C omplete
T rainC ontrol

Digitrax Command Control
Starter Set Manual
Includes:DCS50 Command Station Booster,
PS315 Power Supply,
LT1 LocoNet Cable & Decoder Tester

L

R

et

ocoN

Digitrax, Inc.

2443 Transmitter Road
Panama City, Florida 32401(850) 872 9890 - Fax (850) 872 9557
www.digitrax.com
Digitrax Manuals & Instructions are updated periodically.
Please visit www.digitrax.com for the latest version of all manuals.
This manual was updated 08/10.

DigitraxZephyrSetManual
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0

tableofContents
Introduction ......................................................................................3
Zephyr Components ..........................................................................3
Preparing Your Locomotives ............................................................3
Preparing Your Layout ....................................................................3

Quick Start
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
13.0

DCS50 Front Panel Controls And Indicators ................................4
DCS50 LED Display ........................................................................5
Hooking Up Your Zephyr ................................................................6
Run A Locomotive Without a DCC Decoder ..................................8
Run A DCC Equipped Locomotive ..............................................10
Locomotive Direction Control ........................................................12
Shutting Down the System ............................................................12
Resuming Operation ......................................................................12
Quick Start Troubleshooting ..........................................................13

Advanced Features
14.0
Locomotive Speed Control ............................................................14
14.1
Speed Limit ......................................................................................14
15.0
Stop and Emergency Stop ............................................................14
15.1
Setting A Loco to Zero Speed ..........................................................14
15.2
Brake Operation ................................................................................14
15.3
Emergency Stop ................................................................................15
16.0
Programming Your Decoder ..........................................................16
16.1
Setting Up A Service Mode Programming Track ............................16
16.2
Changing the Decoder Address ........................................................18
16.3
Programming Configuration Variables Other Than Addresses ........19
16.4
Programming On The Mainline: Operations Mode Programming ..21
16.5
Error Messages When Programming ................................................22
16.6
Reading Back CV Values Programmed ............................................22
16.7
Configuration Variable Programming Notes......................................23
17.0
Functions ..........................................................................................24
17.1
Controlling Functions F0-F8 ..........................................................24
17.1.1 Function 0 (F0) ..............................................................................24
17.1.2 Functions 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 ..............................................................24
17.1.3 Function 2 (F2) ................................................................................24
17.1.4 Function 3 (F3) ................................................................................25
17.2
Function Operation Troubleshooting ................................................25©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

www.digitrax.com

1

18.0
18.1
18.2
18.3
18.4
19.0
20.0
20.1
21.0
22.0
23.0
23.1

MU (Multiple Unit) Operations ....................................................26
Adding a Locomotive To An MU ....................................................26
Removing A Loco From An MU ......................................................28
MU of Mismatched Locomotives ....................................................28
Controlling Functions On MU’ed Locomotives ..............................28
Stealing: When An Address Is Running on Another Throttle ....29
Releasing An Address From A Throttle ........................................30
Dispatching Addresses or MUs ........................................................30
The FuLL Message ..........................................................................31
DCS50 Error Messages ..................................................................32
Decoder Speed Step Settings ........................................................32
Changing Speed Step Settings: Status Editing ................................33

24.0
SWITCH Mode ..............................................................................34
25.0
Adding Throttles: LocoNet & Jump Ports ..................................35
25.1
Adding LocoNet Throttles To Your DCS50 ....................................35
25.2
Jump Ports: Using A DC Power Pack As An Additional Throttle ....35
25.3
Adding Another DCS50 ....................................................................39
25.3.1 Assigning Throttle Identities..............................................................40
25.3.2 Making LocoNet Cables ..................................................................4225.3.3 Testing LocoNet Cables with an LT1 ................................................42
26.0
Locomotive Dispatching Procedures ............................................43
27.0
Troubleshooting ..............................................................................44
27.1
Nothing is responding ......................................................................44
27.2
No Power or Intermittent Operation ................................................44
27.2.1 The Quarter Trick ..............................................................................44
27.2.2 The LT1 Tester ..................................................................................44
27.3
Emergency Stop ................................................................................44
27.4
Mechanical Drive Train Problems ....................................................44
27.5“Strange” Locomotive Lights ..........................................................44
27.6
Decoder Won’t Respond ..................................................................45
27.7
I’m totally lost! ................................................................................46
27.8
DCS50 Shutdown ..............................................................................46
28.0
DCS50 Option Switch Setup ..........................................................46
29.0
LocoNet: The Digitrax Difference! ..............................................48
29.1
System Architecture ........................................................................48
29.1
System Architecture ........................................................................48
30.0
FCC Information ............................................................................50
31.0
Warranty and Repair Information ..............................................51
32.0
Specifications ....................................................................................52
Index ..................................................................................................53
Digitrax, the Digitrax Train Logos, LocoNet, Super Empire Builder Xtra, Super Chief Xtra, Transponding,SuperSonic, AutoReversing, Zephyr, Jump & others are trademarks of Digitrax, Inc. This manual may not be
reproduced in any form without permission.

1.0 Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of a Digitrax Zephyr Starter Set!
Your success with and enjoyment of our products are very important to us.
After all, this is a hobby and it is FUN!!! Please read this manual carefully
before you install your system. We have included lots of hints and operatingideas based on our experience with the Digitrax system. The Zephyr isdesigned for easy operation and expandability with Digitrax LocoNet. With
LocoNet, just plug in system components to build the layout control systemthat you’ve always wanted! If you have questions not covered by this manualplease contact your dealer or Digitrax technical support.

2.0 Zephyr Components
Your Zephyr Starter Set contains:
DCS50 All-in-one command station, throttle and booster to run your trains.
PS315 Power supply to provide power to run your DCS50.
LT1 Decoder and LocoNet Cable Tester
Zephyr Manual
Digitrax Decoder Manual

3.0 Preparing Your Locomotives
You will be able to run one locomotive without a decoder on your Zephyrsystem along with the ones with decoders. So, even if you don’t have a loco
with a decoder, you can still hook up your new system and try it out rightaway!
You will need to install decoders in the locomotives you want to run in orderto take full advantage of your new Digital Command Control system. The
decoder allows you to individually control each locomotive’s speed, direction, lights and other functions. We don’t include decoders with our starter
sets because there are so many different decoders available for so many different locomotives. We want to be sure you don’t spend money on a
decoder that may not be the best choice for your particular locomotives.
Your dealer can help you select the best decoder choices for your layout
from Digitrax wide variety of decoders. Our web site www.digitrax.com contains information about decoder installations and which decoders are bestfor particular locomotives.
A Digitrax Decoder Manual is included with all Starter Sets so you will haveit available to use with any Digitrax decoders you choose to go with the set.

4.0 Preparing Your Layout
Digitrax simplifies layout wiring for new layouts. If you already have a layout,
you probably won’t need to rewire to install your Digitrax Zephyr. Since the
DCC signal travels with the power on the rails, you must have power to thetrack in all locations so that the decoders can receive the signal and respond to
your commands.For more information about layout wiring visit our web site.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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3

5.0 DCS50 Front Panel Controls And Indicators
Before you select and run a locomotive, take a few minutes to look at the
DCS50’s controls and display.

4
FUNCTION

JUMP

MU

3

SWITCHR

TRACK
STATUS

EXIT

LOCO

1

2

3

SWITCH

JUMP

4

5

6

POWER

MU

7

8

9

PROG

STEPS t

+

0 c

-

MODE

CV

CV-RD

CV-WR

DCS 50
3
2

4

1

5

FORWARD
BRAKE

STOP

FULL

REVERSE

1

2

1. The Throttle Knob is the large silver and black knob on the right side of
the DCS50. The Throttle Knob controls locomotive speed from StOp to
Full speed. Turn it clockwise to increase speed and counter clockwise to
decrease speed.
2. The Direction Control Lever is the small silver lever (located on the left
side of the DCS50) that controls the locomotive’s direction of travel,
FOrwarD or reverSe. This knob also controls the BraKe. When you
have a loco address selected and the Direction Control Lever lever is in
the BraKe position, the Brake Indicator Dot will blink until the loco stops
and then remain on steady to let you know that the BraKe is on. When you
move the lever to FOrwarD or reverSe, the Brake Indicator Dot will
flash to let you know that the brake is released and the loco is accelerating
to the speed shown on the Throttle Knob.
3. There are 20 KeyS on the DCS50’s keypad, including a full numeric keypad for direct entry of numerical values. Some keys have more than one use
when used in combination with other keys or sequences of keystrokes.
4. The Track Status Indicator Dot is lit when track power is on and unlit
when track power is off. Track power must be on to operate the trains on
the track. Simply press the pOwer key to toggle between power on andoff. If you need to stop the whole layout, press the pOwer key to turn off
track power and put everything on the layout into “Emergency Stop.”©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

www.digitrax.com

4

6.0 DCS50 LED Display
The DCS50’s LED Display is made up of 4 digits/letters on the main part ofthe screen and 4 Indicator Dots across the top of the screen.
When you are running a locomotive, you will see the address of that locomotive in the display and the Function Indicator Dot will be lit. This means thatthe throttle knob will control speed, the direction lever will control direction
and braking and the number keys will control the functions on the locomotive.
You will see the following display if you are running loco address 1873 on
your local throttle.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Function
Indicator
Dot OnLocomotive
Address

The LCD has three additional Indicator Dots associated with more advanced
features available on the DCS50:
The Jump Indicator Dot lets you know if one or more Jump™ ports areactive. See Section 25.2.
The MU Indicator Dot lets you know if Multiple Unit (MU) or consisting is
active. See Section 18.
The Switch Indicator Dot lets you know when you are in switch mode forcontrolling turnouts or setting up system options. See Section 24 for turnout
operation and Section 28 for Option Switch set up information.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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5

7.0 Hooking Up Your Zephyr
7.1ZephyrrearpanelConnections

6

RAIL A

PROG B

RAIL B

PROG AGROUNDJUMP 2

JUMP 1

DO NOT USE WITH TRACKOVER 16 VOLTS

5

2 1

3

Layout PowerDistrict

LOCONET

POWER IN
15V AC
2.5 AMPS

A

R

B

4

(Double Gapped)

Rail A
Rail B

PS315
Power Supply
Plugged Into
Wall Outlet

1. raila & B for connecting the DCS50 to the rails on the layout.
2. prOga & B for hooking up the programming track. Section 16.1.
3. JuMp 1 & 2 for connecting one or two smooth DC power packs to the system for use as additional throttles. Section 25.2
4. pOwerin-plug in the PS315 here.
5. lOCOnetpOrtSa & B for connecting the DCS50 to other LocoNet
devices for expanding your layout.
6. yOurlayOut. You can connect Zephyr to most existing layouts.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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67.2ConnectingtheZephyrisaseasyas1-2-3
These simple instructions will help you get up and running quickly. A fulldescription of all controls and technical reference information are included laterin this manual. This section assumes that you are using a new set straight out of
the box.
1. Hook up the wires from the track to the raila & railBterminals on
the DCS50. Insert the wire from one rail of the track into the raila terminal on the back of the DCS50. Insert the wire from the other rail of the
track into the railB terminal. Turn the screw counter clockwise to open
the connector and clockwise to close it once the wire is in place.
2. Plug the barrel connector from the PS315 into the pOwer in jack on theback of the DCS50. Plug the body of the PS315 in to a regular wall outlet.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Once power is applied, the DCS50 will
briefly flash “-cS-” to let you know it isrunning as a command station.

FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHThe DCS50’s display will change automatically to “Loco” or the last address that wason the throttle when you turned it off.

3. Turn track power on. Check the Track Status Indicator Dot. If it is on,
you are ready to go. If the Track Status Indicator Dot is unlit, press thepOwer key (located on the left side of the keypad) to turn track power on.
When track power is on the Track Status Indicator Dot will be lit.
The following examples will help you learn about your new DCS50. The
first example shows how to select and run a locomotive without a DCC
decoder. The second example shows how to select and run a DCC decoder
equipped locomotive.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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7

8.0 Run A Locomotive Without a DCC Decoder
Getting started with your Zephyr system is easy. In the proceeding steps you
have familiarized yourself with the controls and connected the Zephyr to yourlayout. Just follow these simple steps and you’ll be running one of your existing DC trains in just a few more minutes.
1. Set the DCS50’s Throttle Knob to StOp.
2. Place an analog locomotive, one without a decoder installed, on your layoutthat is controlled by your DCS50.
3. Check the DCS50’s Track Status Indicator Dot to be sure that track poweris turned on. Press pOwer to turn track power on if necessary.
4. Press the lOCO key to begin the selection process. The LED will begin
flashing either “Loco” or the last address selected on the throttle.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Displayis blinking

5. Use the numeric keypad to enter “00”, the address used to control the locomotive without a decoder. Your display will show:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Displayis blinking

6. Press the lOCO key again to confirm your selection and set address 00 on
the throttle. The display will stop blinking and you will have control of theanalog locomotive.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Display issteady once
you haveselected anaddress to run.

7. Set the Direction Control Lever to FOrwarD and turn the Throttle
Knob clockwise slowly to increase the speed of the analog locomotive. As
the speed increases, the locomotive on the track will begin to move. The
direction of an analog locomotive is determined by track polarity not by the
DCC signal so, you may have to turn your analog locomotive around to©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

www.digitrax.com

8match the direction of travel on the Direction Control Lever. The DCS50’s
Track Status Indicator Dot should slightly change color as you change thespeed setting.
8. Change the Direction Control Lever to reverSe and the loco will movein the opposite direction.
9. Change the Direction Control Lever to the BraKe position and the loco
will slow down and stop. Move the Direction Control Lever to FOrwarDor reverSe and the loco will move again.
10.Turn the Throttle Knob to StOp and the loco will stop moving.
11. If you have a headlight installed in your loco, it will be on and stay on
because with DCC there is constant power to the track.
A locomotive without a DCC decoder is called an analog locomotive. Whilean analog locomotive, without a decoder, is sitting still on your digital layout,
you will hear a “singing” sound. This is caused by the DCC track signal when
it is applied to an analog locomotive. Once the analog locomotive is moving,
this sound will change and be less noticeable. To avoid heat build up in yourlocos without decoders, Digitrax recommends that analog locos NOT be left
sitting on DCC powered track for long periods of time when they are not running.
Address 00 is reserved for running an analog locomotive. Your analog locomotives will not run with any other address. As with a regular DC system, only
one analog locomotive can be controlled at a time. If you try to run more than
one analog locomotive at the same time on the layout all of the analog locos
will respond to the commands sent to address 00. By adding DCC decoders toyour locomotives and additional throttles to your system, you can individuallycontrol up to 10 locomotives at the same time with your Zephyr Set.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

www.digitrax.com

99.0 Run A DCC Equipped Locomotive
9.1BeforeyourunyourfirstDCCequippedlocomotive,thereareafewthingsyouneedtoknow:
1. Each DCC decoder can be assigned a unique address that is used by thesystem to send commands to that decoder. The address is a numeric value
remembered by the decoder in the loco until you change it.
2. You program each of your locomotives with its own unique address so thatyou can run them independently.
3. To select a DCC locomotive and run it, you must know its address.
4. Digitrax decoders are set up at the factory with address 03. This means thatwhen you take a Digitrax decoder out of the package and install it in yourloco, you can select address 03 on your throttle and run the decoder. You
can easily change this address by following the instructions in Section 16.2.
To make the examples easier to follow, lets leave everything at the factory
settings.
5. If you do not know the address of the DCC locomotive you want to run,you can either read back the decoder’s address or program it to the address
you want to use. These procedures are covered in Section 16.6.
9.2SelectingandrunningyourDCClocomotive
To select and run a DCC equipped locomotive with a known address follow
these steps:
1. Set the DCS50’s Throttle Knob to StOp.
2. Place a DCC equipped locomotive (one with a decoder installed) on yourdigital layout that is controlled by your DCS50. In this example we assume
that you have a new Digitrax decoder that is factory programmed to address
03. If your decoder is using a different address, simply use that address as
you follow these instructions.
3. Check the DCS50’s Track Status Indicator Dot to be sure that track poweris turned on. Press the pOwer key to turn track power on if necessary.
4. Press the lOCO key to begin the selection process. The LED will begin
flashing either “Loco” or the last address selected on the throttle. If you arecontinuing on from the previous example of running an analog locomotive,
your display will be blinking address 00 as shown here since 00 was the last
address you used:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Displayis blinking©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

www.digitrax.com

10

5. Use the numeric keypad to enter “03”, the address used to control the locomotive with the decoder. Your display will show:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Displayis blinking

6. Press the lOCO key again to confirm your selection and set address 03 on
the throttle. The display will stop blinking and you will have control of the
DCC equipped locomotive with address 03.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Display issteady once
you haveselected anaddress to run.

7. Set the Direction Control Lever to FOrwarD and turn the Throttle
Knob clockwise slowly to increase the speed of the locomotive. As the
speed increases, the locomotive on the track will begin to move forward.
The direction of digital locomotives is determined by the DCC signal so,
forward means that the loco will move in the direction the decoder is set up
to recognize as forward.
8. Change the Direction Control Lever to reverSe and the loco will movein the reverse direction.
9. Change the Direction Control Lever to the BraKe position and the loco
will slow down and stop. Move the Direction Control Lever back to
FOrwarD or reverSe and the loco will move again.
10.Turn the Throttle Knob to StOp and the loco will stop moving.
11. If you have a headlight installed in your loco, press the laMp/0 key totoggle between lights on and off. Many DCC-ready locomotives have directional lighting installed, with headlight/back-up light operating depending
on direction of travel of the locomotive. If you have other functions
installed in your loco, you can operate them by pressing the associatedsymbol/number key for the function you want to operate. You must havesound capability installed in your locomotive in order to operate the sound
functions (Bell/1 and whiStle/2 keys).

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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1110.0 Locomotive Direction Control
Move the Direction Control Lever to FOrwarD or reverSe to change thedirection of the loco address running on the throttle. To determine the directionof a loco that is not moving, simply look at the position of the lever. You canmove the lever quickly past the BraKe position with no adverse effects.
If you change direction while a loco is moving it will slow down to 0 speed
and then speed up to the commanded speed according to the decoder’s programmed CV values for deceleration and acceleration.

11.0 Shutting Down the System
When you are finished with your session, you should shut down the DCS50 byturning off power to the system.
1. Bring all locomotives on the layout to a stop by setting set the Throttle
Knob for each loco to StOp.
2. Turn track power off: Press the pOwer key, the DCS50’s Track Status
Indicator Dot will go off. The display will briefly display “Po” followed by
two characters, the Po means power off, the two characters indicate whichsoftware version is installed in the unit. The display will automaticallyrevert to showing the last loco address selected on the throttle but since
track power is now off, it will not run the layout until you turn on track
power again.
3. Unplug the PS315 power supply from the wall outlet.
When power is restored to the DCS50, it will “wake up” with all of the settings
as they were left when powered down. The power to the command station canbe left on all the time if desired.

12.0 Resuming Operation
When you are ready to run trains again:
1. Set the DCS50’s Throttle Knob to StOp.
2. Plug in the PS315 power supply to the wall outlet and to the DCS50.
3. Press the pOwer key to turn on track power. The Track Status Indicator
Dot will light up.
4. The DCS50 display will show the last locomotive address you were runningand be ready to begin right where you left off.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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1213.0 Quick Start Troubleshooting
If you encountered problems at any step in this Quick Start Section:
1. Try backing up a step until you get results described. The steps included inthis installation procedure are set up so that if you follow them carefully,
any problems you encounter will be easy to isolate and correct.
2. If you still have problems or if you have other questions, we encourage you
to call, fax or e-mail your favorite Digitrax dealer. If your dealer is not able
to help, please contact Digitrax directly.
There are thousands of successful Digitrax installations around the world andwe want to be sure that yours is one of them.
QUICK INSTALLATION Notes for users of Digitrax decoders that havealready been programmed and decoders not made by Digitrax:
1. The DCS50 command station operates in 128 speed step mode. If you areusing a locomotive with a decoder that does not have 128 step capability
you will have to adjust either the decoder or the DCS50 so that both areusing the same number of speed steps to communicate. We call this procedure status editing. You can status edit each individual decoder (seeSection 23) or you can change the DCS50’s system default by setting the
DCS50’s Option Switches 21-23 and run all of your decoders with fewer
speed steps to accommodate these decoders (see Section 28).
2. If you can’t control the operation of the lights in your decoder equipped
locomotive with the DCS50, be sure that the decoder itself is programmed
to run in 128 speed steps.
What’s Next?
Now that you have successfully set up and run your Zephyr Set, it’s time tolearn more about the features and options it has to offer.
Please read the manual and take time to understand and master each topic. Your
Zephyr Set is the gateway to all the possibilities and options offered byDigitrax and LocoNet so the best advice is to take it step by step and don’t try
to do everything at once.
The Digitrax Big Book of DCC is an excellent resource available to you as you
expand your layout. The Big Book is full of examples that show you how you
can have even more fun with your layout.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

www.digitrax.com

1314.0 Locomotive Speed Control
To control the speed of a locomotive:
1. Select the loco address on the throttle.
2. Turn the Throttle Knob clockwise to increase speed and counterclockwise
to decrease speed.
14.1Speedlimit
You can limit the speed on any locomotive controlled by the DCS50. This feature is very useful if you are running your layout with young children whowant to make the trains GO FAST!!! By setting a reasonable speed limit on thethrottles used by the children, everyone can have more fun with the trains.
To set a “speed limit” for your DCS50’s local throttle follow these simple
steps:
1. Press the prOg key. The display shows the last programming mode used.
2. Press the Mu key. The display shows “id00”.
3. Press the Mu key again. The display shows SPXX where XX is the current
speed limit set for this DCS50. We recommend a value in the range of 26(lowest speed limit) to 99 (full speed limit). DCS50 is shipped from the factory set for SP99.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

4. Use the keypad to enter the new speed limit for the throttle.
5. Press the exit Key to set the selected speed limit and resume operation.
Once you set this speed limit, it will be in effect for this specific DCS50’s
local throttle until you change it. Setting the speed limit will not affect any
Jump™ Throttles or other throttles that are in use.

