pick this topic back up in the thread started by applor, which seems to deal with basically the same problem.

https://www.marklin-user...n-MFX-swap-direction-bit

Here is a quick summary for anyone not wanting to follow this in detail in the other thread:
1. The reverse relay and the decoder are on the same set of boards, so there is no easy way to trigger that relay independently of the decoder
2. I did a decoder reset and that made no difference
3. I toggled Motor CV#29 bit Motor/Licht on and off with no effect
4. I toggled Misc CV#74 Memory B, bit "Richtung" on and off with no effect.

I think that I am down to applor's remedy of moving the motor wires. Unfortunately that just puts my VT 11.5 at the back of the queue of broken Märklin crap that I need to deal with at the moment, so another train goes back into its box. Now I see why we buy a lot of models, because that way there should be at least some of them working properly.

Thanks for the ideas .
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#18 Posted : 28 February 2020 15:53:46(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
On a second thought this VT 11.5 has no MFX capability so the headlights are hard wired
Cheers
Jean


This train does have an MFX decoder, but unfortunately that has led me nowhere, at least so far.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline jvuye  
#19 Posted : 28 February 2020 17:56:50(UTC)
jvuye

Belgium   
Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 2,881
Location: South Western France
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
On a second thought this VT 11.5 has no MFX capability so the headlights are hard wired
Cheers
Jean


This train does have an MFX decoder, but unfortunately that has led me nowhere, at least so far.


OK this looks like a simple missing contact in the multiple connectors between the units!
Just try this: couple only the two head units together and see what happens...
Keep us posted.


Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success!
Offline dickinsonj  
#20 Posted : 28 February 2020 18:24:55(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: jvuye Go to Quoted Post
OK this looks like a simple missing contact in the multiple connectors between the units!
Just try this: couple only the two head units together and see what happens...
Keep us posted.


I coupled just the two end units together as you suggested and the behavior is the same. All of the pins on the unit with the male connector look fine, so I don't see any problems with that connection. What were you expecting to see Jacques? Take a look at applor's thread when you get the chance. He tried all manner of interventions and could never get his to work correctly until he reversed the motor leads.

It seems to me that something triggered that relay other than the decoder. It now toggles perfectly every time, just completely out of synch with the direction of travel. If I could get the relay to toggle without the decoder it might get back into synch but I can't figure out how to accomplish that, or what messed it up to start with.

Thanks for the input though!
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline jvuye  
#21 Posted : 28 February 2020 19:48:07(UTC)
jvuye

Belgium   
Joined: 01/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 2,881
Location: South Western France
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: jvuye Go to Quoted Post
OK this looks like a simple missing contact in the multiple connectors between the units!
Just try this: couple only the two head units together and see what happens...
Keep us posted.


I coupled just the two end units together as you suggested and the behavior is the same. All of the pins on the unit with the male connector look fine, so I don't see any problems with that connection. What were you expecting to see Jacques? Take a look at applor's thread when you get the chance. He tried all manner of interventions and could never get his to work correctly until he reversed the motor leads.

It seems to me that something triggered that relay other than the decoder. It now toggles perfectly every time, just completely out of synch with the direction of travel. If I could get the relay to toggle without the decoder it might get back into synch but I can't figure out how to accomplish that, or what messed it up to start with.

Thanks for the input though!


I guess this is just something a bit odd with the decoder's memory being toggled.
But if swapping the wires on teh motors does the trcik, why not?
Never seen this, so this will be yet another one to add to the tricks' bag! BigGrin BigGrin

Jacques Vuye aka Dr.Eisenbahn
Once a vandal, learned to be better and had great success!
Offline dickinsonj  
#22 Posted : 28 February 2020 20:04:11(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: jvuye Go to Quoted Post
[I guess this is just something a bit odd with the decoder's memory being toggled.
But if swapping the wires on the motors does the trick, why not?


