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I'm contemplating a simple DCC system for my home one-man layout. My question is: if I set a certain speed for locomotive #1 and then switch my controller to manage a 2nd loco, will #1 continue to run at the speed I previously set until/unless I return to it and make a change?
yes...any selected loco can have it's speed / direction set..and will continue until you reselect that loco and change it...
unless it derails / falls off / ...
Although....you'll find that having two trains running at the same time at greatly different speeds will have some interesting effects. Say you set the local off running on the main at 35 scale mph. You then have the switcher pull a cut of cars out of the yard to the interchange track at 5 smph. You then want have the local slow down and head for the interchange siding. As soon as you move the throttle when you switch engines, the local will have a tendency to slow down to the speed of the switcher. Some DCC systems are worse about this than others but you'll soon get used to making a quick adjustment to the throttle to get the train back the speed you want.
Although....you'll find that having two trains running at the same time at greatly different speeds will have some interesting effects. Say you set the local off running on the main at 35 scale mph. You then have the switcher pull a cut of cars out of the yard to the interchange track at 5 smph. You then want have the local slow down and head for the interchange siding. As soon as you move the throttle when you switch engines, the local will have a tendency to slow down to the speed of the switcher. Some DCC systems are worse about this than others but you'll soon get used to making a quick adjustment to the throttle to get the train back the speed you want.
Thats funny, what system does that little hiccup? I've got an NCE system and have my ProCab set for 6 recall positions. Even though it is an insane mental challenge for me, the NCE system can switch between 6 trains and not vary the speed on any unless I give it an input to do so.
UP2CSX is right if you are using a system like a zephry that has an analoge type of throttle. But when using something like a hand throttle like a DT400 then the speed is kept in the memory of the command station.