15.0 Stop and Emergency Stop
15.1SettingalocotoZeroSpeed
To immediately stop a locomotive:
Make sure the loco address is selected on the throttle and turn the Throttle
Knob counterclockwise until it is in the StOp position. The loco should slow
to a stop as you rotate the throttle knob. This lets you slow down your loco andstop it prototypically. If you have set up deceleration (CV4) for the loco andyou move the throttle knob to StOp, your loco will slow down and come to astop at the programmed deceleration rate.
15.2BrakeOperation
To use the pre-set braking rate to stop and start a locomotive:
Move the Direction Control Lever to the BraKe position, the Brake
Indicator Dot will begin blinking and the loco will slow down to a stop at thebrake rate you have set up in the DCS50. As the loco slows to a stop, the Brake
Indicator Dot will change from blinking to steady on to let you know that thebrake is on.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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14Move the Direction Control Lever to the FOrwarD or reverSe position
and the loco will accelerate at the programmed brake rate to the speed on thethrottle knob. As the loco accelerates, the Brake Indicator Dot will flash during acceleration and go off when the loco has reached the speed set on theThrottle Knob.
The DCS50 is shipped with the brake rate set at 02. This gives a small amountof deceleration when the brake is applied and a small amount of acceleration
when the brake is released.
To change the brake rate:
1. Press the prOg key. The display shows the last programming mode used.
2. Press the Mu key. The display shows id00.
3. Press the Mu key again. The display shows SPXX where XX is the current
speed limit set for this DCS50.
4. Press the Mu key again. The display shows brXX where XX is the current
brake rate set for this DCS50.
Use the keypad to enter the
new brake rate for the
DCS50. Setting brake rate at 00 turns the brake feature off. A setting of 01
gives a fast braking (deceleration rate) and startup (acceleration rate) effectand a setting of 15 gives the slow braking (deceleration rate) and startup(acceleration rate) effect when the brake is used.
5. Press the exit key to set the new braking rate and return to normal operation.
NOTE: Changing the brake rate only affects the locomotive controlled by
the DCS50 throttle. It does not affect the the decoder programming.
Braking can also be handled on a loco by loco basis if you set up each decoderwith acceleration and deceleration rates that simulate the scale effects of braking the train. Then when you command an instant reverse, the system will simulate braking by slowing down the locomotive at the programmed deceleration
rate, come to a stop and then accelerate at the programmed acceleration rate in
the opposite direction.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

15.3emergencyStop
To stop everything on the layout immediately:
Press the pOwer key to turn off power to the whole layout. This option willstop everything on the layout. Do not turn Track Power off during a short.
Clear the short first. The Zephyr shuts off when it sees a short to protect itself.
Having Trouble Stopping? If the deceleration CV value you set for a particular loco is very large, this can make it look like the loco is not stopping oncommand because the deceleration CV value is causing the loco to take a longtime to come to a stop.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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1516.0 Programming Your Decoder
Your DCC Decoders have many different configuration variables (CVs for
short) that let you set up a different set of characteristics for each decoder
installed in a locomotive. When you want to change a loco’s address, set up
how its lights work, change its momentum characteristics, etc. you will program new CV values into the appropriate CVs to set it up just the way you
want.
Each CV controls a characteristic of the decoder. See your decoder manual fora list of the most commonly used CVs and their meanings. A Digitrax Decoder
Manual is included as a part of your Zephyr system. Each decoder comes preprogrammed with factory settings that will let you run it right away. We recommend that you use the factory settings until you are comfortable with running
your layout with Digital Command Control.
The factory set address for all Digitrax decoders is 03. This is the first CV you
will want to change because it is not very useful to have all of your locos
respond to the same address.
Decoders are programmed when the command station sends programming
information to them through the rails. Your DCS50 supports two types of programming:
Service Mode Programming is done on an electrically isolated programming
track. Using this mode, the command station broadcasts programming information to all decoders on the program track. Because this is a broadcast mode, wemust isolate the decoder we want to program from the others on the layout by
using a separate programming track that is connected to the command station
for programming but not powered for operation of the locomotive. This mode
works with all DCC decoders. This is the most commonly used programming
method.
Operations Mode Programming is done on the layout by sending programming commands to a specific locomotive address. To use this mode, you musthave decoders that are capable of operations mode programming.
16.1SettingupaServiceModeprogrammingtrack
Your DCS50 has two sets of DCC outputs. This means that you will be able toprogram decoders using one set of DCC outputs while the layout is running on
the other set of DCC outputs. When you hooked up your DCS50 to the layout,
you used the raila& railB connections to the track. Now we will use theprOg a& prOgB outputs to set up a service mode programming track.
nOte: The programming track is powered for programming only and cannot
run locomotives. You will have to manually move your locomotive on to thetrack whether using the siding or isolated track programming setup.

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RAIL A

RAIL B

PROG B

PROG AGROUNDJUMP 2

DO NOT USE WITH TRACKOVER 16 VOLTS

JUMP 1

DCS50rearpanelprogrammingtrackhookupDiagram
LOCONET

POWER IN
15V AC
2.5 AMPS

R

B

A

LocoNet Expansion Ports foradding handheld throttles andother equipment.

Isolated Programming
Track
Rail A
Rail B

Layout Power District(Double Gapped)
Rail A

PS315
Power Supply
Plugged Into
Wall Outlet

Rail BYour programming track can be as simple as a spare piece of track not connected to the layout as shown above or it can be a double gapped section of trackconnected to the DCS50’s prOga& prOgB outputs as shown below.
programmingtrackexampleDiagram
Main Layout (Powered by DCS50 RAIL A & B Outputs)

RAIL A
RAIL B

Programming Track(Powered by DCS50 PROG A & B Outputs)
PROG B
PROG A

RAIL A

PROG B

RAIL BGROUNDJUMP 1

DO NOT USE WITH TRACKOVER 16 VOLTS

JUMP 2

DCS50 Command Station
PROG A

DoubleGaps

POWER IN
15V AC
2.5 AMPSLOCONET

A

R

B

NOTE: Some wiring ommitted for clarity©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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1716.2ChangingtheDecoderaddress
1. Be sure that only the locomotive you want to program is on the programming track.
2. Press the prOg key on the DCS50 to enter programming mode. The
DCS50 will display one of the programming modes available. Digitrax recommends the Paged Mode when you are using the programming track. If
you press the PROG key repeatedly, you will cycle through the following
choices: PAGE, PHYS, dir, OPS. See Table 1 for display sequence.
Once the mode you want to use is on the screen you can go to step 3.
For example, to use Paged mode stop pressing the prOg key when the following screen appears:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Paged Mode
Digitrax
Preferred
MethodIf you are not using Paged programming, see Table I: DCS50 Programming
Display Table at the end of Section 16.3 for information about how yourdisplay will be different from this example.
3. Press the lOCO key and you will see either Ad2 or Ad4 in the display.
Ad2 = two digit address (address must be between 01-127)
Ad4 = four digit address (address must be between 0128-9983)
Each time you press the lOCO key the display will toggle between Ad2 andAd4. When the one you want to use is in the display move to the next step.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMP

MU

Two Digit
Address

SWITCH

Four Digit
Address

4. Press the Cv-rD key to to read back the address programmed into thedecoder. Your display will flicker Ad2 or Ad4 while it is reading then it will
display the decoder’s currently programmed address.
When reading back addresses, 2 digit addresses are displayed with 3 digits,(001 through 127) and 4 digit addresses are displayed with 4 digits (0128
through 9983). Address 00 is reserved for analog locomotive operation.
For example, if 03 is the two digit address, the read back display will show:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Two digit
address 03.

If 268 is the four digit address, the read back display will show:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Four digit
address 268.

5. To change the address of the loco, press the lOCO key to choose Ad2 orpress the lOCO key again for Ad4. Enter the address number you want touse for the loco, using 1through 127 for a two digit address (AD2) and 1289999 for a four digit address(AD4).
HINT: Many operators use the locomotive number or the last two digits of
the number for the decoder/locomotive address.
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18

6. Press the Cv-wr key to write the address to the decoder. The display will
flicker while the address is programmed and then will show the new addressin the display.
For example, to change the address from the two digit address 03 to the twodigit address 96, press the lOCO Key until Ad2 appears in the display thenuse the key pad to enter 96 and press the Cv-wr key to write the address.
7. When you are finished programming the address, press the exit key. You
are now ready to resume normal operations or proceed to programmingother configuration variables.
16.3programmingConfigurationvariables Otherthanaddresses
There are many different CVs that have been defined to control many operating
characteristics of your locomotives. Your decoder manual has a complete listing of CVs that are available in specific decoders, what they do and suggested
values for each CV. Programming these CVs is simple:
1. Be sure that only the locomotive you want to program is on the programming track.
2. Press the prOg Key to enter programming mode. The DCS50 will display
one of the programming modes available. Digitrax recommends the Paged
Mode when you are using the programming track. As you press the prOg
Key repeatedly, you will cycle through the following choices:
PAGE, PHYS, dir, OPS

Once the mode you want to use is on the screen you can go to step 3.
For example, to use Paged mode stop pressing the prOg Key when the following screen appears:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Paged Mode
Digitrax
Preferred
Method

3. Press the Cv Key and you will see P followed by the last CV number usedby the DCS50. The “P” indicates that you are in paged programming mode.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

4. Enter the CV number you want to program. For example, if you want to set
up acceleration which is controlled by CV03, use the keypad to enter 3.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

5. Press the Cv-rD key to to read back the data value currently programmed
into the decoder for the CV selected. Your screen will show something likethis:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHThe numbers will flash for a few seconds as the DCS50 command station©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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19

reads back the data value in the decoder. The “d” means that you are looking
at the CV’s data value that is programmed into the decoder, in this case theCV value is 0.
6. Use the numeric key pad to enter the new CV data value you want to program into the decoder. For example if you want to program the value of 2
for CV03 which controls acceleration, enter 2.
Note: If you do not want to read back the CV’s data value as described instep 5, you can simply press the CV Key again to go directly to the data
entry mode. In this case, the display will show “d” followed by 3 digits.
When you see this display, use the key Pad to enter the new data value youwant to program.
7. Press Cv-wr to write the new data value selected to the CV. The display
will flicker while the command station programs the decoder and the display will show the data value programmed.
8. To program another CV, press the Cv key and enter the CV number you
want to program next and repeat steps 3-7 again.
9. When you are finished programming, press the exit key to resume normal
operations.
If you are using a programming mode other than Paged mode see the chart
below for the meanings of the screens you will see.
taBlei:DCS50programmingDisplay table
Press the CV Key to toggle between CV# & CV Data

Press the PROG Key tocycle through theprogramming modesaPress the CV Key
CV# Screen shows
Progamming Mode andCV#aPress the CV-RD Key
CV Data Value
screen showsd (for data) & thecurrent CV Data Valuei
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Paged Mode
Digitrax
Preferred
MethodFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHa

FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHai
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Physical
Register
Mode

FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHaai
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Direct Modeaai
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Operations
Mode
Mainline
Programming©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHaawww.digitrax.com

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16.4programmingOntheMainline:OperationsMode
programming
Operations Mode Programming lets you program CVs in DCC locomotives
equipped with Extended Packet Format decoders while they are on the mainline. A typical use for Ops mode programming would be to change the acceleration rate (CV03) or the deceleration rate (CV04) of your locomotives to simulate the weight and braking capability of the train to compensate for changing
the number of cars or power units on a train.
Your DCS50 can use OPS Mode Programming to change the CV value in ANY
CV, including 2 digit and 4 digit addresses.
Ops mode programming can be performed by any
DCS50 or other LocoNet throttle, such as DT400,
DT300, UT1, etc., at any time since the throttles are notcompeting for usage of the single programming track.
How to use Operations Mode Programming:
1. Place the loco you want to program on the layout.
2. Select the address of the decoder that you want to program on the local
throttle of the DCS50. The decoder must be capable of operations mode
programming.
3. Press the prOg key until OPS appears in the display.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Operations
Mode
Mainline
Programming

4. Press the Cv key and use KeypaD to enter the CV you want to program.
For example, to program the deceleration rate, enter 03 for CV03 which
controls acceleration. Your display will look something like this:FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

5. Press the Cv key again and use the key pad to enter the value you want toprogram for the CV you selected in the previous step. For example to set
the acceleration rate to a value of 6, enter 6. Your display will look like this:FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

6. Press the Cv-wr key to write the data value to the selected CV.
7. Press the exit key when finished programming to return to normal operations.
nOte: OPS Mode Programming on most systems is write only. OPS mode

Read back requires transponding decoders and transponding detectors on thelayout in order to provide the two way communication required for read back.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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21

16.5errorMessageswhenprogramming
When you are programming decoders, there are a few error messages you may
encounter.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHdnd means there is an open circuit on the programming track and no current draw is detected by the programmer.
dna means there is no acknowledgement from thedecoder typically during decoder write operations.
dnr means the DCS50 was not able to read thedecoder.

