DCS is hard to do!!!!!!!

[ChiefEagles]

BULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My track reading is 10 out of the possible 1 to 10 with my temp setup. Hardest part was building the fast acting circuit breaker box. The hardest part of that was getting all of the "stuff" in that little box. [:)] Took about 5 minutes to adapt from conventional to DCS. Turn it on, find the track and then the engine. Hit a few buttons and sounds up and off we go by turning the wheel. Now I need to get a couple of tracks and several engines going at once to make it complicated. [;)] Try it, you'll like it.


NS SD90 roaring while pulling train down back side straight away in DSC.


Making the turn through the wedding presents in DCS.


Made the turn and shows temporary wiring to make DCS work on temp layout.

[spankybird]

I am glad that you were able to handle it Chief.[tup] It look very good [8D]

Have lots of fun [(-D]

tom

[Big_Boy_4005]

Please tell me more about the fast acting circuit breaker box, Frank!!! That is the missing link to my entire electrical system. It isn't exactly holding me up, because I have so many other things to do, but it is definately one of the biggest problems I need to solve.

[ChiefEagles]

Go to OGR store and purchase "Jim Barrett in the Back Shop" DVD or VHS. I got VHS as I only have one DVD player and several VHS players [one of which will end up ing or close to my train room]. It is really essy but he uses a mighty small project box. Everything fits but it is tight.







Made as instructed in video.

[Jim Duda]

Frank - answer Elliot's question first...then let me know how many "features" of your SD-90 you were able to access and activate. I'm proud of ya, man!!!

[ChiefEagles]

I run it with engine sounds, brakes sounds, coupler sounds, bell and whistle. I can boost it or brake it and the sound changes. I ran it for a while in "clicky clack". I am not too hot on the crew sounds yet [too much bull]. Maybe I'll hook up a mike and do my own sounds. I can change the acceleration rate and the decceleration rate. If it were steam, you can change the chuff rate and smoke rate. Funny one is, "Some one stop the train!" and crashing sounds. [:D] Hey, I've only played with it for an hour.

[Jim Duda]

You get your First Gold Star when you flip it to Variable Voltage and run all your conventional stuff with the handheld. Spank and I are pullin' for ya!

[Big_Boy_4005]

Thanks Frank, I see what the unit is. Unfortunately, that isn't quite what I'm after. What I need is electronic, not mechanical. I can't use a manual reset. I need a device that simply senses too much current going to the track and opens a relay. I know that it can be done, I'm just not a circuit designer. It should actually be fairly cheap and easy to build if I had a plan to work from. I even have a supply of relays for the project.

[ChiefEagles]

Jim, that is next. [:D] Studying to see if I can run both at the same time. ??????

[ChiefEagles]

This is just too hard. [;)] Switched the banana plugs to Var 1 in and out and selected track. It gave me voltage. Turned the wheel and the volts went up. first time the train took off flying. Those Lionel U Boats have a big stall voltage to get them running. I learned. Found the right voltage for them to run on and then used boost to get them rolling and then they settled down at the set voltage. Ran the two Williams lashed together and not a problem. Also with the remote, don't have to have bell button. Also the K-Line Trainmaster [its conventional with horn and smoke] was funny about horn blowing on the old Lionel transformer. With the remote, it sounded off every time loud and clear.
[:D][8D][8D][8D][^][^]

[spankybird]

Now try running the conventional engine and the PS2 in commade mode at the same time from Var. 1.

You'll love it.

tom

[ChiefEagles]

Track is mighty short to get that going. [:D] Might get the real wreck sound. [;)]

[Jim Duda]

I think you can leave the banana plugs in the VAR 1 and select Menu - System - DCS Setup - Fixed 1...and run your DCS and TMCC locos...not sure though...it's been awhile since I've run conventional - the Command stuff is a blast!

[ChiefEagles]

Tom says that I can leave it in variable and run both conventional and PS2. It will let me vary the voltage for the conventional and will also find the PS2 engine and run it in scale MPH.

[Anonymous]

Chief,

Congratulations! The name of your topic really caught my eye though. It is amazing how difficult some state that DCS is to install and operate. I have never understood this. I suspect that your experience (and Jim Duda's) is typical. It only took me about 5 minutes to get running the first time also.

By the way, after you have taken Tom's advice and run PS-2 and conventional on the same loop, you need to go for the "Tri-fecta". PS-2, TMCC, and conventional on the same loop-all from the DCS Handheld. I guarnatee that it will keep you busy for a while.

