What is the remedy for the error message engine not on track when the engine is and the power on and its in my remote.
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Clem,
Is this the first time that the engine has been powered on since it was added?If so, the engine's battery is most likely too weak to remember it's DCS ID#.
If this the case, charge the engine's battery until, when track power is turned off, the engine's sounds persist for at least 6-7 seconds.
This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click here to go to the web page for the book.
Or click here to see my ad on the FOR SALE Forum.
Is this the first time that the engine has been powered on since it was added?If so, the engine's battery is most likely too weak to remember it's DCS ID#.
If this the case, charge the engine's battery until, when track power is turned off, the engine's sounds persist for at least 6-7 seconds.
This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click here to go to the web page for the book.
Or click here to see my ad on the FOR SALE Forum.
Clem,
Read my previous post. The engine's battery needs to be charged.quote:I shouldn't have to do that. Something is causing this to happen the locomotive was just run for a while two days ago
Ok,
what is the answer to when your remote(s) cannot move any engines from the inactive list to the active list, and have the error message that the "engine is not on the track" but when you press read all engines on the track that are on the inactive list will be moved from the active list and will operate the engine fine.
what is the answer to when your remote(s) cannot move any engines from the inactive list to the active list, and have the error message that the "engine is not on the track" but when you press read all engines on the track that are on the inactive list will be moved from the active list and will operate the engine fine.
Jon,
Have you seen this yourself?
I haven't a clue. This should not happen.quote:what is the answer to when your remote(s) cannot move any engines from the inactive list to the active list, and have the error message that the "engine is not on the track" but when you press read all engines on the track that are on the inactive list will be moved from the active list and will operate the engine fine.
Have you seen this yourself?
Clem and Otrainman,
How many TIU's do you have? What are their addresses? What is the address of the TIU you are using to add the engines?
How many TIU's do you have? What are their addresses? What is the address of the TIU you are using to add the engines?
I have 3 TIU's all in super mode, this started after I loaded 4.2 months ago. I can access all engines as long as i do the read function, but as I stated before I cannot bring a single engine from inactive to active.
I is just annoying that's all
I is just annoying that's all
quote:Originally posted by 0trainman:
I have 3 TIU's all in super mode, this started after I loaded 4.2 months ago. I can access all engines as long as i do the read function, but as I stated before I cannot bring a single engine from inactive to active.
I is just annoying that's all
What is the address of the TIU you use to load the engines? What TIU are you on when you try to move them from inactive to active? Are you running V4.20 firmware?
I have been seeing similar behavior on the NWTL since moving to V4.20. I add all the engines on TIU #1, which is only connected to a service track. The rest of the layout is controlled by TIU's 2-5 with all TIU's in super mode. I can move the engines in and out of inactive at will on TIU #1 (the TIU with which they are associated in the remote) but not on the other TIU's. I haven't had time to properly investigate this yet, but I suspect there might be a bug related to TIU address and/or association that produces the "engine not on track" error even when the locomotive is on a track with solid 10's on signal strength. The more data you can share the better.
Otrainman, it's interesting that you say a "read" will bring the engines up to the active list. Are the engines actually on the track and powered when you perform the read?
1st of all Merry Christmas
In response to Dave most engines were added before I had 3 Tiu's so some are on TIU 1,2, but more recently on TIU 3 on a separate programming track.
the only other thing I can think of is that I didn't have this problem untill I cloned my remotes about 9 months ago, after cloning my accessories and switch paths were not correct and had to go into the 2 remotes I cloned and correct the paths. the TIU paths were ok but the AIU accessory and switch output locations were scrambled, this may or may not have anything to do with the bringing engines from the inactive list to the active list, I don't know enough about the sofware.
I will try and do what Barry has suggested about deleting and re-adding engines on the the remote, just one question will I have to do this for all 3 remotes, this take a while because there are 70 engines, I would prefer to clone the other remotes after doing this but may run into the same problem with the switch path locations and i really don't want to go through that again because there are 60 switches.