There are many causes for these error messages but most can be solved bychecking the following:
1. Be sure the programming track is connected properly to the DCS50.
2. Be sure a decoder is correctly installed in the locomotive with all motor andpick up connections made correctly.
3. Be sure the loco with decoder correctly installed is making electrical contact
with the programming track and that it remains in contact with the programming track until programming is complete.
4. Be sure there is not too much current draw from lamps and other loads fromthe locomotive that is being programmed.
5. Be sure the decoder you are programming supports the programming mode
you are using. Not all decoders support all programming modes.
16.6readingBackCvvalues programmed
Your DCS50 can read back the CV data values programmed into yourdecoders. Most likely, you will use your programming track for reading backCV data values.
To read back CV values using a programming track:
1. Be sure that only the locomotive you want to read back is on the programming track.
2. Press the prOg key to enter programming mode. The DCS50 will display
one of the programming modes available.
Once the mode you want to use is on the screen you can go to step 3.
For example, to use Paged mode stop pressing the prOg Key when the following screen appears:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Paged Mode
Digitrax
Preferred
Method©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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22

3. Press the Cv Key and you will see P followed by the last CV number usedby the DCS50. The P reminds you that you are in paged mode and the number displayed is the last CV used by the DCS50.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

4. Enter the CV number you want to read back. If you want to read back the
decoder’s address, press the lOCO Key to toggle between Ad2 and Ad4.
Stop pressing the lOCO Key when the address mode you want to readappears in the display.
5. Press the Cv-rD key to to read back the data value programmed into thedecoder for the CV selected. Your screen will show something like this:FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHThe numbers will flash for a few seconds as the command station reads
back the data value in the decoder. The d means that you are looking at the
CV’s data value that is programmed into the decoder, in this case the CV
value is 3.
6. You can now re-program the CV value or press the exit key to resume normal operations.
nOte: OPS Mode Programming on most systems is write only. OPS mode
Read back requires transponding decoders and transponding detectors on thelayout in order to provide the two way communication required for read back.
16.7Configurationvariable(Cv)programmingnotes:
1. Check your decoder manufacturer’s manual for factory settings, recommended CV value ranges and for instructions on resetting the CVs to factory settings.
2. It is good practice to record the changes you make to the CV values foreach decoder/locomotive combination. This will allow you to profile each
locomotive type for programming similar locomotives.
3. Resetting your decoder CV values to factory settings can eliminate someproblems caused by inadvertently changing a CV value.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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23

17.0 Functions
Most DCC decoders have function outputs that you can use to control lamps,
LEDs, sound, smoke generators and other on/off devices installed in your locomotives. Most locomotives made today come with a head light and sometimes
with a rear light, too. With DCC, these are controlled by the decoder’s function
outputs. You can also install additional DCC controlled lighting such as cab
lights, Mars lights, ditch lights, rotating beacons and others on your locos. The
addition of these functions can add to the fun and realism of your locomotives.
You must have the functions installed and connected to the appropriate
decoder function leads in order to use the following keys.
17.1ControllingFunctionsF0-F8
To operate functions F0-F8 on your locomotive:
1. Select the loco you want to control on your throttle. On the throttle display,
you will see the Function Indicator Dot illuminated to let you know thatyou can use the numeric keys to operate the functions.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Function
Indicator
Dot OnLocomotive
Address

2. Use the DCS50’s numeric/symbol key pad to turn functions on and off. For
example, to turn the head light on, press the laMp/0 key. Press the laMp/0
key again to turn it off.
17.1.1Function0(F0)Press the laMp/0 key to toggle F0 between on and off. Each time the laMp/0
key is pressed while in function mode, Function 0, also called F0 will change
from off to on or vice-versa. On locos with reversing head lamps and back up
lamps, the head lamp or back up lamp in your loco will come on depending on
the direction of travel of the loco. Function 0 is most often used to turn on/off
the head light/back up light but can be set up for other functions as well (Seeyour Decoder Manual for more information).
17.1.2Functions1,4,5,6,7,&8
Press the number/symbol key on the numeric keypad that corresponds with thefunction number you want turn on/off. The function will toggle between on andoff each time you press the number key.
The Bell/1 Key is used for Function 1 (F1) and is labeled with a Bell icon
to remind you that this is the preferred function key for bell operation.
17.1.3Function2(F2)Press the hOrn/2 key on the numeric keypad. The hOrn/2 key operates
Function 2 and is labeled with a whistle icon to remind you that this is the preferred function for whistle or horn operation. This key is set up as a “non-latching key” so that if a horn or whistle sound is installed in the loco, it will soundfor as long as the key is held down. This lets you vary the length of time thatthe horn or whistle blows, just like the prototype.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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24

If you want Function 2 to remain on:
1. Press and hold the hOrn/2 key.
2. Press and hold the exit key.
3. Release the hOrn/2 key
4. Release the exit key.
17.1.4Function3(F3)COupler/3 key operates Function 3 and is labeled with a COupler icon toremind you that this is the preferred function key for future coupler operation.
The DCS50 treats Function 3 is a normal on/off function unless you set it up asa non-latching function like Function 2. This means that F3 can be used either
as a normal function or to control a function that requires a momentary activation like some couplers.
To set up Function 3 as a non-latching function, set the DCS50’s Option
Switch 6 to closed as follows:
1. Press the prOg key. The last programming mode used by the DCS50 will
be displayed.
2. Press the SwitCh key. The display shows the last switch used by the
DCS50.
3. Use the numeric key pad to enter 6. This tells the system that you want tochange Option Switch 6, the OpSw that controls whether F3 is latching or
non-latching.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Set OpSw 006
to t to make F3
non-latching.

4. Press the c/- key to make F3 non-latching. OR Press the t/+ key to make F3
a normal latching on/off function.
5. Press the Exit Key to complete the set up of F3 as a non-latching key. This
will cause the COupler/3 key to operate Function 3 as a non-latching
function for this particular DCS50 and any attached Jump™ Throttles.
Other throttles (including other DCS50s) in the system will not be affected.
17.2FunctionOperationtroubleshooting
If the function you want to operate does not respond, check the following:
1. Is Track Status on? If not press the pOwer key to turn it on.
2. Did you select the correct loco? If not, select it now.
3. Is the function you want to use installed in the loco? If not, you may needto install it. Most new locos have a head lamp/backup lamp installed, but
most do not have any additional lights or sounds installed.
4. Change the position of the Direction Control Lever and see if the lamp
comes on in the other direction. If the normal direction of travel feature in
the decoder loco is set for the opposite of what you were expecting, youwill see the head lamp operating in what you expected to be the reverse
direction and vice versa for the back up lamp. See your Decoder Manual for
information about how to change the Normal Direction of Travel (NDOT).
NOTE: Functions F9-F12 can be accessed when using DT400 or DT402
series throttles with your DCS50.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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25

18.0Mu(Multipleunit)Operations
It is not uncommon to see two, three or even four diesel locos pulling in consist at the front of a train. Sometimes, there is a locomotive added in the middleof the train or at the end of the train to give “helper service” to the head end
locomotives. This is called Multiple Unit Operation or MU operation. With
DCC, each locomotive is separately controlled. But in the case of MUing wewould like to have more than one locomotive address controlled by a single
throttle to simplify MU operation.
Your DCS50 uses universal consisting to make MU operations simple and easy
to do. This is the most flexible and realistic method of MUing available. You
can add any locomotive to your MU, no matter what kind of DCC decoder is inyour loco. You can even add an analog loco to your MU. You can add a locomotive to an MU in either orientation and in any physical location in the train.
When you send commands to the MU you use the address of the TOP locomotive to control the entire MU and the command station handles the rest of thecommands to the other locomotives in the MU. As the address you will use tocontrol the consist is not necessarily the address of the lead or head end loco,
we use the term “TOP” for this special address. The TOP address can also be
the train number.
You will not be able change the speed or direction of any individual loco that ispart of an MU. Locomotive speed and direction for all locos in the MU arecontrolled by the TOP address.
18.1addingalocomotivetoanMu
To MU two addresses together with the DCS50:
1. Choose two locos you want to MU together. Place them on the track. Make
sure that both locos that will be part of the MU are headed in the same
physical direction. Select and run the first loco to determine which way it isheaded. Then select the other loco and run it in the same physical direction.
2. Select the address you want to use to control the MU. This is called the
TOP address. To do this, press lOCO, enter the address & press lOCO
again. For this example, we will use loco address 09 as the TOP address andwe will add address 23 to the MU.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

3. Press the Mu key. The TOP address will remain in the display and the MU
Indicator Dot will begin blinking indicating that you are preparing to add
to the MU.
FUNCTION©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

JUMP

MU

SWITCH

www.digitrax.com

26

4. Use the numeric keypad to enter the loco address you want to add to the
MU, in this case 23.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

5. Press the t/+ key. If the MU you just set up is valid, the display will revert
to the TOP address. You are now ready to run your MU. To run your MU,
just turn the Throttle Knob to set the speed and use the Direction Control
Lever to change directions. Use the numeric key pad to control the functions on the MU’ed locos.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

If you want to add more locos to the MU, repeat the procedure.To add locos
to an MU you must add them to the TOP address. It’s a good idea to keep an
MU set up sheet like the following to help you remember which locos are
MUed together:If your MU could not be set up you will see the following error message:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHMU Link Error
The MU Requested
Could Not Be CompletedThis happens when you try to link to an address that is already part of an MU
or link an address that is under the control of another throttle. For example if
you MUed address 14 to the top loco 23 and then tried to MU another address
to 14 you would get this error. If you wanted to add another loco to the MU
with 23 as the TOP address, the right way to do it is to add that loco to 23, notto another address in the MU.