I agree for thew most part - either the slider relay toggled for some reason other than the decoder reverse signal or the decoder's memory has changed. My issue is that moving the wires is a kludge which does not really fix the underlying problem. We do that in software all the time, but always as a last resort. ThumpUp

I have no idea how things got out of phase this time and I don't see it as being practical to resolder the motor leads every time this happens. Once I am down to only that option I guess it will look a lot more appealing. BigGrin

I have treated this train like a first born son and it is less than three years old, so I am more than disappointed that it has failed so soon. The drivetrain in my 37015 (another prized loco) is making ominous sounds and I suspect that its motor is failing. Maybe Märklin quality really has slipped to the point where having a whole collection of their trains and no local service is not a good idea anymore. I am handy with electronics and mechanicals but without official documentation it is hard to solve anything but the simplest of issues.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline DTaylor91  
#23 Posted : 28 February 2020 22:14:24(UTC)
DTaylor91


Joined: 31/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 414
Location: Kennesaw, GA
Try this before giving up:

This trick would require access to the bottom of the relay circuit board: With everything off the layout, find out what the coil voltage is on the relay, and briefly apply that voltage with a battery, with the negative terminal of the battery to the ground side of the coil. Just a quick pulse to make it click once. Place back on layout to test.

A properly designed relay could circuit should have a diode to protect against reverse current. The relay coil itself produces a high voltage reverse pulse when the magnetic field collapses.
Offline dickinsonj  
#24 Posted : 28 February 2020 22:40:16(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: DTaylor91 Go to Quoted Post
This trick would require access to the bottom of the relay circuit board: With everything off the layout, find out what the coil voltage is on the relay, and briefly apply that voltage with a battery, with the negative terminal of the battery to the ground side of the coil. Just a quick pulse to make it click once. Place back on layout to test.


I think that I am near to the giving up point Don, but I'm not quite there yet. BigGrin

I have thought about trying to activate the relay with a battery, but I'm not sure about the specifics. The decoder board is mounted on a motherboard in this loco and that motherboard holds the slider relay. If I remove the decoder I should be able to safely pulse the relay and make it flip. If I could do that it would be an instant and complete fix. ThumpUp

Tomorrow I will take a look and see if I can determine where to apply that voltage.

BTW I contacted the US Märklin digital team - available to anyone @ marklindudes@gmail.com - to see if they could help. I have contacted them before but the answers were weak and very low on specifics. The one suggestion that I received from Curtis was to remove the VT 11.5 from my CS2 roster and let it register again. His theory was that there might be two command bits devoted to direction - one for the motor and one for the lights. They might somehow have lost synch and re-registering it could get them back into agreement. That seems like a total guess to me and it makes little sense that they would send what are basically redundant commands in their limited data stream. I can't imagine why you would ever want the two values to not agree, which might require two command bits.

I don't think he really knows what is in the command stream from what I could tell, although I imagine that some of the digital wizards here do. So although I doubt that this is the problem I might try it out of desperation if I can't find a way to toggle the state of that relay. This is really making me question my decision to buy the ICE4 - it is much more complex and will probably be even less reliable over time.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline blid  
#25 Posted : 28 February 2020 22:51:43(UTC)
blid

Sweden   
Joined: 02/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 228
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
If you can't toggle the relay, perhaps you can toggle the direction in the decoder. Maybe you can mount the decoder in another engine and then change the direction.
OneGauge Marklin and MTH, ESU ECoS 2.1 on LGB tracks. MTH 3-rail 0-gauge, DCS on GarGraves tracks. Z: Rokuhan tracks, analog or DCC+TC Gold.
Offline dickinsonj  
#26 Posted : 29 February 2020 01:03:13(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: blid Go to Quoted Post
If you can't toggle the relay, perhaps you can toggle the direction in the decoder. Maybe you can mount the decoder in another engine and then change the direction.


Your post made me finally realize that all I needed to do was separate the relay and decoder to toggle one of them on its own. I'm not sure why I didn't think about plugging it into another 21 pin decoder slot and changing it that way. Great idea! ThumpUp Then if the lights are controlled by the slider relay it would be fixed.

If the lights are controlled by the decoder as normal, something else is messed up and I already did a decoder reset on it and tried toggling the bits people suggested. I need to dig up my user manual for my last mSD/3 kit, which had a nice table of CV functions and options, and all in English. That might help me to figure out what is not working right in that case.

