MRC Prodigy Express2 User Manual

Page: 9
Deceleration Rate (dEc): This rate simulates the drag of a heavy load as the loco slows
down so when you decrease the speed setting, the loco will gradually decrease its speed.
PROGRAMMING LOCO ON THE PROGRAM TRACK
1. Make sure your Cab is allowed to program on the Program Track.
2. Place the loco on the Program Track. Press PROG to select “Prog Prog Track”. Press
ENTER.
3. First, “Adr” will ash, prompting you to program the loco address. Using 0 - 9, enter
the loco address followed by ENTER, or press ENTER to skip.
NOTE: For the beginner or if you want to only program the loco address, you can stop
right here. Put the loco back on the Main Track. Select the loco by pressing LOCO then
enter the loco address and press ENTER. Now you can run the loco. The Program
Track is strictly for programming and reading decoders. Locos will not run on the
program track.
4. Next, “SV” will ash, prompting you to program the Start Voltage. Input data and then
press ENTER.
5. Next, “Acc” will ash, prompting you to program the acceleration rate. Input data and
then press ENTER.
6. Next, “dEc” will ash, prompting you to program the deceleration rate. Input data and
then press ENTER.
7. Next, “TV” will ash, prompting you to program the Top Voltage. Input data then press
ENTER.
8. Finally, “CV#” will ash, prompting you to program a CV (Conguration Variable). At
this point, you have already nished most of the decoder programming. You can stop
programming here by pressing ENTER.
9. If you want to program a CV, enter a CV number. Press ENTER. Then enter CV data.
Press ENTER. “CV#” will ash again, prompting you to program another CV. To skip,
press ENTER.
NOTE: Programming a CV with incorrect data can cause a decoder malfunction. Read

Variables section.
PROGRAMMING LOCOS ON THE MAIN TRACK
Programming on the Main Track can save you the e󰀨ort of moving a loco to the Program
Track for programming. However, you have to know the loco address in order to program
on the Main Track. Otherwise you have to program the loco on the Program Track. Not
all decoders support the Program on Main feature. Please read your decoder’s manual to
check whether the decoder supports this feature.
1. Make sure your Cab is allowed to program on the Main Track
2. To program on the Main Track, press PROG to select “Prog Main Track”. Press
ENTER. The current loco address will ash, prompting you to program the current
loco.
3. To program the current loco, press ENTER; to program another loco, enter its address
and press ENTER.
4. The rest of the programming procedures are the same as the Programming on
Program Track procedures (see above). We recommend you bring the loco to a
stop before programming because if the moving loco has a bad pickup, it may fail to
receive the program command, causing a malfunction.

MRC Prodigy Express2 Specifications

General

Brand	MRC
Model	Prodigy Express2
Category	Controller
Language	English

Summary

GETTING STARTED

Introduction to Prodigy Express2

Welcome and overview of the Prodigy Express² DCC system's capabilities and benefits.

DCC Basic Background

Explains the fundamental principles of Digital Command Control (DCC) for model railroads.

Specifications and Features

System Menu Summary Chart

Overview of system functions accessed via the SYS key and numeric keypad.

OPERATION

Quick Start Guide

Provides immediate steps for connecting and operating the Prodigy Express² system.

Connecting to Your Layout

Detailed instructions on wiring the Command Station to the railway layout.

Running a Loco

Step-by-step guide on selecting, controlling speed, and direction of a locomotive.

Controlling Accessory Functions

How to operate locomotive functions like lights and sounds using key presses.

Recalling and Deleting Locos

Managing stored locomotive addresses in the cab memory for easy recall and removal.

Emergency Stopping and Speed Steps

Methods for immediate loco stoppage and adjusting speed step settings.

Yard Mode Operation

Enabling and using Yard Mode for simultaneous speed and direction control.

Fast Clock and Shutdown Procedures

Using the fast clock feature and proper system shutdown instructions.

CAB SETUP

Setting Cab Addresses

Assigning unique addresses to multiple cabs for system operation.

Adding More Cabs

Instructions for expanding the system with additional cab units.

Program Track Access Control

Limiting which cabs can program locos on Main and Program Tracks.

PROGRAMMING DECODERS

Decoder Terminology

Definitions of key terms like Loco Address, Start Voltage, and Acceleration Rate.

Programming Locos on Program Track

Step-by-step guide to programming locomotive decoders on a dedicated track.

Programming Locos on Main Track

Method for programming decoders directly on the main layout without interruption.

Reading Loco Decoder Values

How to read back configuration variable (CV) values from a locomotive decoder.

CONFIGURATION VARIABLES (CVs)

Most Commonly Used CVs

List and explanation of frequently utilized Configuration Variables for decoder setup.

Understanding CV #29

Detailed explanation of CV #29's importance and its role in decoder configuration.

CONSISTING

Advanced Consisting Overview

Introduction to Advanced Consisting, using CV19 for multi-locomotive control.

Programming Advanced Consists

Steps to create and configure advanced consists for multiple locomotives.

Running Advanced Consists

How to operate a consist as a single unit after setup.

Clearing Advanced Consists

Procedure to disband an advanced consist group.

Universal (Old-Style) Consisting

Method for consisting older decoders without CV19 support.

Programming Universal Consists

Steps to create and configure universal consists.

Running Universal Consists

How to operate a universal consist using the lead loco's address.

Clearing Universal Consists

Procedure to disband a universal consist group.

FAST CLOCK OPERATION

Setting Fast Clock Time

Instructions for setting the real-time clock and its ratio for the layout.

Setting Time Mode (AM/PM/Military)

Configuring the time display to AM/PM or 24-hour military format.

Setting AM/PM or Military Time

Configuring the time display to AM/PM or 24-hour military format.

REVERSE LOOP OPERATION

ACCESSORY DECODERS

Programming Accessory Decoders

Steps to program accessory decoders using CV #513.

Selecting Accessory Decoders

How to select and control individual accessories via their address.

ACCESSORY ROUTES

Setting Accessory Routes

Procedure to define routes by assigning accessories to route numbers.

Running Accessory Routes

Activating a defined route to operate multiple accessories simultaneously.

Clearing Accessory Routes

Procedure to remove defined accessory routes.

EXPANDING YOUR LAYOUT

TROUBLESHOOTING

General Troubleshooting Steps

A systematic approach to diagnose and resolve common system issues.

General Problems Checklist

A list of common issues and checks for resolving operational problems.

Special Troubleshooting Scenarios

Specific guidance for diagnosing and fixing less common or more complex problems.

Common Operational Issues

Troubleshooting specific problems like loco headlights, loss of response, or cab communication.

SERVICE & SUPPORT