Multiple Unit Consisting/NCE Consisting Notes

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Summary: NCE uses a hybrid of Universal and Advanced Consisting. This article presents more details on the process of creating a multiple unit consist using an NCE DCC System

NCE Consisting

When creating a consist the system may ask if it is an OLD or NEW Consist.

An OLD Consist is the same as a Universal consist. Locomotives are entered in sequence and functions are directed to the lead locomotive's address.

NCE Pro Cab

A NEW consist uses Advanced Consisting, the lead locomotive address will appear on the throttle display. NCE often refers to this method as Intelligent Consisting.

NCE's Intelligent Consisting

If using Digitrax multifunction decoders, see FAQ:Consisting with Digitrax Multifunction Decoders for suggested BEMF settings.

NCE employs a hybrid version of Advanced Consisting, which they call Intelligent Consisting. Motor commands are sent to the consist address, while function commands are addressed to the lead locomotive. The Consist Address is stored in CV19. The consist addresses range from 1 to 127 using a short address [1]. The command station assigns consist addresses starting at 127.

The command station generates a table that references the locomotive address to the assigned advanced consist address. This constructs an alias of the locomotive address for controlling the assigned consist address.

Do not attempt to manually program CV19 using the throttle or software such as DecoderPro. Allow the command station's software to establish consists with the Consist Setup button on the throttle. The command station employs specialised DCC commands to create the consist and resolve any decoder issues[2].

NCE Hybrid Consisting and other DCC Systems

For a Hybrid Consist to work on another DCC system, the consist must be created using a 2-digit decimal number, not a hexadecimal number. Addresses up to decimal 99 ($63 hex) will work. Addressing with a 2-digit number[1] from 100 to 127 (decimal) will not work.

Troubleshooting NCE Consist Issues

Sound Decoders

If you have problems with multiple sound decoders (such as SoundTraxx's SoundCar decoder with an NCE Power Pro DCC system, do the following:

  1. Delete all NCE-style advanced consists and consist your locomotives manually with Advanced Consisting: Set CV 19 (Consist Address) in each locomotive to the same value from 1 to 127 (+128 when the locomotive is facing backward). Additionally, Consist Function Groups (CVs 21 and 22) should be programmed manually in each decoder.
  2. With the consist address selected on your cab; you can use Intelligent Consisting to add the SoundCar decoders to that address.

File:Soundtraxx Tech Note 15.pdf SoundCar Intelligent Consisting (NCE-style Advanced Consist)

Cannot Consist

There are two possibilities:

  1. Cab Bus address conflict
  2. Command station configuration

Two cabs can be using the same address. This routinely results in strange behaviours. Most NCE cabs default to the Cab Bus address of two. Regarding the second issue, the command station can restrict functions based on Cab Bus address. It is possible to permit cabs on specified addresses to perform consisting operations, forbidding all others from creating or deleting consists.

Clearing an NCE Advanced Consist

To clear an NCE Advanced consist using a non NCE DCC system, clear CV19 by writing a value of 0 (zero) to it. Repeat for each multifunction decoder which was part of the consist.

NCE provides a Clear All Advanced Consists command. This may not succeed with specific multifunction decoders.[3]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Two digits in hexadecimal
  2. ↑ This process can also bypass the Decoder Lock if active on most decoders.
  3. ↑ NCE uses Broadcast Mode to transmit Clear All Advanced Consists, some decoders may not respond to this command when Broadcast Mode is used.
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