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27

18.2removingalocoFromanMu
To remove a loco address from an MU:
1. On the DCS50, select the loco address that you want to remove from the
MU by pressing the lOCO key, entering the address and pressing lOCO
again. In this example, the TOP address is 09 with address 23 MU’ed to it.
We will remove address 23 from the MU. The display shows address 23
with the Function and MU Indicator Dots lit.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

2. Press the Mu Key. The Function Indicator Dot will go off and the MU
Indicator Dot will begin to blink indicating that you are MUing.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

3. Press the c/- key to remove the loco address from the MU. The DCS50 will
return to regular operation mode ready to run address 23 which you justremoved from the MU.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

18.3MuofMismatchedlocomotives
If all the locomotives in the MU have performance characteristics that areclosely matched, you can run all the MUed locomotives in 128 step mode. If
the units are completely mismatched (for example if you are running two different brands of locos with noticeably different characteristics), then we recommend speed matching the locos by programming the decoder with either
Simple 3 step or Advanced 28 step loadable speed tables (See your Digitrax
Decoder Manual for more information on these features of your decoder).
18.4ControllingFunctionsOnMuedlocomotives
Even though an individual locomotive is part of an MU and you can’t control
its individual speed and direction, you can still control its function outputs
independently as follows:
1. Select the loco that is part of an MU for which you wish to independently
control functions. In this case we will select loco address 23 which we
added to an MU with address 09 in the previous example. Press lOCO,
enter the MU’ed loco’s address, press lOCO. You’ll see the loco address
and the Function and MU Indicator Dots will be lit letting you know thatyou can control functions on this loco that is part of an MU.
FUNCTION©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

JUMP

MU

SWITCH

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28

2. Use the numeric keypad to control the functions. The changes will takeeffect immediately if the locomotives are moving, otherwise changes willtake effect when you reselect the TOP address on the throttle.
3. When you are finished turning functions on or off for the consisted loco,
simply select the TOP address and resume running the MU.
4. Remember, you will not be able change the speed or direction of any individual loco that is part of an MU. Locomotive speed and direction for all
locos in the MU are controlled by the TOP address.
Note: You can also control the functions of a MUed loco from a different
throttle that is connected into LocoNet or with one of the Jump ports of the
DCS50 (see Section 25.2 for setting up the Jump Ports), leaving the TOP
locomotive selected on the main throttle of the DCS50. Function statechanges will take effect immediately whether or not the loco is moving.

19.0 Stealing: When An Address Is Running on Another Throttle
Digitrax systems do not allow more than one user to select and run the same
locomotive address unless the loco is “stolen” by the new user. When an
address is receiving commands from more than one throttle, it may seem to beout of control.
Stealing is a safety interlock that prevents operators from automatically taking
control of locos that are already selected and being run on another throttle.
Occasionally you may need to override this interlock to gain control of a loco.
This override is called stealing and will result in having a single loco address
selected on two different throttles at the same time.
For example, if you are running a train on a particular loco address at 25%
throttle and another operator is running the same loco address but sending astop command you will see the train stop unexpectedly. From your perspective,
the train is not behaving correctly so you would probably increase your throttle
setting and the train would begin moving again. From the other operators perspective, the train is moving again so it is not responding to his/her commands.
Since the other operator wants to stop the train, he or she is likely to send thecommand again since the train is now moving again. As you can see, having
two engineers on the same train can give strange operations. For this reason,
Digitrax interlocks locomotive selection so that you can’t take control of a locothat is already selected on another throttle without “stealing” the address.
If you try to select a loco address that is already selected on another throttle inthe system, the DCS50 will display “StLo” to let you know that if you want toselect that loco you will have to “steal” it. A blinking StLo means Steal Loco?
FUNCTION©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

JUMP

MU

SWITCH

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To steal an address:
1. Press the lOCO key, then enter the address for the loco and press lOCO toselect the loco on your throttle. The display will first show the loco address
then the following:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

2. Press the lOCO key to accept control of the loco. Once a throttle has“stolen” a loco address, both throttles with the address selected will update
speed and direction information for the loco address. This can result in
strange locomotive behavior especially if one throttle is trying to to stop the
loco and the other is trying to speed it up at the same time.
3. When you have gained control of the stolen loco and are finished running it,
release it from your throttle by setting the loco’s speed to 0 and pressing thelOCO key followed by the exit key.
This feature can be useful for training new operators or supervising engineers
who insist on breaking the speed limit. The supervisor can “steal” a locomotivethat is selected on a trainee’s throttle and be able to closely supervise that locomotive’s control, taking over when necessary. The supervisor can gain instantoverride control without having to physically “grab” the trainee’s throttle. This
lets you have unskilled visitors participating and enjoying operations without
too much anxiety for either party.

20.0 Releasing An Address From A Throttle
When you are finished running a locomotive address, release if from yourthrottle so that it is available for other throttles to select and run and so thatyour command station will have room to run other addresses.
To release an address from a throttle:
1. With the loco address selected on the throttle, use the Throttle Knob to set
the locomotive’s speed to StOp.
2. Press the lOCO key to release the address from your throttle immediately.
The address will begin to flash in the display.
3. Press the exit key to dispatch the address on the throttle and the locomotive will be released to the system and marked as a dispatched address. Your
DCS50’s display will show Loco.
4. If you press the lOCO key again, the throttle will begin flashing the address
you just released. You can re-select that address by pressing the lOCO Key
or you can use the key pad to enter a new address and select it instead.
20.1DispatchingaddressesorMus
Dispatching is a special feature incorporated in the LocoNet “language” tomeet the needs of operators that wish to enforce a strict discipline in how operators gain access to locomotives during an operating session. Dispatching also
lets you run MUs with basic throttles that can’t set up their own MUs and run
four digit addresses on basic throttles that only have two digit capability. It lets
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you have newcomers run trains on the layout without giving them access to theentire operation.
When you dispatch a locomotive address or MU to your LocoNet system, youmake it available to be acquired by another throttle. Only one address at a time
can be marked as a dispatched address in the system. The dispatched loco
address is acquired by the first throttle to request it by pressing the aCQ key toselect it for use on that throttle. See the UT1, UT2 and BT2 throttle Manuals
for complete dispatch operation instructions.
To dispatch a locomotive address using a the DCS50:
1. Press the lOCO key, enter the address you want to dispatch.
2. Press to the exit key to dispatch it to your LocoNet system, that’s all there
is to it!
The dispatched address can be a single locomotive address, either two digit orfour digit, or an MU. The TOP locomotive in an MU can be dispatched totransfer control of the entire consist to another throttle.

21.0 The FuLL Message
If DCS50’s display shows FuLL this means that it hasreached the limit of 10 locomotive addresses that it canmanage at one time. If you want to select additional
addresses, you will need to release one or more loco
addresses before you will be able to select other locomotives to run.
The DCS50 runs a “purging” routine that helps eliminate addresses that havenot been used for a period of time to make slots available for running otheraddresses.
If you see this message while you are operating, you can release locos that you
are no longer using by pressing the lOCO key, entering the address you want
to release and then pressing the exit key.
If you want to clear all the addresses and consist information from your
DCS50 and start over you can set Option Switch 36 to closed as follows:
1. Be sure everything on the layout is at 0 speed.
2. Press the prOg key.
3. Press the SwitCh key.
4. Enter 036.
5. Press the c/-key.
6. Press the exit key.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHYour DCS50 will re-initialize with no locomotives selected and no consists set
up to run. Any locomotives that may have been operating at the time of thereset will come to a stop.

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22.0 DCS50 Error Messages
The DCS50 displays three types of error messages:
Short circuit shutdown occurs when the DCS50 detects a short circuit in the
power district where it is connected to the layout. This can be a loco that has
derailed or picked a switch or some other conductive material lying across the
tracks. In this case you will see “o”s walking across the display from left toright. Once the short is cleared, the DCS50 will resume normal operations.
Note: If you turn the DCS50 off during a short circuit, you will need to press
the Power key to regain control of the layout once power is applied again.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHWalking "o"s
Means Short Circuit
Check for derailed locos &metal bridging the tracks.

Current overload occurs when the DCS50 has reached its 2.5 Amp current
limit. In this case you should run fewer locomotives or add more boosters andtransformers to increase the current limit of the total layout. See Section 25.3
for information on adding another DCS50 or see www.digitrax.com for information about adding 5 Amp DB150 or 8 Amp DB200+ boosters.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHWalking "l"s
Means Current Overload

Loss of carrier occurs when the booster does not see a command station on
the layout or when LocoNet is disconnected from the unit. Check the LocoNet
connections. Test LocoNet Cables with the LT1 tester. Be sure that the command station is connected to the layout.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHWalking Ls
Means Loss of Carrier
Be Sure a Command
Station is connectedto the system.

23.0 Decoder Speed Step Settings
Within the DCC format there are several ways decoders and command stations
communicate speed step information. All of your decoders and your command
station must be “speaking the same dialect of the DCC language” for everything to work smoothly. Digitrax DCS50 is set at the factory to send 128 speed
step mode information because the 128 speed step format provides for the best
speed control available. All Digitrax decoders are 128 speed step decoders.
Some non-Digitrax decoders use other speed step formats and won’t respond to
your DCS50 sending 128 speed step information.
If you have a non-Digitrax decoder that can’t run in 128 speed step mode, you©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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32

can change the number of speed steps the DCS50 sends to that decoder so thatyou will be able to control the decoder. This is called status editing thedecoder. When you status edit a decoder, the DCS50 will send a different format to that decoder without affecting the 128 speed step operation of theDigitrax and other 128 speed step decoders on the layout.
NOTE: Status editing does not reprogram anything in the decoder. It onlychanges the messages that are sent to the decoder by the command station.
23.1ChangingSpeedStepSettings:Statusediting
To Change the Speed Step Settings for a Decoder:
1. Select the lOCO address you want to status edit.
2. Press the StepS key. The display will show the choices available. You canscroll through the choices by pressing the + or - keys.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH128 Speed Step Mode
Digitrax Preferred Mode
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

28 Speed Step Mode
Enable FX & Advanced Consisting
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Reserved-Do Not Use
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Reserved-Do Not Use
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH128 Speed Step Mode
With FX & Advanced Consisting
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

28 Speed Step Mode
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Motorola Trinary Format Mode
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

14 Speed Step Mode

3. Once the speed step setting you want to use is in the display, press the exit
key to complete the speed step setting change and return to regular operating mode. Once this change is made, the DCS50 command station will send
DCC commands to the edited decoder in the speed step setting you entered.
Note: Motorola Trinary Format Mode can be used only when the
DCS50 is used as a throttle on a DCS100 command station that is running trinary mode.
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24.0 SWITCH Mode
Switch Mode is used for sending commands to accessory decoders and forchanging Option Switches (OpSw) in your DCS50. The most common use ofswitch mode is for operating turnouts.
To change the position of a turnout:
This section assumes that you have already installed and programmed turnouts
and turnout decoders on your layout.
1. Press the SwitCh Key.
2. The last switch address selected by your throttle is displayed followed by aor a
. The Switch Indicator Dot is lit to remind you that you are in
Switch Mode.
NOTE: The “c” or “t” shown in the display may or may not match the physical position of the turnout selected. If the “c” or “t” is flashing, it means thatthe DCS50 has no information about the current position of the turnout. If
the c or t is steady it means that the DCS50 remembers the last command
sent by it to that turnout. This indication does not guarantee turnout position
since, the turnout may have been moved by hand and the DCS50 has no
way of determining actual turnout position.
The examples below show turnout address 087 first closed and then thrown
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCHFUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

