ProCab Manual.
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INTRODUCTION

Just as every locomotive has a separate number (address in DCC terms) each cab needs a separate address so the command station can distinguish one cab from another. Each ProCab is shipped from the factory with the address of 2. If this is not your first ProCab you will have to change the address before using the cab. To easily change the address:

1. Power up your Powerhouse system.
2. Plug in the ProCab cable to the CAB BUS connector of the Powerhouse
3. Unplug your procab at the base of the cab
4. Press and hold the SELECT LOCO button while re-plugging in the cable you just removed from the cab
5. You should see the following display on the cab:
   PROCAB 02 V1.2
   MODE = REGULAR
   
6. The cursor will be flashing over the 0 of "02". Type in a new address such as 03 followed by the ENTER key. You must put in two digits. In this case, you will press both the "0" and "3" (valid range = 2-63).
7. Press ENTER as many times as necessary to accept all the other cab setup options. They will be discussed later in this manual.

THE LCD SCREEN

The LCD screen provides you with messages from the Powerhouse Command Station. This information includes: locomotive status, scale time, command prompts and messages regarding programming decoders. The drawing above shows how the display looks during normal operation. The top line of the display includes the locomotive number being controlled and the scale time. The second line shows the direction, speed and status of the locomotive function outputs. Decoder functions are represented with "L" for headlight or the function number 1 through 6 being ON. A dash ("-") indicating the function is OFF

LOCOMOTIVE CONTROL AREA

DIRECTION

The DIR key changes the direction of your loco or consist. The current direction is displayed as the first three characters of the second line on the screen. This button is disabled if the cab is in Yard mode.

BRAKE

The BRAKE set the speed of the active loco to zero. If no speed change is made the loco will come to a complete stop.

Note: if you have a potentiometer speed control in your ProCab the BRAKE key will only work when using the buttons for speed control.

SPEED SECTION

The digital encoder equipped ProCab allows you to use both the speed buttons and the knob for controlling the speed of your locomotive. The left two keys increase or decrease the speed by either 4 or 10 speed steps, depending on the speed step mode (14, 28 or 128), whereas the right keys increase and decrease the speed by one speed step at a time. The knob increases the speed by pushing it up and decreases the speed when it is pulled down.

Digital encoder equipped ProCabs have a feature called ballistic tracking. The faster you turn the knob the faster it will increase or decrease the speed. This rate is adjustable from 0-7. The factory default value is 3. See the Cab Setup section later in this manual.

Note: if you have a potentiometer speed control in your cab, the buttons will not work unless you turn them on and the potentiometer off. This can be quickly changed by holding down the Select Loco key when re-plugging in the Cab Cable, this will put the Cab in its internal set up mode. Note: Speed buttons are disabled if the ProCab is in Yard mode.

HORN/WHISTLE

Factory default is to operate function 2 when this button is pushed. This can be changed in the Set Cab Params menu of the command station. Unlike other keys which toggle the functions on/off this key blows the horn as long as the key is held down. Pressing the 2 key will still toggle the function on or off.

BELL

Factory default is toggle function "3" on or off with each button press. This can be changed in the Set Cab Params menu.

HEADLIGHT

Toggles the Headlight on and off. It is defined as Function 0, and pressing the 0 (zero) key will perform the same function, but we felt the headlight warranted its own button and a more convenient location.

MACRO

The macro route control and support screens are explained in detail in the technical reference manual.

EMERGENCY STOP

Pressing EMERGENCY STOP once will stop the active loco/consist for this Cab only. Speed will be immediately set to zero (no momentum). Loco is restarted by changing the speed step or direction.

WHOLE LAYOUT EMERGENCY STOP

Pressing EMERGENCY STOP three times in succession will bring the entire layout to a stop by shutting off track power. "LAYOUT STOPPED!" will be displayed and is cleared by pressing the ENTER key. Only the Cab that executed the Emergency Stop can clear it. Each Loco or Consist can now be restarted by sending it a command, such as a speed step increase or decrease, or by toggling a Function output.

RECALL

This button toggles between the last two to six trains addressed. RECALL allows you to keep two to six locomotives and/or consists active in the command station memory and access them in "round-robin" fashion with each press of the button. Think of RECALL as being a set of memory slots. To put a locomotive in a recall "slot", press SELECT LOCO and enter the loco or consist to be operated. To put another locomotive in the next slot press RECALL to access the next slot. Now press SELECT LOCO and enter the second loco. When additional trains are to be added a RECALL with "000" or an expendable loco/consist must be displayed in the LOC slot on the screen. Whatever is on the display will be replaced with the new loco/consist.

 

The number of RECALLS for each cab can be changed within the "SET CAB PARAMS" menu (see PROG button description). The factory set value is two. You may also "clear out" any locomotives in the recall slots using the "SET CAB PARAMS" menu. We don't advise using RECALL in Yard mode.

LOCO/ACCESSORY SELECTION AND CONSIST AREA

SELECT ACCESSORY

For accessing "accessory" decoders that operate accessories such as switch machines, lights, signals, etc.

SELECT LOCO

This allows the selection of a locomotive/consist to operate. Press this key, then the loco/consist number, then ENTER.

CONSIST

Supports not only the advanced decoders that address the Extended Packet Format but also the entry level decoders that are presently on the market. For complete operating instructions on consist makeup's read the section on SETTING UP A CONSIST in either the Quick Start Guide or the Powerhouse Technical Reference.

 

SETUP

Starts the procedure for either creating an advanced or old style (some call it Universal) consist.

CLEAR

Disbands (breaks up) a consist.

ADD LOCO

Adds a locomotive to a consist.

DELETE LOCO

Drops a locomotive from a consist.

