Hey Stan2004 and GRJ:
After GRJ could not make my six modules fail to produce my results on my home layout, which was with the extra board installed in a stock DCS-RC controller, after applying power, both the PS2 and a PS3 engine would start up in conventional mode.
As I understand the project, it is to apply to the track a watchdog signal that cycles on and off once a second.
This morning after GRJ success in testing, I wanted to see what the barking dog signal looked like on my scope. So I connected the power supply to the inputs of the scope, and saw a clean sine wave. I then connected the stock DCS-RC controller to the network. The first thing the showed up was a modified tick in the peak of the sine wave, about one second later the watchdog signal appeared over the crest of the sine wave. After another second it was gone. So in about two seconds the event was over, as far as I could tell. If the addition of the board to the DCS-RC is resetting the controller 900ms after power is applied, it would seem that the watchdog signal never gets to the engine to keep it dark and silent waiting for the startup signal.
It also seems that the watchdog signal from a MTH TIU rev.L starts at applying power to the output channel of Fixed 1, and continues until the red indicator light in the unit flashes the number of the TIU.
With an engine sitting on the test track and applying power to the modified DCS-RC-WD controller the engine sees that first tick in the sine wave, a then waits for the watchdog signal to figure out which mode to start in, conventional or command. If the engine does not see a signal in about five seconds it starts up in conventional mode.
Some of us have the continuing problem in yards on club layouts, we apply power to the supply feed of the yard with the channel of the TIU connected passively to it. The watchdog signal is now over, the switch to now thrown to the yard spur, and the engine starts up in conventional mode. I have three applications for the fix to the DCS-DC.
If we change R1 in the circuit to provide more time before reset after power up, would that let the dog do his job, no plastic bag needed.
