Yes, I made some assumptions:
TIU or the Lionel equivalent includes TVS's in each channel that would protect the track from spikes coming from the power source. Is that true????
At no time is the locomotive motor connected directly to its pickups in a digitally controlled locomotive....There is a circuit board between the motor and the pickups. Installing a TVS on the pickup offers no protection on a DCS type locomotive. If a TVS is added at the pickups to protect the circuit board how does a motor generated spike get suppressed on the other side of the motor controller by a TVS at the pickups???
Once spikes are suppressed at their source no more suppression is necessary.
MTH and Lionel followed normal industry practices for filtering power to circuits at the circuit. I know, a big assumption but I have not read of wholesale loss of any of these electronic components so they must have done something right (???).
Look, these are your trains. Do as you wish. I only offer my take on the TVS situation. I choose to not use them in my all DCS layout. We'll see if that is a bad decision.
LDBennett
