ProCab/Cab01 Problems

For each problem, there are code words used to describe the things to check.

At the bottom of this page, each code word is explained in terms of what you need to do to identify and/or fix the problem.

BASIC CAB COMMUNICATION LINKS

To understand where thing can go bad is to take a step back and understand how the cabs work in terms of communication to the command station. There are a series of links and if any link along the way gets broken, then things will now work correctly. This also points out that some problem may in fact not be the fault of the cab but the fault somewhere else in the link. Thinking "outside the cab" can sometime help you solve your problem.

PLUG IN: Cab/Throttle<--> Cab Bus <--> Command Station

RADIO: Cab/Throttle<--> Radio board inside the cab <--> "over the air" <--> "RB" Radio Base Station <--> Cab Bus <--> Command Station

In the next section we will talk about both types of problems at the same time. Some problem are common to both and others are not.

PROCAB RADIO and NON Radio TROUBLE SHOOTING STEPS

1) What happens when you plug the cab into the Cab panel?

What is shown on the ProCab display can give you clues to where in the chain the communication is broken.

When you first power up the PowerCab in radio mode, there are 3 unique display messages displayed on the screen in quick succession order. The first two messages happen so fast that you many not notice them for the display of a working Procab normally goes quickly to the operating screen. But if that normal screen does not show up, then the message you see indirectly tells you something about what is wrong.

The first message is the one you see now:

Procab v1.3

Cab address = xx

This tell you the Procab is alive and

1) Running V1.3 ProCab software.

2) xx = Cab Address for this cab. By default from the factory this number is "02"

If this is the only screen message you see, then this is telling you that you do NOT HAVE communication with the radio board inside the throttle.

If the radio is working inside the ProCab, then you might briefly see the above display but it will be almost instantly be replaced with a Radio Board Message showing its software version number. If this is the only screen message you see, then this tells you you have a radio communication problem with the RB02 radio base station. If the LED on the top in blinking, then the RB02 itself is fine but the connection between the RB02 and the CS processor is broken. If there is not blinking LED, then the RB02 is dead or you have a wrong radio ID set.

If communication is working all the way to the command station, then you will see the radio message almost instantly be replaced with the normal train operating screen.

If there is a break anywhere in this chain of communication to the command station's processor, then the ProCab LCD will display the message you see.

What is shown also give you more clues to where it is broken

The message you see is ONLY generated by the ProCab itself when it first powers up. If the radio is working, it is replaced with a radio message. It there is communication with the command station, the radio message is replaced with your normal screen.