Skip to main content

I'm having a DCS problem I haven't encountered before.  All of a sudden, my DCS system wont recognize any of my engines (all PS3 RK steam).  My M1a worked fine for a few minutes, but then all of a sudden I lost complete control of the engine.  The only way I could get it to stop was to hit the E-Stop button.  I cycled the power to the TIU and the remote to try again, but I get an "Engine not on track" indication when trying to access the M1a or any of my other engines.  When I hit the read button I get a "NO ACTIVE DCS ENGINES" indication.  I verified the engines (K4s, L1s, M1a) are on the track and there is good power to the rails.  Any ideas?  Help much appreciated.   Highly frustrating to have my layout out of commission just before Christmas!

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Did you ever move the engine address after you added them? I had a similar problem myseld with some MTH Premier Santa Fe Dash 8’s. They are all fine when i add them. No trouble when changing the address. But when i try to select them from either active or inactive list, i get the error (engine not on track, or no active dcs engine). I just delete the engine and then re-add it, and everything goes back to normal. As long as i don’t edit the address, there are no problems. I have over 50 MTH PS2 and PS3 engines, and these 3 are the only ones that react this way. I can’t explain it! But if you are changing addresses, you may have a similar problem.

mustangtodd97 posted:

Did you ever move the engine address after you added them? I had a similar problem myseld with some MTH Premier Santa Fe Dash 8’s. They are all fine when i add them. No trouble when changing the address. But when i try to select them from either active or inactive list, i get the error (engine not on track, or no active dcs engine). I just delete the engine and then re-add it, and everything goes back to normal. As long as i don’t edit the address, there are no problems. I have over 50 MTH PS2 and PS3 engines, and these 3 are the only ones that react this way. I can’t explain it! But if you are changing addresses, you may have a similar problem.

This sounds like a battery issue. It also could be signal, but maybe not. Always make sure the battery is good, before changing the address. It saves a lot of grief. On PS3 engines, I run them for some time before I change addresses. They sometimes take much longer to fully charge the caps, than is advertised.

mustangtodd97 posted:

Did you ever move the engine address after you added them? I had a similar problem myseld with some MTH Premier Santa Fe Dash 8’s. They are all fine when i add them. No trouble when changing the address. But when i try to select them from either active or inactive list, i get the error (engine not on track, or no active dcs engine). I just delete the engine and then re-add it, and everything goes back to normal. As long as i don’t edit the address, there are no problems. I have over 50 MTH PS2 and PS3 engines, and these 3 are the only ones that react this way. I can’t explain it! But if you are changing addresses, you may have a similar problem.

I would change the batteries on those three engines.  If they are PS3 there is something wrong the board

Might sound wrong to you, but sometimes the caps are bad. Sometimes, they just don't get along with the boards. I had an engine I put a cap thing into, and it took over an hour of running, before the address change would stick!

 So I put a MTH battery in that engine and it was fine. I moved that same cap to another engine and it also was fine. I left without making any other conclusions.

 Maybe certain revisions of PS2 don't like the caps? maybe something in the board's flash or soundfile? I just don't know.

Last edited by Engineer-Joe
Engineer-Joe posted:

Might sound wrong to you, but sometimes the caps are bad. Sometimes, they just don't get along with the boards. I had an engine I put a cap thing into, and it took over an hour of running, before the address change would stick!

 So I put a MTH battery in that engine and it was fine. I moved that same cap to another engine and it also was fine. I left without making any other conclusions.

 Maybe certain revisions of PS2 don't like the caps? maybe something in the board's flash or soundfile? I just don't know.

Hmmm. I will look into that. I could always try an MTH battery to see if it cures the problem, but i wouldn’t leave it in the engine permanetly. I run on a modular  layout, so constanly charging batteries is a real PITA. I would also try another BCR, but highly unlikely all 3 are bad, especially whe I bought 12 at once and all the reat are good. Most likely these just don’t jive with the boards. Not a major issue forme really. I’m over it. Just thought it may help the original poster to hear my experience. I have also tried factory resets several times, which did not solve anything.

Thanks all for the responses.  My engines are all PS3, so no battery issues.  I've come to the conclusion that I have a bas TIU.  The TIU is "brand new" just received from Trainworld.  But the box was worn when received, and the included manual was copied on standard printer paper rather than the booklet from MTH

In short, I suspect my "new" TIU is in fact a used retread. Maybe previously returned to, and then sold again to me, by Trainworld.  So back it goes

I've had this experience before with Trainworld.  Ordered a RK Dreyfus Hudson that had issues out of the box.  Hated to return it as it was the last one in stock.  Months later another Dreyfus Hudson showed up on their website.  I purchased the engine and I have no doubt it is the same engine I previously returned.  But Trainworld obviously had the engine fixed as it runs great and I am still enjoying it.

Not trying to  bash Trainworld.  I've been a customer for decades a d will continue to buy from them.  But I am disappointed they sent me a previously opened product that does not work.

 

Add Reply

Post
The DCS Forum is sponsored by

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×