3. Use the numeric keypad to enter the turnout address for the turnout you
want to change.
4. Press the c/- key to close the turnout or the t/- key to throw the turnout.
Note: While you are in SWITCH mode, the throttle knob and direction
lever will continue to control the loco address running on the throttle.
5. When you have finished your SWITCH operations, press exit to return tonormal operation mode.
Digitrax uses the following convention for position information
for turnouts:
indicates that the switch is “thrown”(for a turnout this means that the diverging route is set)
indicates that the switch is “closed”(for a turnout this means that the mainline route is set)©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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25.0 Adding Throttles: LocoNet & Jump™ Ports
Sooner or later you will probably want to have one or more other people run
trains with you. This means you’ll have to add more throttles to your DCS50.
You can add any LocoNet throttle to your DCS50 or you can use one or twosmooth DC power packs as Jump throttles.
25.1addingloconetthrottlestoyourDCS50
Any LocoNet throttle can be used with your DCS50. Simply plug the LocoNet
throttle into either LocoNet port on the back of your DCS50 or into any
LocoNet or Throttle Jack anywhere on your LocoNet system. If you want to beable to plug in a throttle at a remote location, we recommend using a UP5
Universal panel.
Your DCS50 can handle up to 10 LocoNet Throttles. If you need to run morethan 10 throttles, you can move up to a Super Empire Builder II and be able torun up to 22 throttles or to a Super Chief II with the capacity for running up to
120 throttles. You can continue to use your DCS50 as a throttle and booster
with either set on your Digitrax LocoNet system.
25.2Jump™ports:usingaSmoothDCpowerpack asanadditionalthrottle
DCS50’s Jump A & B ports can host two DC power packs as additional throttles. Begin with an operating DCS50 attached to your layout. Hook up one or
two smooth DC power packs as shown in the following illustration. This configuration gives you three throttles to control three loco addresses.
1. The throttle knob and direction lever on your DCS50 is called the Local
Throttle.
2. The throttle and direction controls on each of the smooth DC power packs
you are using are called respectively, Jump 1 and Jump 2.
3. Press the JuMp key to cycle from the Local Throttle to Jump 1 to Jump 2and back to the Local Throttle. The Jump Indicator Dot tells you which
throttle functions are being addressed by the DCS50 keyboard.
No Jump Indicator Dot - the Local Throttle
Steady Jump Indicator Dot - Jump 1
Blinking Jump Indicator Dot - Jump 2
4. The functions for each throttle are controlled by the DCS50’s key pad when
the Jump Indicator Dot for that throttle is displayed (see step 3).
5. To access function controls for each throttle, simply press the JuMp key tocycle among the three throttles.
6. When the throttle’s Jump Indicator Dot for which you want to control
functions appears on the display, use the DCS50’s keypad to change thefunctions. The throttle knobs and direction controls for all three throttles
will continue to control the loco selected on them while you are working
with function controls on any of the three throttles.

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RAIL A

RAIL B

PROG B

PROG A

JUMP 2GROUND

DO NOT USE WITH TRACKOVER 16 VOLTS

JUMP 1

DCS50rearpanelConnections
DCS50 Rear Panel Hook Up Diagram
Diagram
POWER IN
15V AC
2.5 AMPS

R

B

LocoNet Expansion
Ports for adding
handheld throttles andother equipment.

Variable DC
OUT

Jump 1LOCONETA

Smooth DC Power Pack
Plugged into a wall outlet
Forward

ReverseSpeed
Control

Direction
Control

Variable DC
OUT

Jump 2

Smooth DC Power Pack
Plugged into a wall outlet

PS315
Power Supply
Plugged Into
Wall Outlet

Forward

ReverseSpeed
Control

Direction
Control

Isolated Programming
Track
Rail A
Rail B

Layout Power District(Double Gapped)
Rail A
Rail BTo view what addresses are being used by each throttle:
In the following example, locomotive address 3856 is selected on the Local
Throttle and nothing is selected on either Jump 1 or Jump 2.
1. The loco you are controlling on the DCS50’s throttle knob is called the
local throttle. The local throttle display looks something like this:FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Function Indicator Dot
Means that the numerickeys control functions
for address 3856.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

Locomotive Address3856 Running on the
DCS50's Local Throttle.

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36

2. Press the JuMp key to view Jump 1:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Steady Jump Indicator
Dot means that Jump 1
is in the display.

Loco in the display
means that no loco
is currently runningon Jump 1.

3. Press the JuMp key again to view Jump 2:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Loco in the display
means that no loco
is currently runningon Jump 2.

Blinking Jump
Indicator Dotmeans that Jump 2
is in the display.

4. Press the JuMp key again to return to the Local Throttle:
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Function Indicator Dot
Means that the numerickeys control functions
for address 3856.

Locomotive Address3856 Running on the
DCS50's Local Throttle.

To run a locomotive address on Jump 1:
1. Press the JuMp key until you have Jump 1 in the display, you’ll see theJump Indicator Dot on steady and a screen like this if there is nothing
selected on Jump 1.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Steady Jump Indicator
Dot means that Jump 1
is in the display.

Loco in the display
means that no loco
is currently runningon Jump 1.

Or, you’ll see a screen similar to this if there is a locomotive address, in thiscase 481, selected on Jump 1
Steady Jump Indicator Dot means
Jump 1 is in the display.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH

Steady Function
Indicator Dotmeans that the
DCS50 keypadcan be used tocontrol functions
on address 0481.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

0481 in the display
means Loco address
0481 is currently
running on Jump 1.

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37

2. To select a loco on Jump 1 or to change the loco that is already there, press
the lOCO key. The screen will begin flashing to let you know that the loco
selection is pending. The display will now show the last loco that was
selected on this throttle. It will look something like this:
Steady Jump Indicator Dot means
Jump 1 is in the display.
FUNCTION
Blinking
Function
Indicator Dotmeans Locoselection ispending.

JUMP

MU

SWITCH

Blinking 481 in the display
means Loco address
selection of 481 forJump 1 is pending. Press
Loco to complete selection
or enter a different address
and press Loco to selectthat address.

3. Use the numeric keypad to enter the loco address you want to run, in thiscase locomotive 67, on Jump 1 and press the lOCO key again to select iton Jump 1. The display will be steady and you will be able to control the
speed and direction of the loco you selected using the DC power packattached to Jump 1.
Steady Jump Indicator Dot means
Jump 1 is in the display.
FUNCTION

Steady Function
Indicator Dotmeans that the
DCS50 keypadcan be used tocontrol functions
on address 67.

JUMP

MU

SWITCH

67 in the display
means Loco address
67 is currently
running on Jump 1.

4. When you have Jump 1 on the DCS50’s display (Jump Indicator Dot is
steady), you can use the numeric keys to make changes to the function controls on the Jump 1 loco (turn on/off lights etc.). The smooth DC powerpack being used as the Jump 1 throttle will continue to control speed anddirection of the loco address selected on Jump 1. The DCS50’s Throttle
Knob and Direction Control Lever will continue to control the speed anddirection of the loco selected on the Local Throttle (loco 3856 from theprevious section).
Note: You must have functions/lights installed and connected to the function leads of the decoder in order for the function keys to work. Many DCC
ready locomotives have the headlight installed and the headlight can beturned on and off with the laMp/0 key. A sound board must be installed
and connected in order to use the Whistle and Bell functions. A special coupler is required in order to use the Coupler function.

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To run a locomotive address on Jump 2:
1. Press the JuMp key until you see the Jump 2 display on the DCS50. You
will see the Jump Indicator Dot flashing and either Loco or the address
currently being run on Jump 2 in the display.
Blinking Jump Indicator Dot means
Jump 2 is in the display.
FUNCTION

Steady Function
Indicator Dotmeans that the
DCS50 keypadcan be used tocontrol functions
on address 08.

JUMP

MU

SWITCH

08 in the display
means Loco address
08 is currently
running on Jump 2.

2. To select a different locomotive address, press the lOCOkey, the display
numbers will start to blink. Using the numeric keypad, enter the loco
address you want to select and press the lOCO key again to complete theselection process. The display numbers will stop blinking.
3. When you have Jump 2 on the DCS50’s display, you will control the locomotive’s speed and direction on Jump 2 with the DC power pack and you
can use the DCS50’s numeric keys to make changes to the functions on theJump 2 loco. The DCS50’s throttle knob and direction lever will continue
to control the speed and direction of the loco selected on the local throttle.
The Jump 1 power pack will continue to control speed and direction of the
loco address selected on the Jump 1 throttle.
25.3addinganotherDCS50 toyourlayout
Since each system, no matter how large, needs only one command station, youneed only one DCS50 (or other Digitrax Command Station) performing thisfunction. Any additional DCS50 must be converted to a booster by changing
the Option Switch settings as described below. (Note, when using the DCS50
as a booster, the programming outputs are disabled.) The command station
determines the total number of locomotive addresses your system can handle:
Zephyr up to 10, Empire Builder (DB150) up to 22 and Chief (DCS100) up to
120. Adding a booster does not change the number of addresses available to thecommand station, but you do gain additional power to run trains. When you
add a DCS50 to an existing system you gain additional power (2.5A) for controlling power districts or reversing sections AND you gain an additional three
throttles to control trains: the local throttle and the two jump port throttles.
To set up a DCS50 to run as a booster and throttle without command station capabilities:
1. Press the prOg key. The display shows the last programming mode usedby the DCS50.
2. Press the SwitCh key. The display shows the last switch used by the
DCS50.The Switch Indicator Dot will start blinking to indicate you are in
Option Switch Mode.

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3. Use the keypad to enter 2. To let the DCS50 know you want to change
Option Switch 02.
4. Press the c/- key. to let the DCS50 know that you want to change Option
Switch 02 to c and make the DCS50 a booster and throttle only. The display
will show 002c with “L”s walking from left to right through the display. Thismeans that you have set the DCS50 to run as a booster and throttle causing
a loss of carrier signal. This is normal.
5. Press the exit key. The display will show -br- followed by the last addressused by the DCS50 with the walking Ls through the display.
FUNCTION

JUMPMU

SWITCH6. Connect the DCS50 that is now running as a booster according to the wiring
diagram shown on the following page.
7. As soon as the DCS50 is hooked up to the layout with a command station,
it will resume normal operations.
8. To make the DCS50 autoreversing Press the prOg key, press the SwitChkey, Use the keypad to enter 3, press the c/- Key and press the exit key.
The DCS50 will now run as an auto reversing booster/throttle.
AutoReversing Note: DCS50 cannot be a command station AND be
AutoReversing. To use DCS50 with AutoReversing, first disable thecommand station feature by setting Option Switch 02 to C (closed),
then set Option Switch 3 to C (closed) to enable Auto Reversing.
Power Management Districts: To use a PM42 with DCS50, the trip
current of the PM42 should be lowered from the default setting of 3
amps to 1.5 amps by setting the PM42 OPSW 09 to “c” and the shortcircuit sensitivity setting for each section should be set to “fastest”
using the PM42 option switches. See the PM42 instruction manual
for more information on customizing the Options on the PM42.
25.3.1assigningthrottleidentities
Each throttle in your system should be assigned a unique Throttle ID. To assign
a throttle ID:
1. Using the throttle for which you want to set the ID, Press the prOg key.
2. Press Mu. Display shows “id00”
3. Use the DCS50’s keypad to enter a unique number for the throttle. You may
choose any number from 00 to 63. It is useful to label the back of the unit
the the throttle ID assigned to it to prevent duplication of throttle IDs.
4. Press exit to return to normal operations.