I know - chill out - it will all be fine. BigGrin

I will report back and thanks for the ideas and input! ThumpUp
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline kiwiAlan  
#27 Posted : 29 February 2020 09:32:27(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: jvuye Go to Quoted Post
[I guess this is just something a bit odd with the decoder's memory being toggled.
But if swapping the wires on the motors does the trick, why not?


I agree for thew most part - either the slider relay toggled for some reason other than the decoder reverse signal or the decoder's memory has changed. My issue is that moving the wires is a kludge which does not really fix the underlying problem. We do that in software all the time, but always as a last resort. ThumpUp

I have no idea how things got out of phase this time and I don't see it as being practical to resolder the motor leads every time this happens. Once I am down to only that option I guess it will look a lot more appealing. BigGrin


I suspect that the relay has got out of step because of a mechanical impact while it has been turned off which has set it up the opposite way to what it should be.

Offline blid  
#28 Posted : 29 February 2020 14:25:48(UTC)
blid

Sweden   
Joined: 02/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 228
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
I am not into electronics but I can see another possibility – if I am right that the change of direction for the motor only takes micro seconds. The change of the light and slider takes milliseconds. This leaves a window when the directions are not synchronized. If there is loss of power before the point where the relay will finish the change, the problem at hand will occur.
Since I have the TrainController program I would write a function with change of direction immediately followed by power off. Hopefully resulting in a change of motor direction but no “click” from the relay. With power on again, still no click from the relay, but the engine would move in the same direction as indicated by the light and slider. Has to be verified!
OneGauge Marklin and MTH, ESU ECoS 2.1 on LGB tracks. MTH 3-rail 0-gauge, DCS on GarGraves tracks. Z: Rokuhan tracks, analog or DCC+TC Gold.
Offline dickinsonj  
#29 Posted : 29 February 2020 14:46:31(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Go to Quoted Post
I suspect that the relay has got out of step because of a mechanical impact while it has been turned off which has set it up the opposite way to what it should be.

Interesting idea Alan, although I'm not sure how that could have happened. This is (was?) a favorite of mine and last April it went carefully back into the original packaging and that went into a storage box kept in a climate controlled room. But the storage boxes do sometimes get shuffled around a bit as I locate specific models, so I guess anything is possible. BigGrin

If you are right, I wish I knew exactly what kind of whack it would take to flip it back to the proper state. ThumpUp
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#30 Posted : 29 February 2020 14:58:14(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: blid Go to Quoted Post
I am not into electronics but I can see another possibility – if I am right that the change of direction for the motor only takes micro seconds. The change of the light and slider takes milliseconds. This leaves a window when the directions are not synchronized.


That is probably true but I think that getting the timing just right to fix it by that method would be very difficult. I don't use any train control software beyond what I can do with a CS2. I get paid to write software that controls machines and I don't bring computers into my model train world any more than needed. Block operations and shuffling things into and out of a staging yard are as much automation as I desire although I do understand the attraction.

Automating the direction swap and power down might work using TrainController software but I don't believe that is a real time application, so it would be very difficult to ensure proper timing between the operations. If you are running that program on a Windows box then the OS will determine when each op actually occurs and in my experience the timing can vary widely from run to run, depending upon what else the OS is up to.

I plan to put the decoder into a different loco this morning, swap directions and then return it to the VT 11.5 and see what happens.

I will report what I learn.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline blid  
#31 Posted : 29 February 2020 15:44:57(UTC)
blid

Sweden   
Joined: 02/01/2012(UTC)
Posts: 228
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Hi Jim,
I fully understand if you have enough of computers and software in your daily work. I started with programming and such in 1964 and sort of missed it when I retired over 12 years ago. I believe TC is real time – as much as Windows 10 allows it to be. I wrote the post as documentation of something that might work.
Regards,
blid
OneGauge Marklin and MTH, ESU ECoS 2.1 on LGB tracks. MTH 3-rail 0-gauge, DCS on GarGraves tracks. Z: Rokuhan tracks, analog or DCC+TC Gold.
Offline dickinsonj  
#32 Posted : 29 February 2020 16:51:44(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: blid Go to Quoted Post
I wrote the post as documentation of something that might work.
Regards,
blid

