PS3 Engine will not move in Conventional Mode

Dick,

An observation...

From your diagram, unless you turn off the DCS signal via the DCS Remote, your engines are always seeing a DCS signal, since the TIU is actually set up in Passive TIU mode when you have the MRC connected to the "conventional" side of your power switch.

FWIW, MTH had a little poster in their test area when I was down there specifically mentioning the MRC as an incompatible transformer.  Not sure why it should be, but just an observation.

You could try  the dcs remote for the whistle/ bell combination with a var channel. As Barry mentioned the dcs signal  must be turned OFF.   Menu/system/ dcs set up /.   select or highlight the channel and then OFF.

Scroll the voltage up to around 10 volts and do the combination.

Menu/system/ dcs up/

Just to clarify...

Menu/System/DCS Setup and press soft key AOF

Thanks Barry.  

Well Guys, you really know your stuff.  I isolated the TIU from the track first and was able to use any of the bell/whistle commands just fine.  The stubborn engine that would not move is fine now.  Your suggestions helped me think thru the poor wiring and switch position I used and I will change it around so the switch isolates the TIU from the track when running conventional.  Comments elsewhere to add 10A fuses between track and power sources sound like a good idea too.   The MRC Power supply so far seems to work fine but I also found that it was not in the list of recommended, of course that was after I bought it. 

I think we can close this one out with "lesson-learned". 

Thanks for your help.

Dick,

I will change it around so the switch isolates the TIU from the track when running conventional.

Just remove the switch altogether. It's completely unnecessary.

To operate your DCS engines conventionally, just use the Menu command to turn off the DCS signal on all channels. Then, to later operate under DCS,  use the same menu command with the AON soft key to turn the DCS signal back on.

This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase  from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book.

Gregg posted:

You could try  the dcs remote for the whistle/ bell combination with a var channel. As Barry mentioned the dcs signal  must be turned OFF.   Menu/system/ dcs set up /.   select or highlight the channel and then OFF.

Scroll the voltage up to around 10 volts and do the combination.

Killing the DCS signal worked for me, now I can postpone a rewire. 

Thanks

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Dick,

I will change it around so the switch isolates the TIU from the track when running conventional.

Just remove the switch altogether. It's completely unnecessary.

To operate your DCS engines conventionally, just use the Menu command to turn off the DCS signal on all channels. Then, to later operate under DCS,  use the same menu command with the AON soft key to turn the DCS signal back on.

This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase  from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book.

Barry,   The reason for the switch was for the guys at my club who won't touch the DCS control.  I'm disappointed that they just don't want to learn about DCS.  I guess they were just humoring me when they let me install it.    By the way, I attended the York seminars last fall and bought the 3rd Edition and its well worth it, as I am slowly making my way thru.  Many thanks.

I'm glad you were able to resolve your issue.  I am having a similar problem but my GP7 will not run conventional using a test track and a Z4000.  I have tried a DCS factory reset, will give the w/b a shot this weekend.

I recently had a stubborn RK ES44 that would start moving in reverse with no sounds that I could not get the reset to take.  I tried DCS and the engine stayed quiet until SU.  I did a feature reset, followed by factory reset with the remote.  I switched back to Conventional, and it was fully reset and did not move!.  So that is an alternative method to try.   The other issue could be an engine locked in reverse needs the conventional unlock vice reset to unlock it.  I did not try that method, but it has worked before,  G

Thanks GGG, will keep it in mind

On an informative note, I have been using an MRC Pure Power Dual for over 6 years with no transformer related DCS problems. My previous layout was retrofitted to DCS, and the present one I started from scratch with Barry's book on the table the whole time. The MRC worked for both.