KB332: DT402 & DT400 Series Throttle Basic Operation and Quick Start Guide

These are the basic DT400 and DT402 series throttle operating instructions designed to get you “up and running” quickly and to minimize your “frustration level” as you learn to use the throttle.  

Turning Track Status On and Off

To run your layout you must be sure track power and track status are both ON.  Follow these steps with your DT400 or DT402 series throttle to do this.

1. Press the "PWR" key on the bottom left side of the throttle.
2. The words “+ON  -OFF” will come on in the display.
3. Press the “Y +” key quickly and you should see the small Track Status Indicator Dot come on in the upper right side of the display just above the Fs in the "OFF".  The Track Status Indicator Dot should be on solid and not blinking.  Trains will not run if it is blinking.
4. If the Track Status Indicator Dot is blinking, simply press the “Y +” KEY very quickly and it will toggle to solid (You can make it toggle back and forth between solid and blinking by pressing the “Y +” key repeatedly).

Selecting a Locomotive To Run

To run a locomotive using your throttle, you must select that locomotive's address on either the left or right throttle knob on your DT400 or DT402 throttle.

1. Place the loco you want to run on the track.
2. Turn the throttle knob you want to run a loco on slightly counter clock-wise letting the controller know you want to run the loco with that knob.
3. Press the “LOCO” key.
4. Select the number of the loco by pressing the number keys (for example: 1, 2, 1, 8 for #1218 or 3 for 03).
5. Press either “ENTER” or “LOCO” to select the address on that throttle.
6. Repeat the same procedure to select another loco on the other throttle knob.

NOTE:  Do not put the same address on more than one throttle.

Setting up and Breaking Up an MU (Consist)

To run multiple locomotives together on a single address, you need to set up an MU.  When you are finished running the MU you need to remove individual locos from the MU so you can run them on their own again.  This procedure describes how to set up a Universal Consist.  If you wish to use Basic Consisting or Advanced Consisting, check the Tech Support Depot Articles on those topics.

To Add a Locomotive Address to an MU

1. Place the two or more locos that you wish to run together, as an MU on a single address, on the track.
2. Select the lead (TOP) loco on the right side throttle knob.
3. Select the loco to be added to the MU on the left side throttle knob.
4. Make sure all the locos in the MU are physically traveling in the same physical direction on the track when you run them (both going to the left or to the right).
5. Press the “MU” key to let the system know you want to go into MU mode.
6. Press the “Y +” key to add the locomotive on the left throttle knob to the MU.
7. The lead (TOP) loco will now control both locos.
8. To add additional locos to the MU repeat steps 3 – 5 above.

To Remove a Locomotive Address from an MU

1. To remove a loco from a consist (MU) select the loco you want to remove on the left throttle.  The loco you does not have to be on the track to be removed from a universal consist.
2. Press the “MU” key.
3. Push the “N -“ key
4. That loco is now out of the consist (no longer MU’d) and will run on its own again.

Note:  While MU’d you can control functions only in the “trailing” units (the ones that are not the TOP locomotive) by selecting their address on the left side throttle and turning the functions (lights, etc.) on/off.  You will not be able to control the loco's speed and direction since these are being controlled as part of the MU.

Decoder Programming

To change the address of a locomotive or any of it's other features controlled by CVs (Configuration Variables), you need to program the CV for the feature you are working with to a CV number that will achieve the desired result.

1. Place the loco you want to program on the programming track.
2. Press the “PROG” key.
3. Make sure “Pd” is displayed in the bottom center of the display.  This means you are using direct mode for programming.  Most modern decoders use direct mode.  If you are using an older decoder you may need to use a different programming mode.  Pressing the "PROG" key repeatedly toggles among PG (paged mode), PH (physical register mode), Pd (direct mode), and Po (operations mode for programming on the main line).
4. “AD2” or "AD4" will be displayed on the left side of the display.  AD2 is for two digit address programming and AD4 is for four digit address programming. Pressing the right throttle knob allows you to toggle between AD2 and AD4.

2 Digit Address Programming

1. If you want a two digit address (1-127) make sure "AD2" is displayed and use the right knob to dial up the address you want to program into the loco's decoder.
2. Press the “Enter” key.
3. If programming was successful you will see “Good” and then the address you programmed into the locomotive's decoder.

 4 Digit Address Programming

1. If you want a four digit address (128 & above) press the right throttle knob until “AD4” appears on the display.
2. Use the numeric keypad to enter the address you wish to program into the loco's decoder.
3. Press the “ENTER” key followed fairly quickly by the “Y +” key (this changes CV 29 to enable the four digit address for you.
4. If successful you should see the address you programmed in the display.

Programming CVs Other Than Decoder Address

1. Press the right throttle knob until "AD2" appears on the display.
2. Use the left throttle knob to dial up the CV you want to program.
3. Use the right throttle knob to dial up the value you want to program for the CV you selected.
4. Press "ENTER" key to program the decoder.

Press the “EXIT” key to leave Program Mode and return to normal layout operations when you are finished programming.