I understand and I appreciate your input blid - when debugging any idea is worth considering. ThumpUp

Windows 10 OS in not a RTOS so getting precise timing on a sequence of commands would be impossible, depending upon what else the OS is doing at the time. I have used Window RT for real time stuff, but ordinary Windows can impose significant delays in execution, which would mean a lot of differences from run to run. We have tested that variability by instrumenting code and found it to be pretty bad for any desktop OS, and Windows seems to be about the worst.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#33 Posted : 29 February 2020 17:11:44(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Here is another update and as far as I can tell I am out of options at this point.

I removed the decoder from the VT 11.5, installed it in another loco with a 21 pin mounting plate, put that loco on my programming track, swapped the direction of travel, turned off track power and then put the decoder back into the VT 11.5.

Unfortunately it didn't make any difference at all. ThumbDown

The lights and the slider still agree, with the power car with white lights having the active slider. But they are still out of phase with the actual direction of travel and I am out of ideas at this point.

So soon one more of my Märklin trains will go back into its box where at least I don't have to see it and be irritated by it. I am almost ready to cancel my preorder for the ICE4, which not only has this same slider relay system but is even more complex. If the VT 11.5 only lived three years, with maybe 6 months of active use, I can't imagine that the ICE4 will be any more reliable.

I resisted the advice here on the forum that Märklin's quality control was lacking today and that lead me to buy a number of trains in the last few years which now look like little time bombs waiting to explode. Just last week I packed up my 26496 while I wait to rebuild its motors, due to poor running and my 26495 has the same issues. My TGV had one truck fall apart and it is packed away too waiting on parts. Now the motor in my 37015 sounds like it is beginning to fail, and all of these problems have taken the fun out this hobby for me.

I wish that I had paid more attention to the voices here that told me not to trust Märklin quality today. I have no local dealers and shipping from NA to Europe for service is cost prohibitive, so my options are limited.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Online amartinezv  
#34 Posted : 29 February 2020 20:46:57(UTC)
amartinezv

Spain   
Joined: 25/08/2004(UTC)
Posts: 320
Location: Madrid,

Hi Jim,

I'm really sorry for your frustration and I totally understand. As I said with 37605 something similar happened to me, and with the Ram TEE (39700) too, at some point when I make the change of direction, (and therefore the change of skate) some of the skates don't make good contact, and the synchronism is lost, sometimes it also happens to me when I start a game session and the Train Controller starts, the lights indicate a direction but the train starts in the opposite. Pressing a couple of times the change of direction solves (in my case) the problem.

I can think of two things, maybe you have already done them, With the two tractor heads attached, lift one of them so that your skate does not make contact and press the change of direction, and see what happens, and if necessary, the same with the other.

Also, you could try with a powerful magnet to see if approaching it to the relay makes the click to change position.
I'm sorry I can't help you more.

Greetings
Antonio Martínez
marklin, IB, era 3, Train controller
www.raildigital.es/davidruso
Offline dickinsonj  
#35 Posted : 29 February 2020 22:01:05(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Hi Antonio,

Thanks for the kind words of support and encouragement. Having a significant problem with my VT 11.5 is tough for me because it is one of my favorites. I only started buying Märklin trains again in 2016 and this train started me on my path to collecting Märklin after a 12 year break. Right now my trains are packed away for 6-7 months of the year and then run as often as I can during the remaining months. This year I have had to put numerous trains back into storage almost immediately because of various problems.

Until now I just said, OK - no big deal - I will fix that eventually and then brought out another train to replace it. But this failure has made me reevaluate just how practical it is to have a layout of trains that I can't keep operational and at the least I am done buying new ones for now. Maybe that will change someday and maybe not, but time will tell.

I did think about direction cycling that decoder quickly to see if I can get one more decoder direction change than relay flip and get it back into synch. It sounds like that has worked for you in the past. I was sure that direction cycling the decoder when it was out of the loco would work, but it did not have any effect at all.

