Digitrax Command Stations offer three methods of multiple unit (MU) or consist control:
1. Basic Consisting
2. Advanced Consisting
3. Universal Consisting (the Digitrax preferred method)
- By definition, Digitrax always adds loco addresses to the “TOP” loco address in a consist.
- The “TOP” loco is special, in that it is the address that receives the speed & direction commands for the entire consist.
- All non TOP loco addresses added to the consist are controlled by commands sent to the “TOP” loco.
- The TOP locomotive does not have to be a physical loco on the track, it can be a phantom.
- Digitrax defines the TOP loco as the loco on the R Throttle Knob at the time when the MU add is performed.
- All loco addresses in a consist will have the same status as the TOP loco. They will all be common, in-use or idle based on the state of the TOP loco.
- Each loco within a consist maintains its original advanced 28/128 or standard 14 speed step mode setting.
- A consist can be released by one throttle and then selected and run by any other throttle.
- A consist TOP address can be dispatched and acquired on another throttle just like any other address.