MTH DCS Problem Need Help

[Anonymous]

I am having a problem with my DCS system. It is not recognising any of my MTH trains. After using the menu/system/add engine path or just the read path all I get is a "Can not find train" sreen followed by a screen that says "inactive engine ina s/u all." Can anyone help me with this? Have been in touch with MTH customer service and they are working on it as well

[spankybird]

I need to know if you have been successful in the past on adding engines [?] or is this the first time you are adding engines [?]

Have you changed anything since the last time it was working [?] Do you have good bateries in your remote [?]

[Anonymous]

This is the first time setting up system. Have already walked through detecting the tiu with MTH and have tried their suggestions to detect the engines Have been using a single piece of new track to address the engines. Have reversed polarity etc to try to detect engines. Same result on first 3 that I have tried. Batteries are new.Have not had the system working yet. But do have to watch out when testing there is one set up that the engines take off at full speed

[wrmcclellan]

wie69,

First - welcome to the CTT forum [#welcome]

Just to confirm - you have just ONE MTH engine at a time on the track when you are programming? If you have not done so already, you might try setting up just a few sections of track (2-3 straights) and connect to the TIU and try it that way.

Also confirm - you said you have fresh batteires. Does this statement apply to the locos also? Are the batteries in your PS2 locos fully charged (i.e. in conventional mode the loco goes through a full shutdown sequence that lasts for several seconds after power is removed from the track)?

Good luck,
Roy

[spankybird]

This may also sound silly, but I do know someone that did this. Double check that the wires from the transformer is going to the input side of the TIU (Fix 1) and that the wires from the track are going to the OUTPUT side of the TIU (also fix 1).

This person I know had the TUI in backwards. It took me seveal days to notice what I did wrong.

[ChiefEagles]

Yes Tom, it was you. [;)]

[CSX FAN]

Are you coming to York ? I can upgrade the software to 3.1 if you don't have it and can look at the unit.

Welcome to the Forum also.

Do what is noted above. and see if you have any luck.

Jamie

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys for the welcome.
And yes Tom I already checked that part of the wiring. Also yes only 1 engine at a time on a 5 foot address track (USA track with screw terminals underneath) The reason for the length of the track is I have 2 4-6-6-4 Challengers to activate. Both engines are new and have been run under conventional power. All my DCS engines are new and the sounds do continue after the power has been shut down. Have put engines on track facing both directions to test for detection. MTH support asked me to try that because polarity is sometimes the problem. I haven't heard back from them since Yesterday so I think they are puzzled too. Oh and you better have fast reflexes because if the wiring isnt right the engine will take off at full throttle. lol

[Anonymous]

Did thinkm to change the guage wire I was using in case resistance was causing the problem all wiring is now 16 Guage twisted wire still no change

[Anonymous]

Think I may have found the problem. The remote indicated at start up that it was running ver.2.21. If this is the problem can I upgrade the progamming to3.1

[CSX FAN]

Yes you can, go to MTH's web site and down load the 1.57 loader program and the 3.1 software.

You must have the polarity correct for DCS to work properly. I haven't worked with 1 Gauge to be of much help but I have worked mostly O scale. I though you would have to have the 3.0 or newer to run I gauge.

Everyone at MTH is at York. You won't here back from them until next week.

Jamie

[Anonymous]

Have put engines on track facing both directions to test for detection.

Both directions does not affect polarity and is not an issue unless you are running two rail track. The polarity issue is that the wire from the red output terminal of the TIU goes to the center rail, and that the wire coming from the black terminal goes to the outside rails.

Questions:

How many times does the red LED blink in the TIU when you power it up?

Does a "Read" find the TIU?

Do you hear an audible click from the locomotive when the track is powered up?

When powering up, do the locomotives remain silent, or do they come up with full lights and sound (conventional mode)?

Have you tried to tether the Handheld to the TIU with a four conductor telephone handset cord?

Is there a light bulb accross the output terminal of the TIU or, better still at the track (lighted lock-on)?

Sorry for all the questions-just trying help to narrow it down.

Thank you.

[spankybird]

Hi guys and Richard. Rich good to see you stop by and help [;)]

I have been e-mailing Bill off line. Just now reading I see he has the 2.21 ver, but if it is finding the TIU, which it is, they are both the same. I think his problem is that he is not 'adding the engine' thru the memu button. I have just given him the instructions on doing that. lets hope this is it. [8D][:D]

tom

[Anonymous]

Good morning guys. I will answer Raks questions in orde.r Yes the LED blinks once at start up. Read does find the tiu.Yes there is an audible click when powering up. The engines remain silent at start up. Yes we did found out the rc board was loose by that method. No light across rails or terminals

[Anonymous]

wle,

It probably will not matter, but try adding one incandescent light accross the output of the track or at the TIU. It really should not matter on one or two sections of track, but I never operate without them.

I think that when Jamie did his research for his excellent articles in CTT, he found that MTH used their lock-ons when testing the system. Their lock-ons happen to be lighted. In some cases, it can mean a huge difference.

The engines are getting the DCS signal, as they click and are dark and silent.

Did correcting the loose rf board have any effect?

Let us know if there are any changes with Tom's instructions-he is very, very good at this.

Thank you.

[spankybird]

Bill,

Did you add the engine thru the menu steps that I emailed you [?] The remote won't find the engine until it is first added. This has to be done only once for each remote.

tom

[Anonymous]

Here is where we stand at the present. I have been able to successfully reprgram the tiu and the remote to 3.1. But I am still unable to detect an engine on the track. Have pulled out my -8 to ease changing things around . Yes Tom I am following your instructions to the letter Thank you. will tryn the light trick next.

[spankybird]

Bill, after going thru the steps of the menu to 'Add Engine', does the remote tell you that you have successfully added an engine ? if not what is it saying ?

[Anonymous]

light trick did not work still trying to enter engines

[Anonymous]

Some success and some failures too. Finally got two engines to program but could run only one the other had an opposing polarity which translates into runaway train. But I did get it to work on the layout too.But only one engine would run there.so I finally got to see the potential of the system but then the system lost the train possibly dirty track but it did finally work