I have a TGV, a VT 8.5 and the VT 11.5 with this same relay system and that makes me unsure if I want to go ahead and get an ICE4. I have already contacted my dealer to see what their policy is on cancelling a preorder. I thought that the ability to use the front running slider was really cool - and it was right up until it no longer worked!

I appreciate the assistance that you have offered and maybe changing direction quickly a couple of times will work. That is the only thing left to try that I can think of.

Best Regards

Edited by user 06 March 2020 01:18:20(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#36 Posted : 12 February 2021 18:09:23(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Reviving an old thread because I now understand what is going on with my VT 11.5

The reverse direction bit is set in the decoder, although I did not do that. So it is doing exactly what it is configured to do, running in the opposite direction from what the CS indicates. But the decoder will not communicate, so I can't change it back and I will have to replace that OEM decoder. ThumbDown

I have downloaded a decoder tool project for a 37603 from Märklin's server. I remember someone describing setting up two of the AUX outputs to control that relay, but I don't remember the specifics. My next task is to sort that out.

The project has the sounds and the functions all appear to be mapped correctly, so I might be almost there. ThumpUp
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#37 Posted : 12 February 2021 21:07:09(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Reviving an old thread because I now understand what is going on with my VT 11.5

The reverse direction bit is set in the decoder, although I did not do that. So it is doing exactly what it is configured to do, running in the opposite direction from what the CS indicates. But the decoder will not communicate, so I can't change it back and I will have to replace that OEM decoder. ThumbDown

I have downloaded a decoder tool project for a 37603 from Märklin's server. I remember someone describing setting up two of the AUX outputs to control that relay, but I don't remember the specifics. My next task is to sort that out.

The project has the sounds and the functions all appear to be mapped correctly, so I might be almost there. ThumpUp


I find it strange you can't change the reverse bit. maybe you need to find a 60971 programmer, but a cs2 or cs3 should be able to do it using the programmer software on a PC.

As to the relay, I would go digging for the manual for the Marklin relay board platine (sorry, can't remember the catalogue number, check your catalogue) and then go to the Marklin web site and download the manual for it. That should tell you what you need to know.

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Offline dickinsonj  
#38 Posted : 12 February 2021 22:30:51(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Go to Quoted Post

I find it strange you can't change the reverse bit. maybe you need to find a 60971 programmer, but a cs2 or cs3 should be able to do it using the programmer software on a PC.

Thanks for the input Alan, and yes, it is strange.

It is not just that bit which I can't change - I can't change any configuration settings. I can set that CV to a different value with my CS and then click the write to loco button but all I get is an error message indicating that the write failed. When I reload the configuration page for that decoder it still has the reverse bit set. The same thing happens if I change any of the of configuration settings, such as sound volume or max speed. I also tried restoring to factory settings with the same result.

I tried mounting it with my 60971 decoder programmer on a laptop, even though I know I can't change a factory decoder with that software. What I see with a healthy factory decoder is a message that it is not an upgrade decoder. But when I try to access this decoder all I get is a message that the decoder did not respond.

Those two things tell me that this decoder can't be communicated with anymore, although I have no idea why. But if neither my CS nor my decoder programmer can communicate with this decoder I am pretty much out of options. That is why I bought an mSD/3 decoder as a replacement.
Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Go to Quoted Post

As to the relay, I would go digging for the manual for the Marklin relay board platine (sorry, can't remember the catalogue number, check your catalogue) and then go to the Marklin web site and download the manual for it. That should tell you what you need to know.

Yes, that seems like the best way to proceed. I will look for that manual and then set the outputs for the relay board as needed. The example program from Märklin has only two outputs set for the front and rear lights, which I don't believe apply for trains with that relay board. If I remember correctly I need to set one AUX output to be active when the direction is forward and the other for when it is in reverse - perhaps just on the edge. I just need to sort out the specifics.