In response to Dave most engines were added before I had 3 Tiu's so some are on TIU 1,2, but more recently on TIU 3 on a separate programming track.
the only other thing I can think of is that I didn't have this problem untill I cloned my remotes about 9 months ago, after cloning my accessories and switch paths were not correct and had to go into the 2 remotes I cloned and correct the paths. the TIU paths were ok but the AIU accessory and switch output locations were scrambled, this may or may not have anything to do with the bringing engines from the inactive list to the active list, I don't know enough about the sofware.
I will try and do what Barry has suggested about deleting and re-adding engines on the the remote, just one question will I have to do this for all 3 remotes, this take a while because there are 70 engines, I would prefer to clone the other remotes after doing this but may run into the same problem with the switch path locations and i really don't want to go through that again because there are 60 switches.
Sorry Dave I didn't answer your 1st question,
only the engines that are on tracks that are powered and receiving DCS signal will move from inactive to active.
only the engines that are on tracks that are powered and receiving DCS signal will move from inactive to active.
Thanks Jon,
Merry Christmas! Those of us on the west coast will join you in a couple hours.
Deleting and re-adding as Barry suggested should get everything back into the active list, but it probably won't make it any easier to move them back and forth. I'd suggest that you immediately clone the remote once you have all the engines re-added. That will give you a saved data file with everything active. If all the accessory and switch paths are correct in the remote when it is cloned they should load into your other remotes without trouble.
Merry Christmas! Those of us on the west coast will join you in a couple hours.
Deleting and re-adding as Barry suggested should get everything back into the active list, but it probably won't make it any easier to move them back and forth. I'd suggest that you immediately clone the remote once you have all the engines re-added. That will give you a saved data file with everything active. If all the accessory and switch paths are correct in the remote when it is cloned they should load into your other remotes without trouble.
Finally got back to my layout,
I did what Barry said to do,switching the TIU back to normal mode and doing a read in normal mode, which did find all engines on the tracks connected to TIU 2, engines on track connected to TIU 1 did not read, TIU 3 is set aside as a DCS set up and test unit without any tracks connected to it.
I put all the TIU'S back to super mode and can move engines from inactive to active only on tracks connected to TIU 2.
Maybe TIU 1 is defective?
I did what Barry said to do,switching the TIU back to normal mode and doing a read in normal mode, which did find all engines on the tracks connected to TIU 2, engines on track connected to TIU 1 did not read, TIU 3 is set aside as a DCS set up and test unit without any tracks connected to it.
I put all the TIU'S back to super mode and can move engines from inactive to active only on tracks connected to TIU 2.
Maybe TIU 1 is defective?
Jon,
It sounds as if the remote is "confused" as regards which engines are associated with which TIU. I suggest deleting and re-adding the engines.
It sounds as if the remote is "confused" as regards which engines are associated with which TIU. I suggest deleting and re-adding the engines.
Barry,
1.I thought with rev 4.0 that the engines were no longer stored in the TIU's.
2.why would all 3 remotes have the same problem.
1.I thought with rev 4.0 that the engines were no longer stored in the TIU's.
2.why would all 3 remotes have the same problem.
Jon,
They are not stored in the TIU, however, the remote has the association of each engine with a TIU. It's the association that appears to be messed up.quote:1.I thought with rev 4.0 that the engines were no longer stored in the TIU's.
Because the problem occurred after the engines were stored in all the remotes, when you switched to Super TIU mode. Also, if you cloned one remote to the others, all of them would inherit any issues present in the one that was the original.quote:2.why would all 3 remotes have the same problem.
So; what happened to Clem?
Hi all,
I finally took time today to pin down the behavior on the NWTL. In short, it appears that Super Mode is not functioning when moving engines out of the inactive list on V4.20.
Here's what happens. Add an engine on a given TIU (any address, but let's say #2). Move it to a TIU with a different address (let's say #3). Put both TIU's into Super Mode (if they're not already). You will have no problem operating the engine on TIU #3. Now put the engine into inactive. You will not be able to recall the engine to the active list until it is back on the TIU with which it is associated (TIU #2). If you perform a Read it will be properly re-associated with TIU #3. Once associated with TIU #3 the engine will move in and out of inactive without trouble. Put the engine back on TIU #2 and it will not move out of inactive.