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addingaSecondDCS50toyourlayout
DCS50 running as the system's command station

RAIL A

RAIL B

PROG BGROUND

PROG A

JUMP 2

DO NOT USE WITH TRACKOVER 16 VOLTS

JUMP 1

Rail B
Rail A(With the original factory setting of Option Switch 02 set to "t")POWER IN
15V AC
2.5 AMPSLOCONET

A

R

B

LocoNet Cable
Layout PowerDistrict(Double Gapped)

PS315
Power Supply
Plugged Into
Wall Outlet

Double Gaps
Between Layout
Power Districts

DCS50 running as a booster and throttle

RAIL A

RAIL B

PROG BGROUNDJUMP 1

JUMP 2

DO NOT USE WITH TRACKOVER 16 VOLTS

PROG A(Option Switch 02 set to "c")POWER IN
15V AC
2.5 AMPSLOCONET

A

R

B

LocoNet Cable
Layout PowerDistrict(Double Gapped)

Rail B
Rail A

PS315
Power Supply
Plugged Into
Wall Outlet©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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41

25.3.2MakingloconetCables
LocoNet typically supports a total cable length of up to 2,000 feet with no two
devices connected by more than 600 feet of cable. LocoNet wiring is totally
free-form. We do not recommend looping LocoNet back on itself.
Making your own LocoNet Cables is simple and cost effective. LocoNet wiringconsists of readily available wire and connectors. LocoNet uses flat 6 conductor wire and 6-pin RJ12 connectors. This kind of wiring is typically used fortelephone wiring. Most Digitrax dealers can make up LocoNet cables for you.
If you plan on wiring a large layout, you may want to invest in a good quality
set of crimpers so you can make your own LocoNet cables. The LT1 tester thatcame with your Zephyr can be used to test LocoNet cables to be certain they
are good before you install them on your layout. Many layout problems we see
are related to LocoNet cables that were not built or crimped correctly.
LocoNet cables are wired pin 1 to pin 1. When you hold the plug with the tab
up and look into the end of the connector you will see the wires listed below inthe chart starting at the left side and moving to the right. (This is sometimes
called a “reversing cable” in the telecommunications industry even though it
really does not reverse).

We use the following wiring convention for all LocoNet cables/connections :25.3.3 Testing LocoNet Cables with an LT1
1. Disconnect the wire harness from the LT1.
2. Plug one end of the LocoNet cable being tested into the LT1.
3 Connect the other end to the cable into on of the LocoNet ports on the backof the DCS50. Make sure the Track Status Indicator Dot is lit.
4. All four LEDs on the LT1 will light if the cable is good. LEDs may not all
be the same brightness, this is normal. NOTE: Only three LEDs will light
if the Track Status Indicator Dot is not lit.
5. If any of the LEDs fail to light, recrimp the plugs on the LocoNet cable andretest.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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26.0 Locomotive Dispatching ProceduresSome users prefer to “dispatch” or release all addresses active in their systembefore shutting down. This can prevent unexpected results when you power up
the layout again.
To release/dispatch addresses (this is optional):
1. Press the lOCO key.
2. Enter the loco address on the numeric keypad. The display will flash the
Function Indicator Dot and the loco address. Press the lOCO key again.
3. Set the Throttle Knob to StOp.
4. Press the exit key.
5. Repeat for all locos/addresses used in your session.
To clear all addresses and MU information, set Option Switch 36 to “c”
1. Press the prOg key.
2. Press the SwitCh key. The Switch Indicator Dot will blink to indicate you
are in Option Switch configuration mode.
3. Enter 036.
4. Press the c/- key
5. Press the exit key.
To Shut Down the System:
1. Press the Power Key to turn track power off
2. Unplug the PS315 from the wall.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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27.0 Troubleshooting
27.1nothingisresponding
Is track power turned on? If the Track Status Indicator Dot is not lit, press
the pOwer Key to turn on track power.
27.2nopowerorintermittentOperation
The majority of intermittent operation problems can be traced to bad connections and poor or noisy wheel pickups on locomotives. The DCC digital packet
communication strategy performs exceptionally well in a less than perfect environment, and will often mask bad connections until they are really impossible
to work with! Clean the track and wheel pickups of your locomotives.
27.2.1theQuartertrick
If your track does not have adequate power supply to the locomotives, then the
DCC signal won’t get through either. Take a quarter or screwdriver blade andgo around your layout creating electrical shorts by laying the quarter/screwdriver blade across both rails every 10 feet. Your DCS50 should shutdown
when the short is present. You will see walking “o” s on your display to indicate
a short circuit shutdown. When the short is removed, the booster should return
to normal operation. If the unit does not see a short or it does not return to normal operation after the short is removed, then you need to add more feeders.
27.2.2thelt1tester
Check your LocoNet cables with the LT1 tester to be sure you don’t have any
cables that were made incorrectly. See Section 25.3.3.
27.3emergencyStop
If the layout starts to “get away” on you, press the pOwer Key to stop everything on the layout.
27.4MechanicalDrivetrainproblems
Pay attention to the mechanical drive train and free movement of the locomotive wheel sets. This is especially important with inexpensive locomotives.
Using Digitrax decoders with appropriate programming settings, you canachieve surprisingly good quality operation, if you carefully adjust the mechanisms for smooth running. See manufacturers instructions.
27.5“Strange”locomotivelights
If you can’t control the operation of the lights in your locomotive with the
DCS50, be sure that the decoder is programmed to match the speed settingcommands of your DCS50 command station. The factory setting for the DCS50
is advanced 28/128 speed step mode.
Your Digitrax decoder was shipped programmed to 28/128 speed step mode.
You may have changed your decoder’s programming when performing thedecoder test procedure. In any case, if you are not able to turn the locomotives
lights on and off, you will need to change CV 29 to a value of “06” to haveproper light operation when using the DCS50 in its optimum 28/128 speed step

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44

mode. Refer to Section 16.3 for programming instructions. Additional information about programming CV29 is available in your Digitrax Decoder Manual.
If you have a Digitrax Series 3 decoder and you can control the lights but not
the motor, check for a motor short circuit. These decoders are designed to shutdown motor operation when a short is detected to prevent damage to thedecoder.
27.6Decoderwon’trespondDid you select the locomotive’s actual address? If you don’t know theaddress of the locomotive on the track, you can read it back in programming
mode or you can reprogram it to a new address. See Section 16.6
Is the loco on powered track?
Make sure the Track Power Indicator on the DCS50 is on, press the pOwer
key to turn on track power. See Section 7.2
Use the “Quarter Trick” to test for track power at several locations around thelayout. If there is not track power, check your layout wiring. See Section 27.2.1
Can you select the loco on your throttle?
Is the loco in use by another throttle did the throttle display “StLo”. If it did,then dispatch the loco from the other throttle.
If the loco is part of an MU, the MU Indicator Dot will light up when you
select it. you can control the functions, but not speed and direction.
Do the settings in CV29, the configuration register, match the command
station output? If your decoder is a 14 step decoder running on any Digitrax
system using factory settings, status editing will be needed for that decoder.
Have you reset any CVs since the last time you ran the loco?
It is possible to set acceleration so high that it will take 10 minutes for the loco
to start moving. Try resetting the CV values to their factory settings and thenrunning the locomotive. Remember, Digitrax uses address 03 for the factory
setting for all decoders. Check your decoder manual for factory settings andinstructions on resetting the values.
Was the loco running normally just before it stopped?
Check to make sure the decoder has not heated up and gone into a thermal
shutdown. If it is warm, remove the loco from the track, let it cool off and thensee if it starts again. Also check for localized track problems.
Are there burn marks on the decoder? You’ll need to send it in for repair!
If all else fails, reprogram the decoder address and reset CVs to factory originalvalues. See your decoder manual for factory settings and reset instructions.
Does your throttle say “FULL” ?
This means that the Zephyr system’s capacity to handle operating locos is full.
The DCS50 can run up to 10 addresses at the same time. This includes all
decoder/locomotive addresses in use on the system, whether they are being run
individually or as part of an MU. If you have the “FULL” message, be surethat all locos that are not running are released from throttles. If you run into
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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this problem often, you should consider a command station with more capacity
such as the DB150 or DCS100. If you want to clear all of the loco addresses
and consist information in the DCS50 and start over, set OpSw 36 to “c”. See
Section 26 for full instructions on dispatching locomotives and clearing theaddress register.
27.7i’mtotallylost!
If your DCS50 display isn’t showing you what you expect based on the manual, press the exit key to return to normal operating mode. Then try the throttle
task again. If you think you might have made an inadvertent change to one of
the factory settings in either the decoder or the command station, try resetting
everything to the factory settings and try the task again. See your decoder
instructions for resetting the factory settings of the decoder. See Section 28 forresetting the DCS50 factory settings.
27.8DCS50Shutdown
If the DCS50 shuts down briefly and then comes back on again, it is probably
being run too close to its pre-set current limit of 2.5 Amps. In this case it may
clip or mutilate some outgoing packets of information to keep the track current
within acceptable limits. To solve this problem, reduce the track current load
by running fewer locomotives or setting up additional power districts andadding more boosters to provide more power for the layout. See Section 25.3.

28.0 DCS50 Option Switch Setup
The DCS50 has several system operation options that you can use to customize
your operations. The DCS50 is set up at the factory to run right "out of thebox." Most customers never have any need to change these options.
Changing DCS50 Option Switches
1. See the DCS50 Option Switch Table that follows to decide which option
switches you want to change.
2. Press the prOg key. The display shows the last decoder programming
mode used by the DCS50.
3. Press the SwitCh key. The display shows the last switch used by the
DCS50 and its commanded position.
4. Use the numeric keypad to enter the number of the Option Switch you want
to change.
5. Press the c/-or t/+ key to set the OpSw to the setting desired.
6. Press exit when finished. The DCS50 display will show -cS- to indicatethat you are running in command station mode or -br- to indicate that you
are running as a booster/throttle only.
The following table shows the effects of setting various option switches. The
factory settings for all DCS50 option switches are noted in the right column.
To reset the DCS50 Option Switches to factory settings:
If you change option switches and experience unexpected results, just set
OpSw 39 to “c” (closed) to reset the unit to the original factory settings.
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OptionSwitch #OpSw 01
OpSw 02
OpSw 03
OpSw 05
OpSw 06
OpSw 07

OpSw 13
OpSw 14
OpSw 15
OpSw 17
OpSw 18
OpSw 20
OpSw21
OpSw 22
OpSw 23
OpSw 27
OpSw 28
OpSw 33
OpSw 34
OpSw 36*
OpSw 39*
OpSw 43
OpSw 45