BTW this thread should be in the digital section, but when I started it I thought that the relay had failed or been accidentally triggered. Now I think the problem is just that I can't communicate with this decoder, although I have never seen that happen before.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline kiwiAlan  
#39 Posted : 12 February 2021 23:21:27(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post

I tried mounting it with my 60971 decoder programmer on a laptop, even though I know I can't change a factory decoder with that software. What I see with a healthy factory decoder is a message that it is not an upgrade decoder. But when I try to access this decoder all I get is a message that the decoder did not respond.


OK. Unfortunately they don't have a sound project on the 37604 page. Some items do have the full sound project available.

But it would be worth seeing if the marklin bibliothek that one can access with the 60971 has the 37604 sound project available.
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Offline dickinsonj  
#40 Posted : 13 February 2021 01:07:26(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: kiwiAlan Go to Quoted Post
But it would be worth seeing if the marklin bibliothek that one can access with the 60971 has the 37604 sound project available.
Yes, they almost do. There is a project for the 37603 on the Märklin server and I downloaded it today. I assume that the sounds should be correct, even without the gold! ThumpUp

I loved that simulation of one engine starting after the other and the sound level increasing that my 37604 had from the factory. Unfortunately I couldn't get that file off of the old decoder, even if it still talked. Märklin locking decoders that we paid dearly for is stupid and ticks me off. ThumbDown

It would be nice if this sound file has that startup sound, but so far I can't see that it does. The sound file playback on my PC was jumbled and obviously not rendering correctly.

I'll post the next time I make some progress - it has only been a year since my last update, so I am moving right along. BigGrin
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline Bigdaddynz  
#41 Posted : 13 February 2021 03:13:27(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
Do you have an option to upgrade the decoder firmware with the decoder programmer? That can clear issues, but may not work with a factory locked decoder.

I bricked a mSD3 decoder by trying to program it with a CS2 that had CS2 software one minor revision below that needed to support the mSD3's. I couldn't read or write to the decoder it was pretty much door stop material.

Because of this I purchased a decoder programmer, and about a year later quite by chance I put the bricked decoder on the programmer and found I was able to update its firmware. That restored the decoder functionality and I was then able to program it as normal.
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Offline hxmiesa  
#42 Posted : 13 February 2021 10:44:04(UTC)
hxmiesa

Spain   
Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 3,519
Location: Spain
I'm not digital, so maybe this is a stupid question, but; WHY not just swap the wires to the motors and lights?
Seems less hassle (and cost) than swapping whole boards...
Best regards
Henrik Hoexbroe ("The Dane In Spain")
http://hoexbroe.tripod.com
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Offline Bigdaddynz  
#43 Posted : 13 February 2021 11:19:02(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
Originally Posted by: hxmiesa Go to Quoted Post
WHY not just swap the wires to the motors and lights?


I think that has already been suggested but I suspect Jim would like to get the train to work the way it was meant to before bodgering and playing around with it.

The other suggestion would be to send the decoder back to Marklin and ask them to reset the direction bit.
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Offline dickinsonj  
#44 Posted : 13 February 2021 13:21:29(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz Go to Quoted Post
Because of this I purchased a decoder programmer, and about a year later quite by chance I put the bricked decoder on the programmer and found I was able to update its firmware.


Interesting idea David. I was assuming that I couldn't update the firmware because I could not communicate with it normally, but your experience shows that is not necessarily true. I will have give that a try because I have nothing to lose with this decoder anyway. Stay tuned!
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by dickinsonj
Offline dickinsonj  
#45 Posted : 13 February 2021 13:28:42(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: hxmiesa Go to Quoted Post
WHY not just swap the wires to the motors and lights?
Seems less hassle (and cost) than swapping whole boards...

David is correct that I would rather do this correctly if possible, because this is one of my favorites. The wiring could be swapped on the motors but the lights would be a challenge because the wiring is buried inside the model and routed via multi-pin connectors through the coaches to the other motor car. I'm not even sure how I would go about changing that.

To me it seems easier to just program a new decoder and just swap it in, but I appreciate your suggestion.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by dickinsonj
Offline dickinsonj  
#46 Posted : 13 February 2021 13:36:13(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz Go to Quoted Post
The other suggestion would be to send the decoder back to Marklin and ask them to reset the direction bit.

