@CurtisH posted:Arnold
Back to the ID of your TIU. If it is Rev L it HAS a USB port. Your last comment said it did not. John showed you a pic and the location to which you replied Thanks. My question to you is, IS it a Rev L with the USB port? All Rev L's that I have seen have a USB Port. If not it must be a REV I and you are reading the I as a L which it is not. After I have this answered I will proceed with connections.
I also am under the impression you have 2 loops inter connected but isolated with a yard of isolated spurs (powered from a third transformer (or a different one)).
Your TIU has to have power from an INPUT to Fixed Voltage ONE IN or you have to power it by the AUX PORT! If not the TIU will not work! Confirm what I have asked and I will explain or try to on how to hook everything up.
Hi Curtis, the answer to your 1st question is Yes. My TIU looks exactly the same as the one in GRJ's last picture, including the USB Port, so my TIU is, indeed, a Rev. L Version. I'm pleased with that because the signal for my current TIU is supposed to be stronger than that in the old one, and I need a strong signal because my layout is fairly long at 36 feet and goes around the walls in the playroom and laundery room in my basement.
Concerning my layout, you are correct, except that I have 2, not 3, Z4000 transformers hooked up to my layout. The 1st Z4000 controls both main line loops; each throttle controls one of those loops. The other Z4000 controls the 8 sidings; the left throttle controls sidings 1 through 4 using Atlas Heavy Duty Connectors for O Scale, and the right throttle controls sidings 5 through 8 using Atlas Heavy Duty Connectors. I have more than enough power thanks to these Z4000s.
Based on what you say about the Fixed Voltage ONE IN, I will connect one of the pairs of wires from one of the Z4000 transformers to the Fixed Voltage ONE IN, so the TIU gets power from that Z4000. When I do that, I hope that I can run a Postwar locomotive on the section of my layout controlled by that Z4000 throttle by changing the voltage (cracking the handle) using that Z4000 throttle handle. I would think that I can do that based on Zachariah's last reply. If this is not true, then I need to know what I need to do to run a Postwar engine on that section of my layout.
For most of my Postwar trains, I need to increase and decrease the voltage a little on the transformer for the engines to navigate various sections of my layout.
By the way, I also bought a DCS Explorer (# 50-1035) which will be delivered to me next week. I believe the DCS Explorer is essentially a TIU known as DCS Explorer Track Interface Unit, and trains are controlled by the DCS App on a smartphone, not a handheld remote.
I also have a DCS Remote Commander Set (# 50-1033) that I got 5 years ago and that I have never used. It came with an MTH set of trains.
One more thing which I don't think I mentioned before. I will not be using DCS to control my accessories and switch tracks, so I don't need the DCS AIU.
Also, I am fine with running my Postwar conventional trains using the throttles on my Z4000s. I don't need to run them using andy handheld remote.
The main reason I got this DCS equipment is to operate the electrocouplers on MTH Proto 2 and 3 engines using either the handheld remote unit or smartphone App
It's now in the wee hours of the morning. When you get a chance, Curtis, I would greatly appreciate your explanation of how to hook everything up. Others are also welcome to chime in on this subject. Arnold
