raising4daughters posted:Lou1985 posted:Well you've got a couple options:
Set up the TIU on only a couple loops. Make those loops the only ones you can run DCS locomotives on.
Run the DCS locomotives using the Powermaster like you would any other conventional locomotive.
Lou, thanks, that sounds like less of an effort and more to my liking. I don't want to spend money on DCS and run them conventionally; that set up is just for my PW engines that were my grandfathers. I have no modern conventional.
But, I love your suggestion about limiting the TIU to a couple of loops. Sounds a lot easier compared to the alternatives above (for my case). Couple of questions on that.
1. Does that option mean each loop is exclusively TMCC/Powermaster or exclusively DCS? That might not be bad, but knowing that would help me pick which loops to dedicate to DCS. For example, it'd be easy to make the elevated loop or the shelf loops exclusively DCS since they aren't connected to others. The table top loops and yards are all connected and would be my TMCC loops/blocks.
No. The loop/loops you connect the TIU to will be able to DCS/TMCC locomotives if you connect to one of the fixed channels, or DCS/TMCC/Conventional locomotives if you connect to a variable channel. Any loop you connect to a variable channel does not require a Powermaster. With multiple loops and multiple transformers it would be a good idea to make sure that all of your transformers are in phase with each other.
2. Does the TIU have a limit to the number of power blocks it can connect to (like a Lionel Power master can only connect to one) or does it broadcast a signal like TMCC that any TMCC engine on any block can receive it. I guess I'm asking if I can use the TIU like a TMCC command base to broadcast a DCS signal to all 6 loops/blocks while leaving the power masters in place for conventional. I can live with either scenario but am hoping for the latter.
DCS signals are broadcast through the track, like TMCC. TMCC sends signals through the outside rails to the locomotive. DCS sends signals through the middle rail and receives a confirmation the locomotive received the signal through the outside rails. You could connect the TIU in passive mode to reach multiple loops but 6 might be too many.
I'd suggest reading this: https://mthtrains.com/sites/de...ction/20as14017i.pdf
It should answer most of your questions on setting up DCS.