The behavior remains the same when the remote is in either Normal or Speed operating modes. It does not matter whether the remote has the TIU's set for Super Mode when the engines are added to the remote.
I hope others will confirm or debunk the results of these tests and post about it here.
I finally took time today to pin down the behavior on the NWTL. In short, it appears that Super Mode is not functioning when moving engines out of the inactive list on V4.20.
Here's what happens. Add an engine on a given TIU (any address, but let's say #2). Move it to a TIU with a different address (let's say #3). Put both TIU's into Super Mode (if they're not already). You will have no problem operating the engine on TIU #3. Now put the engine into inactive. You will not be able to recall the engine to the active list until it is back on the TIU with which it is associated (TIU #2). If you perform a Read it will be properly re-associated with TIU #3. Once associated with TIU #3 the engine will move in and out of inactive without trouble. Put the engine back on TIU #2 and it will not move out of inactive.
The behavior remains the same when the remote is in either Normal or Speed operating modes. It does not matter whether the remote has the TIU's set for Super Mode when the engines are added to the remote.
I hope others will confirm or debunk the results of these tests and post about it here.
Hi Gregg,
Yes, pressing the Read button seems to reliably re-associate the engine no matter how many times you move it.
In the case of your engines that can be run by some remotes and not others, I suspect the remotes that won't operate the engines are not set for Super Mode. Super Mode doesn't really change anything in the TIU's. It actually changes the code that the remote transmits to the TIU. That's why you need to set each TIU to Super Mode in each remote, not just one.
Yes, pressing the Read button seems to reliably re-associate the engine no matter how many times you move it.
In the case of your engines that can be run by some remotes and not others, I suspect the remotes that won't operate the engines are not set for Super Mode. Super Mode doesn't really change anything in the TIU's. It actually changes the code that the remote transmits to the TIU. That's why you need to set each TIU to Super Mode in each remote, not just one.
Gregg,
Since, I believe, you run DCS 3.1 rather than 4.10 or 4.20, your issues quite possibly have little or no relationship to the problem that Dave has documented. Super TIU was just about rewritten for DCS 4.x.
All Super TIU mode does is instruct all TIUs to attempt to send commands to all engines, regardless of which TIU is associated with a particular engine. The remote does all of the heavy lifting.quote:In super mode the engines should associated with all the tiu, is that not the case with software 4.20? it appears not .
Since, I believe, you run DCS 3.1 rather than 4.10 or 4.20, your issues quite possibly have little or no relationship to the problem that Dave has documented. Super TIU was just about rewritten for DCS 4.x.
quote:Since, I believe, you run DCS 3.1 rather than 4.10 or 4.20,
Nope! We're running 4.2..... We may have been bitten by the Dave is referring to. In super mode any engine on any tiu's track should be able to come out of the inactive list on any remote without using the "read." Yes??? We try and keep all our engines in the active list and very seldom use the "read", There was a bug with one of the earlier versions of the software that when the "read was pressed some of the tiu would revert back to normal mode. That one has long been corrected.
quote:Originally posted by Mike Norberg:
So; what happened to Clem?
Hi Mike I'm still here. Now I have an engine that was on the track for months but inactive status for a few days. Running two other trains a hudson powered freight and a double headed Mikado freight, then out of the blue the consolidation took off dark at full speed. All my batteries are good this time and the last time I wrote. After reading all the lionel problems on the other discussion I guess this is just a DCS thing.Got nothing better to do then reboot, restart and reenter. This is sad, This forum works more reliable than my trains.
quote:Originally posted by Clem:quote:Originally posted by Mike Norberg:
So; what happened to Clem?
Hi Mike I'm still here. Now I have an engine that was on the track for months but inactive status for a few days. Running two other trains a hudson powered freight and a double headed Mikado freight, then out of the blue the consolidation took off dark at full speed. All my batteries are good this time and the last time I wrote. After reading all the lionel problems on the other discussion I guess this is just a DCS thing.Got nothing better to do then reboot, restart and reenter. This is sad, This forum works more reliable than my trains.