DCS50 Option Switch Table
Effect on System operation when "closed"
c=1 Jump Port t=2 Jump Ports
c=DCS50 runs as booster/throttle with nocommand station capability
c=DCS50's booster is auto reversing
c=No change allowed for Throttle ID, Vmax
or Brake Rate
c=Function 3 is non-latchingc=Blast Mode programming allows DCS50 toprogram sound decoders that require more
power than is available in Service Mode
programming.
c=Loco address purge time extended from 200
seconds to 600 seconds
c=Loco address purging is disabled
c=Purging will force a loco to Stop or 0 speed
c=Automatic advanced decoder assisted
consists are disabled
c=Extend the DCS50 booster short circuit
shutdown time from 1/8th to 1/2 second
c=Disable address 00 or analog stretching forconventional locomotives.
c=OPSW21-23 set the global system default
type for "NEW" loco selections.
SW21/22/23 set as follows:t-t-t=3
128 step modet-t-c=7
128 step FX modec-t-t=2
14 step modec-c-t=028 stept-c-c=5
c=Disable normal switch commands, a.k.a. the"Bushby bit." Allows attached PC to perform
switch control logic
c=Disable DS54 interrogate commands at
power onc=Allow track power to restore to prior stateat power on
c=Allow track to power up to run state, if was
run prior to power own
c=Clear all mobile decoder information &MU information in command station
c=Return DCS50 to factory option switch
settings
c=Disable LocoNet update of command
station's track status
c=Disable reply for switch state request

Factory
Setting
t
t
t
c
t
t

t
t
t
c
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
c
c
t
t
t
t

NOTE: Do not change any option switches not listed in the table.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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29.0 LocoNet: The Digitrax Difference!
29.1Systemarchitecture
System architecture is the biggest difference among DCC systems. System architecture is the way the components of a DCC
system communicate among themselves. Digitrax LocoNet is aPeer to Peer local area network (LAN) designed specifically formodel railroad operation. LocoNet wiring is cost effective,
flexible and expandable to accommodate almost anything you want to do withyour railroad today and in the future.
L

R

et

ocoN

29.2Systemexpansion
The following diagram shows some of the expansion possibilities available
with LocoNet. LocoNet sets Zephyr apart from other entry level DCC sets
because it’s expandable. With Digitrax LocoNet your DCC journey starts at theMain Station with your first “starter” set. From there, it’s up to you. You can
add:
Mobile decoders for your locomotives
Function decoders for more lights and other functions on your locos.
More boosters to give you more power to let you run more trains,More throttles for more operators,
Different types of throttles,
More throttle jacks for convenient walk around operation,
Infrared or radio capability for more freedom for operators,
Accessory decoders for turnout and accessory control,
Detection,
Transponding,Signaling,
A personal computer to automate operations or for dispatching,
Use your PDA as a throttle,
Automatic reversing with a booster or power manager,
And the list goes on and on.
With LocoNet, you customize your layout to run the way you want it to run!
There is a lot of information available to help you along the way. The Digitrax
Big Book of DCC shows you how to implement DCC on your layout by using
examples of actual layouts and showing you how they work. The Digitrax web
site, www.digitrax.com, contains a wealth of information on all of our products. Digitrax users maintain a chat list that can be very helpful, too.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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TM

Available

0

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0

Computer Interface
Decoder Programmer
Sound Programmer©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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4930.0 FCC Information
Radio or TV Interference: (this information is MANDATED by the FCC)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits aredesigned to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction
manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different form that towhich the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Note that any modifications to the equipment not expressly approved byDigitrax voids the user’s authority to operate under and be in compliance with
CFR 47 rules, as administered by the Federal Communication Commission.
Digitrax believes any conscientiously installed equipment following guidelines
in this manual would be unlikely to experience RFI problems.
For Canadian Users:“This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for Radio noise
emission from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation or
the Canadian Department of Communications.”
Le present appariel numerique n emet pas de bruits radio-electriques depassant
les limites applicables aux appareils numeriques de la classe B prescrites dansle Reglement sur le brouillage radioelectrique edicte par le ministere desCommunications du Canada.

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31.0 Digitrax ‘No Worries’ Warranty & Repair
Digitrax gives a one year “No Worries" Warranty against manufacturing defects
and accidental customer damage on all Digitrax products. That's it! A simple,
straightforward warranty with no tricky language! For complete warranty andrepair details see www.digitrax.com. Please contact Digitrax tech support at(850) 872 9890 before sending anything to us for service so that we can try andresolve the problem by phone or e-mail. Except as expressly stated in the full
warranty statement, there are no warranties, express or implied, including but
not limited to any warranties of merchantability or fitness for aparticular purpose. .
Decoders- Digitrax carefully tests every decoder we ship to be sure that you
receive reliable products. Because we want you to be comfortable installingyour own decoders, we outline a decoder test procedure that you can perform
so that you can be sure your decoder works before you begin installing it inyour locomotive.
Do not remove the shrink-wrap protective sleeves from Digitrax decoders oropen the Command Stations or other products. None of the units have user
serviceable parts, and opening them will void ALL warranty protection.
Please don’t return anything to Digitrax without calling and getting return
instructions.
Please call tech support at (850) 872 9890 before you send anything to us forservice so that we can try and resolve the problem by phone if possible.
All warranties on Digitrax products are limited to refund of purchase price orrepair or replacement of Digitrax products at the sole discretion of Digitrax. In
the event that Digitrax products are not installed or used in accordance with the
manufacturer’s specifications, any and all warranties either expressed or
implied are void. Except to the extent expressly stated in this section, there are
no warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to any warranties
of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Digitrax, Inc. reserves the right to make changes in design and specifications,
and/or to make additions or improvements in its products without imposing any
obligations upon itself to install these changes, additions or improvements on
products previously manufactured.

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Specifications
Size:

7” length x 5” width x 3” high
18 cm x 12.5 cm x 7.4 cm

weight:12.5 ounces
354 grams

Caution:This electrical product is not a toy. Not recommended for
unsupervised use by children under 14 years of age.
For protection against fire, electrical shock and other hazards, this unit must be operated from an isolated SAFETY
EXTRA LOW VOLTAGE SUPPLY (SELV) with appropriate
overload protection.

electrical
rating:Maximuminput: 2.5 Amps, 15 Volts RMS AC, 50/60HZ,
37.5 VA continuous.
DO NOT exceed 16V RMS AC, 50/60HZ or 22VDC input.
Digitrax recommends the use of a dedicated PS315
power supply or equivalent for use with the DCS50.
PS315 output is rated at 15V AC RMS 60HZ and allows
up to 3Amps to enable correct operation of the unit.
A DC supply of 18VDC and 3amps will ensure correct
track voltage.
A 2mm power connector is needed to connect a SELV or
UL Class 2 rated power supply that meets the statedrequirements.
Output(totrack): Voltage regulated DCC digital waveform of approximately 12.8V RMS that meets recommendations for most HO and N scale locomotives with DCC
decoders installed.

patents:

As of the date of this writing Digitrax, Inc. owns the rights
to the following patents which may cover some or all of
the products covered in this brochure: US 6,275,739,
6,536,716, 6,533,223, 6,367,742 B1, 6,533,224.
Additional patent applications are pending.

trademarks: As of the date of this writing Digitrax, Inc. owns the following trademarks which may cover some or all of the products covered in this manual: Digitrax, The Digitrax Train
Lobos, LocoNet, Super Empire Builder, Super Chief,
Transponding, Zephyr Jump and others. Additional trademark registrations are pending. Digitrax trademarks may
not be used in any form without prior written consent of
Digitrax, Inc.
©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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52

Copyrights Copyright ©
Digitrax, Inc. world wide rights reserved. Contents of these pages are
not to be reproduced or reprinted in any form without theexpress written consent of Digitrax, Inc.
Digitrax, Inc. is not responsible for unintentional
errors or omissions in this document.

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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53

SpecificationsAD

acceleration 19
Ad2 18Ad4 18Adding a Locomotive To An MU 26
Adding Another DCS50 39
Adding Throttles 35
address 10
Address 00 9
analog locomotive 8, 9
Assigning Throttle Identities 40
AutoReversing 40

d nA error message 22
d nd error message 22
d nr error message 22
DC Power Pack 35
deceleration 15
Decoder factory settings 23, 45
Decoder Speed Step Settings 32
dir 18
Direction Control Lever 4
Dispatching Addresses or MUs 30

BE

Bell/1 11, 24
Big Book of DCC 3, 13
Blast Mode Programming 47
booster 39
BRAKE 4, 12
Brake Indicator Dot 4, 15
Brake Operation 14
brake rate 15

Emergency Stop 4, 14, 15, 44
Er L error message 27
Error Messages 32
Error Messages When Programming 22
Exit Key 14

C
c 34
c/- key 25
Changing Speed Step Settings 33
Changing the Decoder Address 18
clear all addresses 31
close 34
configuration variables 16
Controlling Functions F0-F8 24
Controlling Functions On MUed
Locomotives 28
Coupler/3 25
cS 7
current limit 32
Current overload 32
CV 16
CV Key 19
CV-RD 18
CV-WR 19

©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

F
factory address 16
FCC Information 50
Forward 12
Front Panel Controls 4
FuLL 31
Function 0 (F0) 24
Function Indicator Dot 5, 24
Functions 24

H
Hooking Up Your Zephyr 6
Horn/2 24

J
Jump Indicator Dot 5, 35
Jump Port 6, 35

L
Lamp/0 11, 24
LED Display 5
Locomotive Dispatching Procedures 43
Locomotive Speed Control 14
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Rail A & B 6
Reading Back CV Values 22
Rear Panel Connections 6, 36
Releasing An Address 30
Removing A Loco From An MU 28
Repair 51
resetting CVs to factory settings 23
Resuming Operation 12
Reverse 12
Run A DCC Equipped Locomotive 10
run a locomotive address on Jump 1 37
run a locomotive address on Jump 2 39
Run A Locomotive Without a DCC
Decoder 8

LocoNet 32, 35, 48
LocoNet Cables, Making 42
LocoNet Cables, Testing 42
LocoNet Ports A & B 6
Loss of carrier 32
LT1 Tester 44

M
MU 26
MU Indicator Dot 5, 26
MU Operations 26
MU set up sheet 27
Multiple Unit Operation 26

N
Normal Direction of Travel (NDOT) 25

SO

select a loco 38
Service Mode Programming 16
Short circuit 32
Shutting Down the System 12
28/128 speed 44
Speed Limit 14
status editing 13, 32
Stealing An Address 29
StLo 29
Stop 12, 14
Super Chief II 35
Super Empire Builder II 35
Switch Indicator Dot 5
Switch key 25, 34, 46
SWITCH Mode 34
System Architecture 48
System Expansion 48

Operations Mode Programming 16, 21,
23
OPS 18
Option Switch 36 31
Option Switches 34, 46, 47

P
PAGE 18
Peer to Peer 48
PHYS 18
PM42 Power Management 40
POWER 7, 44
Power In 6
POWER key 7
Power Management Districts 40
Preparing Your Layout 3
Preparing Your Locomotives 3
PROG A & B 6, 16
PROG key 18
Programming Configuration Variables 19
Programming Display 20
Programming Track 16
Programming Your Decoder 16

T

Q

t 34
t/+ key 25
Throttle Knob 4
throw 34
TOP address 26
Track Status Indicator Dot 7, 44
turnout 34

Quarter Trick 44, 45

VRview what addresses are being used by©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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55

each throttle 36

W
Warranty 51
Whistle/2 11
write only 23

XYZ©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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Notes©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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Notes©2004-2010 Digitrax, Inc.

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Zephyr
CommandStationandthrottle

Super EMPIRE BUILDER

TM

Available

0

0

0

0

Computer Interface
Decoder Programmer
Sound Programmer

T

Made in U.S.A.

F

850-872-9890
850-872-9557

307-0001-0000

2443 Transmitter Rd
Panama City, FL 32404
www.digitrax.com