DATA ENTRY AND PROGRAMMING AREA

NUMBER KEYS

The keys 0 through 9 serve two purposes. First, when operating a loco/consist if a number key is pressed it toggles the corresponding function on the loco (if that function is connected and supported by the decoder). The second purpose is for typing in numbers such as when selecting locomotives or responding to screen selections during programming.

ENTER

Used to confirm numerical inputs and select a programming mode.

PROG

Provides selection of the various system menus available for setting up decoders, Cabs, time, etc. This button also doubles as an "escape" key during number/data entry. Whenever the cursor (flashing rectangular box) is shown on the cab display to indicate the cab is waiting for data to be input you can press PROG to cancel the data entry and return to normal operations.

The following menus are accessed round robin fashion with each successive press of the PROG key when in normal operations:

• First press: Program on the Main (Operations Mode programming)
• Second Press: Assign loco to Cab
• Third Press: Set Fast Clock
• Fourth Press: Use Programming Track
• Fifth Press: Set up Command Station
• Sixth Press: Set up Cab Parameters
• Seventh Press: Program accessory decoders on the mainline
• Eighth Press: Set up Macros (switch route control)
• Ninth press: return to normal operations

Pressing ENTER at any of the above menus will select that menu, pressing PROG will step to the next menu.

EXPANSION

Reserved for future features. At present it toggles between the display of lines 1 and 2 and the display of lines 3 and 4 which have nothing to display this time. The LoComand (K2 Engineering), RR&CO (Juergen Freiwald) and ENGINE COMMANDER (KAM Industries) PC software programs are able to send messages to the engineer via these two lines.

14/28

Provides the ability to toggle between 14, 28, and 128 speed step operation of the active loco/consist. The 14 speed step is for first generation decoders. The 28 speed step is second generation decoders and the momentum operation of advanced decoders. 128 speed step is now supported by all decoders except MRC and older Lenz decoders and provides the smoothest operation. When using this key the lower right will display the speed step mode you have selected. This display will be set to the normal operation display the next time a function is toggled or ENTER is pressed.

SCREEN LIGHT

Toggles the screen backlight on and off. Having the backlight on is a draw on the Command Station power, but is not significant until more than 6 Cabs with screen lights on are being used simultaneously. In this case it may become necessary to wire additional 12VDC power to the CabBus. Our CBB01 or UTP cab connector panels provide a convenient means for connecting additional cab bus power.

Adding a Piezo Buzzer to your ProCab

We've successfully used a Radio Shack #273-074A Piezo Buzzer in our ProCabs (version 1.2 and up). This buzzer will beep as the speed knob goes through zero when the cab is in Yard Mode. You can set the length of the beep from 0 (no beep) to 99 (annoying).

Installation:

• Solder a jumper wire from hole at Point A to the circuit board pad at Point B
• Solder the buzzer into the indicated holes on the PC board

PROCAB SPECIFICATIONS

Size: 8-3/4 x 3-5/8" x 1"
Power Requirements:
8 VDC 40mA (backlight off)
8 VDC 120mA (backlight on)
Maximum speaker/buzzer current: 15mA @ 5 volts DC.
Replacement Encoder: Bournes or Digikey part #3315C-1-006
Replacement Potentiometer: Bournes or Digikey part #3310C-1-203
Note: To switch from encoder to pot operation a 1.8K-2.2K resistor must be soldered at the surface mount resistor site labeled CONFIG (seep previous page) on the ProCab PC board. Be sure to solder the pot at the correct location (R13... not the encoder location) on the PC board. You will also have to carve or machine a flat on the shaft of the pot or encoder for the knob before installation. Note: Only cab versions 1.2 and higher can be switched from pot to encoder or vice versa.

6 WIRE CAB BUS CABLE WITH RJ-12 CONNECTORS

Pin #	Color	Description
Pin 1	White	No Connection, reserved
Pin 2	Black	Ground
Pin 3	Red	- RS-485
Pin 4	Green	+ RS-485
Pin 5	Yellow	+12 volts
Pin 6	Blue	No Connection, reserved

RJ-12 TO 3 WIRE PHONE PLUG CABLE

Compatible with our CBB01 cab bus adapter boards and Wangrow CCP01 connector panels.

CAB SETUP

The ProCab has various internal setup parameters and operating modes. To access the cab set up mode:

Turn on the command station

Unplug your cab from the command station

Press and hold down the SELECT LOCO button on the cab while plugging in the cab. The cab will now enter its internal setup program

Press ENTER to accept the current cab address (unless you want to change it). To change the cab address type in a new address such as 03 followed by the ENTER key. You must put in two digits so, in this case, you will press both the "0" and the "3". If you make a mistake just unplug the cab and re-plug it while holding down the SELECT LOCO key.

At the "1=YARD 2=NORMAL" prompt you can press ENTER to accept the current operating mode. To select between "normal" operation where the speed knob stops at speed 0 when turned all the way down or "yard" mode. In yard mode as the knob is turned down to zero it will reverse locomotive direction the start increasing speed in reverse as the knob turning in the "down" direction is continued. Pushing the knob up will reduce the reverse speed to zero the increase it in a forward direction.

Press ENTER to accept the existing Ballisting Tracking Rate or enter a new rate. Entering a low number will cause speed knob to change locomotive speed more slowly as the knob is turned, larger numbers will cause a greater change of speed as the knob is turned. The factory setting is 3 and values from 0-7 will be accepted.

Press ENTER to accept the current Speaker On Time or enter a new value. Smaller values generate a short "beep" as the speed knob is turned through zero when in yard mode and larger numbers generate a longer beep. Values from 0-99 are accepted. The factory value is 3. NOTE: the beep will only work if there is a speaker installed as illustrated in the following drawing.

Press ENTER to return to normal operations mode.

PROCAB FEATURES

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