Control panel WiFi MTH DCS, Lionel Legacy, NCE DCC

Really cool setup! 

Hudson J1e posted:

Really cool setup! 

Thanks Phil, I am pretty proud of it. 

Well thought out and neatly done.   Joe

Thanks Joe 

Outstanding!!

Dave, Thanks, Chickens, dogs, cats, too

I think it's great that you have also added DCC to the normal 3 rail control systems. Not sure I have seen anyone else here on the forum that has done that? Your setup looks really nice and also very interesting with DCC thrown into the setup. Nice control panel as well and I see you have the NCE DCC system which is the one I have been admiring.

I would be interested in hearing more about your DCC setup. I have both DCS and Legacy with a WIU from MTH recently added for Wifi (no Lionel Wifi at this time). I don't yet have an AIU, but it's in the plans someday and I don't have TMCC (just Legacy).

I would really like to give DCC a try someday. I am all 3 rail and most of my engines are MTH PS3. I have no 2 rail engines and don't really want to get into those. I was thinking about trying the PS3 engines in DCC mode on my same layout as the DCS and Legacy is installed. I know a little about DCS and Legacy, but not so much on the DCC fitting into the mix. It will be a while before I add the DCC, I want to expand the layout some first, but it's in the long range plans.

I would certainly be interested in your thoughts, ideas, tips, how-to's, or anything else you wouldn't mind sharing, explaining, etc.

rtr12 posted:

I have both DCS and Legacy with a WIU from MTH recently added for Wifi (no Lionel Wifi at this time). I don't yet have an AIU, but it's in the plans someday and I don't have TMCC (just Legacy).

If you have Legacy, you have TMCC.

Yes I have TMCC it works great. 

rtr12 posted:

I think it's great that you have also added DCC to the normal 3 rail control systems. Not sure I have seen anyone else here on the forum that has done that? Your setup looks really nice and also very interesting with DCC thrown into the setup. Nice control panel as well and I see you have the NCE DCC system which is the one I have been admiring.

I would be interested in hearing more about your DCC setup. I have both DCS and Legacy with a WIU from MTH recently added for Wifi (no Lionel Wifi at this time). I don't yet have an AIU, but it's in the plans someday and I don't have TMCC (just Legacy).

I would really like to give DCC a try someday. I am all 3 rail and most of my engines are MTH PS3. I have no 2 rail engines and don't really want to get into those. I was thinking about trying the PS3 engines in DCC mode on my same layout as the DCS and Legacy is installed. I know a little about DCS and Legacy, but not so much on the DCC fitting into the mix. It will be a while before I add the DCC, I want to expand the layout some first, but it's in the long range plans.

I would certainly be interested in your thoughts, ideas, tips, how-to's, or anything else you wouldn't mind sharing, explaining, etc.

rtr12

I use DCC on Center rail and here is the setup.  NCE Power Pro and MRC 8 amp booster. Have not added JMRI wifi yet but do run it on computer control. It is interesting to see folks face when you run DCC on 3-Rail. You have to monitor  your current so the number of passenger cars has it limit. 

I have a MTH HO engine running on DCC and it works great.

O scale  you can turn on DCC and run it that way or switch it to the outside rail.

Running 3-rail you need the DCC you need to use center rail and outside rail leaving the power switch in center rail will do that for you. I got this information from MTH. 

Remember to measure the voltage on DCC you need to use a 'True RMS meter' that is because the waveform of DCC. 

This is a good start if you have questions send them to me and I will repost them for all to see. 

gunrunnerjohn posted:

rtr12 posted:

I have both DCS and Legacy with a WIU from MTH recently added for Wifi (no Lionel Wifi at this time). I don't yet have an AIU, but it's in the plans someday and I don't have TMCC (just Legacy).

If you have Legacy, you have TMCC.

Poor wording I guess. What I meant was that I don't have a Cab1/Cab1L or bases to go with them, only have the 990 system.

And with the #990 Legacy system, you don't need any of those other TMCC systems.

Dan,

Thanks for the info. You said your switches control the power distribution, I presume isolating the DCS/Legacy and DCC. What are your two computer power directors? I would be interested in any wiring diagrams you might have as to how you have all the different systems connected, isolated, etc. My layout is wired for DCS, closely following Barry's book as best as I could. Legacy was added after DCS.

As I said it's a way off for me, but I really do want to have DCC to fiddle with someday. JMRI is also something I would like to fiddle with as well. I don't know much about JMRI either. It's wifi capabilities would be one thing I didn't know about.

Did you research all the DCC control systems? How do you like the NCE system? I have looked at DCC control systems a little and NCE was (still is) also my choice. Easy DCC looked interesting, but I think I still prefer NCE and they have some add on items that I believe they said will handle the higher power needed for O gauge. 

Thanks again for the info. 

gunrunnerjohn posted:

And with the #990 Legacy system, you don't need any of those other TMCC systems.

Yes, and there are no plans to get any of the TMCC only stuff. DCC is the only other system I would like to add someday, but I have to spread this all out somewhat due to cost over-runs. Some of these new catalogs they keep coming out with every few months are killing me!

rtr12 posted:

Dan,

Thanks for the info. You said your switches control the power distribution, I presume isolating the DCS/Legacy and DCC. What are your two computer power directors? I would be interested in any wiring diagrams you might have as to how you have all the different systems connected, isolated, etc. My layout is wired for DCS, closely following Barry's book as best as I could. Legacy was added after DCS.

As I said it's a way off for me, but I really do want to have DCC to fiddle with someday. JMRI is also something I would like to fiddle with as well. I don't know much about JMRI either. It's wifi capabilities would be one thing I didn't know about.

Did you research all the DCC control systems? How do you like the NCE system? I have looked at DCC control systems a little and NCE was (still is) also my choice. Easy DCC looked interesting, but I think I still prefer NCE and they have some add on items that I believe they said will handle the higher power needed for O gauge. 

Thanks again for the info. 

RT12

Yes I can isolate DCS/Legacy and DCC as they do not work with DCC different form of control signal. I got Legacy added to my DCS and it works great. When I wired the San Diego 3-Railers layout it was a big learning curve because everyone was telling me it would  not work. That system runs DCS and TMCC (Legacy) too.  I did a swan dive to speak of into the patents of both system  and they were compatible.  MTH engineering was a great help and I was asking questions at the time they did not want to answer but found that Jason Wenzel was very  helpful and steered me in the right direction.  Berry's books are great references when dealing with DCS but we're not around when I was dealing with it. I had been installing TAS and that was another big plus for me. Phil and Mike Regan will also great help and Mike is now service for Lionel. Lou F (IC-controls) was also helpful when I was doing the wiring   I learned some tricks with DCS by stumbling on them and they proved spot on into the workings of DCS. From my experience with EMI-RFI interference in the Navy it was easy for me to isolate most of the problems if not all of them. Craftsmanship on wiring is one of the biggest plus's. 

JMRI has a yahoo group that has some very good information,Check it out.

As for the NCE and DCC remember that the 2-rail O-scale has been using DCC for a long time and from what I have found their experience and be used in running DCC on 3-rail does cross over. All 3-rail does is move the power rail to the center of the track basically. They also run passenger cars with lighting and with LED's this has change current drain too. The engines motors run on DC and yes you can convert Lionel Pullmor to dc as well, 2-rail has done that for years. I have seen some great looking Lionel Pullmor engines running DCC. 

How do I connect my 990 U wire to my Tiu to use my Lionel legacy on the dcs app? I tried speaker wire without success.