That has happened to me before. Engine sitting there on a yard track; engine not on the active list suddenly takes off. Put it back where it was, figuring it was just one of those glitches, since it didn't happen again.
I have since put in simple toggle switches on my engine tracks and turn'em off when the engine is not to be run for a time.
When you want to run an engine again, just turn on the track and the loco starts up in conventional mode(assuming you already have the layout powered up); select loco, press start up, and you're ready to go.
Ok,
I re added the engines and after taking inventory, I notied that the remote seems to skip engine address numbers IE 4,8,9,12,17,23,33,73&76.
Is there a reason for this, and this means I don't have as many engines as I thought I did, (makes my wife happy).
I re added the engines and after taking inventory, I notied that the remote seems to skip engine address numbers IE 4,8,9,12,17,23,33,73&76.
Is there a reason for this, and this means I don't have as many engines as I thought I did, (makes my wife happy).
Jon,
DCS always attempts to add a PS2/PS3 engine to the same DCS ID# that it last had. If that number isn't available, or if the PS2/PS3 engine has its original, factory DCS ID#, DCS will add the PS2/PS3 engine at the lowest numbered DCS ID# that's available.
TMCC or Legacy engines will always add at the lowest numbered DCS ID# that's available.
This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click here to go to the web page for the book.
Or click here to see my ad on the FOR SALE Forum.
Yes, that's expected behavior.quote:Is there a reason for this
DCS always attempts to add a PS2/PS3 engine to the same DCS ID# that it last had. If that number isn't available, or if the PS2/PS3 engine has its original, factory DCS ID#, DCS will add the PS2/PS3 engine at the lowest numbered DCS ID# that's available.
TMCC or Legacy engines will always add at the lowest numbered DCS ID# that's available.
This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click here to go to the web page for the book.
Or click here to see my ad on the FOR SALE Forum.
Interesting, so if that is true why wouldn't a brand new engine out of the box Have a lower address number, instead it was addressed as 79
Jon,
The first is that it wasn't new; it had been added to DCS at one time, perhaps to be test run.
The second is that the lowest available number in the DCS Remote was 79.
The third is that it has a replacement board.
I don't believe there would be a fourth reason.
One of three reasons.quote:Interesting, so if that is true why wouldn't a brand new engine out of the box Have a lower address number, instead it was addressed as 79
The first is that it wasn't new; it had been added to DCS at one time, perhaps to be test run.
The second is that the lowest available number in the DCS Remote was 79.
The third is that it has a replacement board.
I don't believe there would be a fourth reason.
Ok, this a new remote cloned from another remote that was original to the DCS system when I bought it in 2002, could there be a bug affecting the remote from previous versions that may have not be corrected?
Jon,
The fourth reason could be that the engine was added to a remote to test run and the battery was low. The chronometer will not add time if the board isn't powered long enough after track power is turned off due to a weak or dead battery.
The fourth reason could be that the engine was added to a remote to test run and the battery was low. The chronometer will not add time if the board isn't powered long enough after track power is turned off due to a weak or dead battery.
Nope, I knew the battery was bad, so I replaced it before I added to the DCS system on my layout.
I meant before you received the engine may be the reason it showed no time on the chronometer with the battery being bad.
Joe,
This isn't the only engine, I have other engines as well, I just want to why the open addresses available with lower numbers are not being used up when engines are added into the roster of engines.
This isn't the only engine, I have other engines as well, I just want to why the open addresses available with lower numbers are not being used up when engines are added into the roster of engines.
quote:I just want to why the open addresses available with lower numbers are not being used up when engines are added into the roster of engines.
Because they've been previously added to a remote at one time or another whether at MTH, China or wherever. ID sticks with the engine unless..... We covered all that.
Surely someone test these things which would mean requiring a ID number.
Gregg,
I made a lash up and the lowest address assigned was 32, as there are addresses as low as 7, also when I try and change an address the numbers listed above in my previous post are not available. Other than the address issue everything is working fine.
