A friend of mine had a Marklin layout built using C Track and the system in the picture below. He called me to install the system and complete the electrical work. I've never worked with AC trains before and I don't really know how to troubleshoot the layout. The first thing I did was install a "K" plug onto the adapter cable which connects between 60065 and 60113. Using my multimeter I confirmed that the output at the plug is 20 volts. Next I connected 1 set of feeder wires to the 60113 and powered it up. the Mobile Station gives the correct readings.

So what my friend had done was send three locomotives to Reynaulds to have DCC installed. These locos are 3085, 3106, 3308. When I placed the 3308 on the track and used the find function, it was detected as DCC. When I tried to move the loco, it had a faint buzzing sound and no movement. The same thing goes for the 3106. The 3085 was detected as DCC and it's functions work and it can make it all the way around the layout, but can't switch direction and doesn't appear to have any speed control plus it stalls about every 8 seconds. Also I tested another locomotive from his other layout and it runs for exactly 8 seconds then the stop light comes on. Each time I turn off the stop light it will go another 8 seconds, it's probably not DCC at all, but it at least confirms that all the track is powered.

There are lots more feeder wires that I'll hookup once I have the system figured out.

What I'd like are some troubleshooting tips. I can post pictures of things that need an expert eye.

Some things to know: none of the locos are in the database, all detect as DCC, none as MFX - I removed the shell from 3106 and the part label is missing from the decoder (of course) so I can't positively identify the decoders

Here is the Mobile Station setup I'm working with (before I attached the plug to the adapter)

OK, there are no radio interference suppressors anywhere of the layout. There are no capacitors or 74046 suppressors anywhere. Only 1 locomotive at a time is being tested and when I use "find" each of them detects as DCC and not MFX. But still 2 of them don't move and none of the functions do anything, no lights or sound. The 3085 has lights, sound, horn and will move forward only and no speed control...

YES!!

Just a silly thought but are the track wires connected the right way around....... recall some strange things have been known to happen when they are reversed.

The brown wire is connected to the center rail and the red is ground...

When detecting loco's I get DCC-0 on the 3 locos that were done by Reynaulds...

I'll post a photo of the decoders today

No that is the wrong way around, the red wire needs to go to the centre studs, and the brown wire to the rails.

That's a clear indication that automatic detection didn't work. DCC address range is 1 through 10239. This also means you cannot read CVs from these decoders with the MS2.

So adding a loco with address 3 is worth a try.

Do you have another DCC controller around you could use for a test? To read CVs? CV 8 will return the maker of the decoder. But alas the MS2 cannot read it in your case.

BTW: For DCC, mfx, and newer MM decoders it makes no difference whether red and brown are swapped. Only older MM decoders will fail.

No accessories have been connected yet....here's a photo of some readings from the MS:



Here is a photo of the one of the decoders:



The wiring is connected red to red and brown to brown...The layout is the Nock Silvretta with 2 extensions and here is a photo:



I tested a Locomotive 37181 and it was in the database, but it didn't do anything when I tried it except a very low hum.

Like I said earlier, the 3085 has working sound and will travel for short distances all the way round the layout, but cannot go in reverse at all and it detects as DCC-0

I think you should turn off the DCC mode - on the photo showing the mfx-DCC-MM2 instead select the one below it.

Note that the decoder normally fitted to Marklin locomotives is NOT DCC - the 37181 decoder is MM2 protocol and will NOT be detected. As it doesn't run when you select it from the database it sounds like its address has been changed. You will need to take the body off the loco or the tender (I can't remember where the decoder is fitted) and change the address on the miniature switch panel. The instruction leaflet that comes with the loco will tell you how they should be set for the default address.