Help Needed With MTH LOOP

Pss... Locomotive manual switch is set to DCS

Can you easily break the loop apart in one spot to test?

Try taking a piece of track connected to the TIU and add the engine on that with nothing else connected.

Are all TMCC/Lionel powered pieces removed when you add?

what software is loaded in all DCS pieces?

what is the power source?

Trainguy:  Try the simplest things first, doubt your wiring scheme has anything to do with it.

1.  Make sure your TIU is set to 1.  You can tell by watching the internal red light blink when you first turn on power to it.  It should blink once.  Then check that your remote is set to TIU 1.

2.  If that isn't an issue, try powering the engine on a separate test track.  You should be able to add the engine there, then place it back on the layout and call it up.

If those don't work, you may have an issue with the engine's electronics.  Good luck.

Jerry

It might be easier to try some of the above suggestions first, as they too could be causing problems. But I suspect the wiring. Legacy/TMCC has a different method of sending it's signals. The TIU and Remote need to be using the same version of DCS (6.0 in TIU and 6.0 in remote). If yours was new and right out of the box and never before used, I doubt the versions would be different? The current version is 6.1 for both, but I don't know if 6.0 had any serious bugs. I think 6.1 may have been mostly for the newer wifi app, but I am not certain on that?

Here is what fixed this problem for me (as well as all others DCS related). If you don't have one already, you need a break in the center rail separating each power feed into it's own section or block. (Each power feed should be isolated from all of the others so the DCS signals don't cross over each other.) Legacy/TMCC uses a different method of sending out it's signals than DCS. 

I don't think you need to re-wire everything, I think your power feeds are fine. IMO, it's the missing isolations in the center rail. To correct this all you would need to do is isolate each power feed section with an isolated rail joiner in the center rail. If that isn't possible, you could cut a small slit in the center rail (maybe a dremel tool?) and install a small piece of styrene (or other insulating material) to keep the rails from touching should the track ever expand. (Make sure it is flush with the rail (especially the top) so you don't cause any track/engine problems.) I wouldn't re-wire your entire layout without trying this first.

I haven't had a DCS error since I wired my layout like this 4-5 years ago. Before that I got them frequently and I only had a small layout like 3.5' x 7' or so with one power feed and no breaks in the center rail. I didn't think something this small would matter...That's what I get for thinking!