I made a lash up and the lowest address assigned was 32, as there are addresses as low as 7, also when I try and change an address the numbers listed above in my previous post are not available. Other than the address issue everything is working fine.
Jon,
First, the engine loaded at 79 because it had 79 as its last DCS ID#, or that was the lowest available DCS ID# in the remote. Unless you know every piece of the engine's history, further discussion of why it loaded at 79 is a waste of time. End of story.
Second issue, missing numbers in the remote. It's a known and somewhat elusive DCS bug. Numbers sometimes vanish. If power cycling does't bring it back and you don't have a good clone of the remote, there's only one thing to do. The remote is hosed. To recover the DCS ID#'s, you'll have to reset the remote. Again, end of story.
It sounds as if you have two issues.quote:made a lash up and the lowest address assigned was 32, as there are addresses as low as 7, also when I try and change an address the numbers listed above in my previous post are not available. Other than the address issue everything is working fine.
First, the engine loaded at 79 because it had 79 as its last DCS ID#, or that was the lowest available DCS ID# in the remote. Unless you know every piece of the engine's history, further discussion of why it loaded at 79 is a waste of time. End of story.
Second issue, missing numbers in the remote. It's a known and somewhat elusive DCS bug. Numbers sometimes vanish. If power cycling does't bring it back and you don't have a good clone of the remote, there's only one thing to do. The remote is hosed. To recover the DCS ID#'s, you'll have to reset the remote. Again, end of story.
Ok then it must be the elusive bug which has infected 2 other remotes through cloning, one rmote was purchased about 2 years ago, the other about 6 years ago,so a factory reset of each remote will take care of the address issues.
The only problem is writing all accessories and 60 turn outs back into one remote and then cloning, I 'm not sure this is worth the time untill I have over 100 engines.
The only problem is writing all accessories and 60 turn outs back into one remote and then cloning, I 'm not sure this is worth the time untill I have over 100 engines.
Hi Jon,
The "ghost" engines that are eating up some ID's get copied when you clone the remotes. As Barry suggested, a remote rest will clear the ghosts, but it will also wipe out your switches and accessories.
There is one possible route to clear out the ghosts without a reset. I have successfully cleared a ghost on a few occasions by adding TMCC engines and letting them fill up the unused ID's. It doesn't always work but it's worth a try.
Once you have a clean remote data file, I STRONGLY suggest you save a copy to your computer.
The "ghost" engines that are eating up some ID's get copied when you clone the remotes. As Barry suggested, a remote rest will clear the ghosts, but it will also wipe out your switches and accessories.
There is one possible route to clear out the ghosts without a reset. I have successfully cleared a ghost on a few occasions by adding TMCC engines and letting them fill up the unused ID's. It doesn't always work but it's worth a try.
Once you have a clean remote data file, I STRONGLY suggest you save a copy to your computer.
Ok,
Then how do you change the MTH address of a TMCC engine, I know how to change a Lionel address, but couldn't find a way to do this even in Barry's book.
Then how do you change the MTH address of a TMCC engine, I know how to change a Lionel address, but couldn't find a way to do this even in Barry's book.
Jon,
You can't, except by putting dummy TMCC engines in all of empty spots lower than the one where you want to put the "real" engine, and then adding it.quote:Ok,
Then how do you change the MTH address of a TMCC engine, I know how to change a Lionel address, but couldn't find a way to do this even in Barry's book.
When adding in TMCC engines, I thought you choosing the TMCC address and not a DCS adddress
Ok,
I added a tmcc engine and it went to address 38 when there are addresses below 38 that are open, so I will have to reset the remote to get the missing addresses.
If I add engines back to the missing addresses on the reset remote will they readd to other remotes in the missing address slots as well?
if this works then I could clone a corrected remote with all the accessories and switches.
I added a tmcc engine and it went to address 38 when there are addresses below 38 that are open, so I will have to reset the remote to get the missing addresses.
If I add engines back to the missing addresses on the reset remote will they readd to other remotes in the missing address slots as well?
if this works then I could clone a corrected remote with all the accessories and switches.