I wish I could just buy a decoder without the motherboard or speakers from Märklin and have them load it with the same software that the original decoder had. ESU will do that for replacement decoders but I don't think Märklin will.

Sending things from the US to Märklin is a very, very long process and it might be years until I got it back. It has been in a box now for about 18 months already.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline kiwiAlan  
#47 Posted : 13 February 2021 15:27:55(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: Bigdaddynz Go to Quoted Post
Because of this I purchased a decoder programmer, and about a year later quite by chance I put the bricked decoder on the programmer and found I was able to update its firmware.


Interesting idea David. I was assuming that I couldn't update the firmware because I could not communicate with it normally, but your experience shows that is not necessarily true. I will have give that a try because I have nothing to lose with this decoder anyway. Stay tuned!


The 60971 communicates with the decoder using a different method than the command station does.

The cs has to communicate using the normal track communication methods.

The programmer contains a USB to serial interface chip, and communicates through a UART on the decoder, connected to a different set of pins than the normal track communication methods.

So it is entirely possible that the firmware update could correct a screwed up set of firmware.

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Offline eduard71  
#48 Posted : 13 February 2021 16:26:26(UTC)
eduard71

Chile   
Joined: 27/02/2008(UTC)
Posts: 294
Location: Santiago
Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: hxmiesa Go to Quoted Post
WHY not just swap the wires to the motors and lights?
Seems less hassle (and cost) than swapping whole boards...

David is correct that I would rather do this correctly if possible, because this is one of my favorites. The wiring could be swapped on the motors but the lights would be a challenge because the wiring is buried inside the model and routed via multi-pin connectors through the coaches to the other motor car. I'm not even sure how I would go about changing that.

To me it seems easier to just program a new decoder and just swap it in, but I appreciate your suggestion.



Hi Jim,
Some times the electronics and components in the original board can make an interference not allowing the decoder to communicate in a good way. Have you tried unplugging the decoder and connecting it to a less complicated board of another locomotive? and then try to make the reset?

On the other hand if this does not work, it is clear you have a faulty decoder, now just to really understand the problem, you say that bit 29 is marked when you do the mapping of the decoder, thit means reverse become forward for lights and motor. So the train is working ok and it is just the problem with the slider? or lighs are working in the oppositive way? the train runs forwrds with the red lights on and the tailghts are wite? I this is the case, not only bit 29 is on, the dirction of light travel is also wrong.

Regards

Eduardo
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Offline dickinsonj  
#49 Posted : 13 February 2021 17:11:43(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: eduard71 Go to Quoted Post
So the train is working ok and it is just the problem with the slider? or lights are working in the opposite way?


Good questions Eduardo. The problem is that the lights and slider are reversed from the train's direction of travel. In other words the forward running motor car has the red lights and the rear motor car has the white lights and the active slider.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
Offline dickinsonj  
#50 Posted : 13 February 2021 17:28:10(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Now I have a new and maybe hopeful development.

This loco had not yet been registered with my new CS3. When I placed it on my programming track it registered and now the slider and the lights once again match the train's direction of travel. The bit to reverse the direction of travel is no longer set. I had tried deleting it on my CS32 and registering it again but that didn't help, although it seems to have fixed it when it registered with the CS3.

I tried doing the decoder update from the CS3 configuration page but it does not show any update files to choose from. The decoder has firmware version 2.17.19.0. Having just started to use the CS3 I am not sure how to verify that I have an internet connection. It is plugged into my main router but it seems odd that none of the update categories show any updates. Something else to investigate.

But I still have one issue. The motor in the power car without the decoder is not running, although that could just be some DCM weirdness. That power car's lights and slider are working, so it must be something with just that motor. I checked the brushes and they are fine, so next I will open it up and check the commutator and clean it. Having one DCM of a two motor set not work is something that I have seen before and if I can fix that my beautiful train may be running once more.

Updates to follow and thanks to everyone who has offered advice! ThumpUp

Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by dickinsonj
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