@barnun posted:... There are seven sidings scattered about that may have Legacy, TMCC or MTH DCS engines stored and when activated via relays are powered from the mainlines (1 & 2) using two Lionel PH180's. In other words, I do not have a separate power feed to the sidings.
There is a single TIU powered in Passive mode using Fixed 1 Output, which is currently the only output in use. Also, since I do not own a DCS-RC unit (and they have obviously become more scarce than hen's teeth) I'm looking for a different solution.
1. So there are seven relays that switch power. How are the relays controlled (e.g., by an AIU)?
2. Do you ever need more than one siding on at a given time?
If the DCS-RC method is no longer a practical option, why not the approach GRJ proposed in the first post of this thread (over 5 years ago!). In other words every time you turn on a siding, you momentarily remove power from the passively powered TIU channel to use the TIU's watchdog. Depending on answers to above 2 questions, there might be a way for the proverbial man-behind-the-curtain to do it transparently.