Enjoy!

[ChiefEagles]

I've heard wiring and wiring and wiring. If you wire your layout like you should in the beginning, its just hook it up. I had a big layout in the late 70's to mid 80's and I soldered separate wires to the track every 6 feet. That is over kill but I never had engines "bog" down from voltage drop. A lot of that was separate blocks but still is the way to go. You build a very nice layout and skimp on wire. ????? My temporary layout is on the floor and is a circle of about 15 to 20 feet. I soldered on 4 connectors in that small of an area. The engine read 10 out of 10 all the way around.

[FJ and G]

"It is amazing how difficult some state that DCS is to install and operate. I have never understood this. I suspect that your experience (and Jim Duda's) is typical. It only took me about 5 minutes to get running the first time also."

-------------------------------------

Typical? Yes. Took me 5 minutes and within 30 minutes was running looped recordings. I didn't even read the book and I'm a klutz. Mostly intuitive.

Glad you are having fun with this toy that operates toys, chief

[ChiefEagles]

Running a conventional and DCS PS2 engione on variable is a little more challenging. Did it but probably started with the wrong engine. Used the K-line Trainmaster without TMCC. It takes a lot of voltage to get that thing to move. Then the accelaration rate of the PS2 is not as great. You cut back on the voltage for the Trainmaster and the PS2 slows down for lack of voltage. I did it but it was fun getting there. "Twinkle fingers" on the buttons and wheel. [:D]

[warner brook]

hi guys
[%-)] iv`e been away from the hobby some 25 yrs,and would like to get back into it so i have been reading the forums for information,since the closest hobby shop is 60 miles one way.what is dcs and why the controversy?ive been thinking of buying mth in o gauge my main interest is steam.can`t you just plug the dcs in,why do you have to build a seperate control? if you care to answer this post please try and keep it in simple terms,so that my 67yr.old brain can absorb the information.also feel free to add any information that i didn`t think to ask. thanks in advance to anyone that helps me on this

[ChiefEagles]

Warner, I emailed you. I'm new at DCS so we have a lot in common. I have been out for 20 years. Fun getting back in.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE:
Thanks Frank, I see what the unit is. Unfortunately, that isn't quite what I'm after. What I need is electronic, not mechanical. I can't use a manual reset.

Hello Big_Boy,

Why can't you use a mechanical reset? Do you need to automatically reset the fuse or breaker after a period of time or after the short is cleared?

One possibility is the new Trion-1 controller board I designed over in the OGR TMCC train control thread (The board design is done but we still have a lot of software development to do). It has 5 current sense inputs and can control a 8-channel relay board (12 amps per channel). It could be programmed to open the appropriate relay in event of a short and reset the relay automatically after the short is removed. We would still need a slower circuit breaker to guard against software/hardware faults & for debugging.

Daniel Lang

[ChiefEagles]

Ok, added new NS SD90 and renamed it as #2. Backed it out of the engine track and coupled to #1. Set up lash up with out the book and named it. Off she ran as a double headed NS SD90's pulling a long coal train. Runs great. Now tomorrow, I will run them separate and then back in lash up just to see how it goes. This is too much fun. Got to quit playing and work on room and layout. Will try to restrain myself until Sunday Photo time to show them going.

[Jim Duda]

Chiefie - shop around and find yourself a good TMCC loco...and run it with your DCS handheld. You're gonna need one eventually, right? Might as well add the Lionel Command Base to your temp layout so you can use both.

I set my LW at 12 volts - both my DCS and TMCC work just fine and I save on the engine and car bulbs. At what do you set you KW voltage???

[ChiefEagles]

18 V as the book and video says. KW has max of 20. With the TIU, it can go to 22 V per the handheld. That seems a little "hot". My train lady has the TMCC comand module for $48 and the cable is cheap too. I'm using only one side of my KW. Figured that I would run lower level on one side and upper on the other. May have to go to another transformer if it gets too big. I have four bricks to run other things. So nothing but trains will be running off of the KW.

[ChiefEagles]

WOW, just swapped lead engines and created another lashup by remote. Never shut down an engine and never touched an engine. Man this is do hard. [;)] Whole new world compared to the mid 80's. [:D]

[Jim Duda]

How much does your train Lady get for the CAB-1 handheld? What TMCC loco will you get first?

Glad you're enjoying the new stuff...keep on keepin' on!