will bachman turnouts work on the aiu h o scale before i buy them
thanks
trainman603
What are you talking about? DCS is a digital control system built by MTH. Bachmann sells a line of EZ Track turnouts for HO scale. If you are talking about the Bachmann DCC turnouts - They will not work with DCS from what I can read. Most HO models are either straight DC or are DCC(Digital Command Control). There are many manufacturers of DCC stuff, but only one of DCS....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Hi Trainman603,
I don't think Jim knows what you are taking about when you say "AIU." The short answer is YES, the bachman remote switches can be controlled from the AIU. The DCC equipped switches cannot. Given the price difference between the bachmann remote switches and DCC switches, you are money ahead to go with the remote switches and an AIU if you have more than 4 switches. An AIU will control up to 10 Bachmann EZ-Track remote swithes for a street price around $95.
For those who are not familiar, an "AIU" (Accessory Interface Unit) in DCS parlence is a box of accessory control relays that can be controled from the DCS remote (cab). Each AIU includes 10 5amp SPDT momentary relays and 10 5amp SPDT latching relays. In DCS, the two types of relays are controlled from two separate menus for switches (SPDT momentary) and accessories (SPDT latching). Any twin coil type switch machine such as Bachmann, Atlas, Tenshodo, etc., can be controlled with the SPDT momentary relays. Stall type switch machines can be controlled by the SPDT latching relays using AC power and two rectifier diodes. Any brand of track that can be controlled by a relay can be controlled in DCS via an AIU.
Jim!
Whoa! "What are you talking about?" Why so hard on the newbie? We are all accustomed to the fact that lots of new forum participants don't state their questions very clearly. I thought we were here to help.
I'm not trying to offend you at all, but part of the reason I am writing this is because I just went through a situation where a couple of posters to my thread about dwarf signals and 3D printing copyright infringement decided to respond in terms that, shall we say, they would not have used if they were talking to me face to face. It wasn't any fun. I had to bite my tongue and let them have their say but I didn't enjoy the interaction.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
trainman603:
!!!
Don't take Jim's response the wrong way. You are dealing with a system that most of us have not, but for future reference I would suggest that if you are going to use short forms you should spell them out for those of us who won't recognise what they mean.