Adding locomotives back into the system question.

The problem will be more one of inadequate power than inadequate DCS signal. A dozen PS2 engines, some with multi-units, can drain a lot of juice. Not to mention, any lighted passenger cars of cabooses.

I regularly add engines with 3 or 4 on the tracks at once, however, many will swear that you must use a programming track with only one engine powered-up at a time. In any case, i imagine that 12 is probably at least 6 too many.

From day 1, I add all engines on the track.  If you have good track work with good DCS signal, they will add in with no problem.

Absolutely Not. You may get 3 or 4 added then  trouble begins, Engine already added may add again now with a new ID. You may get a engine added with just a ID number that doesn't work.   ETC. I posted a hint on another thread about adding engine to tiu #1 with no other engines or tiu powered and checking to make sure the ID sticks.  I can  understand not wanting to hand lift a engine to a programming track but if you don't you're asking for trouble. A programming track can be any track with a good dcs signal One engine at a time though.

Gregg,

You may get 3 or 4 added then  trouble begins, Engine already added may add again now with a new ID. You may get a engine added with just a ID number that doesn't work.

I must disagree. In my experience, that isn't the way it works at all. If you're having issues of that type, I'd suspect that you have something else going on.

If I recall correctly, you went back to DCS 3.1 for quite some time due to not wanting to deal with he "speed-scrolling" bug that was introduced in Super mode (only) under DCS 4.10 and that stayed around in 4.20. Possibly under DCS 3.1 is where you found a lot of multipel-engine add problems.

Regardless, that bug (and several others) were corrected in DCS 4.30 and the engine-add process is reasonably rock-solid, even with multiple engines on the track. The only real fly in the ointment with multiple-engine ads is a lack of power.

Yes I remember the scrolling issues we had in super mode for about 3 or more years. Funny thing the beta  testers  didn't catch it.. Bottom line... I don't believe you. You can't even add  2 new engines with the same ID with out some type of error without a programming track.  

 3 remotes and 12 engines would mean 36 perfect adds.. It ain't going to happen.

Gregg,

 3 remotes and 12 engines would mean 36 perfect adds.. It ain't going to happen.

So, I'm making this up? Yeah, right!

Yes I remember the scrolling issues we had in super mode for about 3 or more years. Funny thing the beta  testers  didn't catch it

On the contrary. We reported it, however, most people were not as torqued-off about as were you, it only happened in Super mode, it would have been a bear to correct, and Quickset Speed was a very viable workaround. Consequently, it wasn't addresses at that time.

 3 remotes and 12 engines would mean 36 perfect adds.. It ain't going to happen.

I have 5 remotes and 3 TIUs and 99 engines in each remote. I multi-add engines all the time.

You're certainly entitled to your own opinions, however, I'd very much appreciate it if you wouldn't poison the well for others.

 Poising the well !!! I don't think so.    perhaps we'll hear the end results.

Yes you may have 99 engines but how many are powered when you go to  add?

I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't want to  use a programming track when it's so easy to use??? it eliminates  99 % of  errors that might occur.

 catch you later.... gregg

Gregg,

you may have 99 engines but how many are powered when you go to  add?

Typically, 1 or 2, and the one I'm adding is just about always sitting on a mainline, not a siding.

I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't want to  use a programming track when it's so easy to use??? it eliminates  99 % of  errors that might occur.

I don't even have a programming track, unless you count the test bench siding in the work room. It has it's own TIU and non-layout remote. There's no way I'm going to add an engine over there and then carry it into the layout room to add it to the other 4 layout DCS-engine (as opposed to TMCC/Legacy engine) remotes.

Particularly since there's no need to do so.

I'm not going to get into the discussion of whether adding can be done with multiple locos powered, or whether a separate programming track is needed.  On my toggled/blocked layout, I do it my way and have no problem.

But I do have a suggestion, Kerrigan.  Load them all into one remote.  Then set the soft keys to the configuration you want, and all the locos' settings, and then use the loader program saving/restoring/cloning capability to make all remotes identical.

Our programming track is an oil spur with it's own tiu #1 (tethered remote method),  Tiu can be toggled off and track used as a spur. Just another way of doing business.

I think Kerrigan,s  initial question was... Can he leave the 12 engines  powered for a clean add..... I wouldn't.

I don't have a programming track, I also don't have as large a number engines as some here have, but I have added every engine in my system right from the layout without taking anything off the track. With the exception of 2 or 3 being added at the same time when the layout first became operational, each engine was added one at a time over a period of a few days/weeks as I got them out to add to the layout. The previously added engines remained on the track, nothing was removed, remote was not connected by handset/TIU cable. 

I have about 15 or so MTH engines total (1 PS2, the rest PS3 & Rev L TIU), 8 or 9 of the PS3's have been added as described, the rest are not currently on the layout and have not been added to the DCS system due to lack of space. I have now added switches to all sidings and spurs so everything from here forward can/will be added with only 2-3 engines live on the layout since power remains off to everything that is not on the main lines. Thinking about adding switches to the two mains as well? So far no problems adding anything and no problems with power, signal or DCS operation. Engines have been added using both DCS 4.20 and also with 4.30 after upgrading sometime late last winter.

I'm no DCS expert, these are only my own experiences adding engines over the last year or so after finally getting a more permanent layout.

Kerrigan..... How did you make out??  Don't worry.  Barry and I are still friends even though we  have our differences.

I have done up to 5 engines on the same loop.   No issues.    More possible,  just depends on the amperage draw as has been stated above.

Mark

Apparently some of us have experienced this problem and some have not.  Best way to be certain is to park all others locos on a track that can be and is depowered.

Kerrigan,

The #61 turbine got added twice with different engine numbers ... then an F unit set did the same thing. 

One possibility is an issue due to a combination of two factors:

• Low DCS signal strength where the engine to be added is sitting. Adding DCS engines may require very high DCS signal strength (9-10) in order to be successful
• Not enough power to accommodate all of the engines that are sitting on powered tracks on the TIU channel where the engine is attempting to be added.

The result of this "perfect storm" is that DCS will get garbled information as regards what engine to add and will then use the current engine's name with the previously added engine's DCS ID#.

Other manifestations of this issue may be adding an engine successfully, however, with a blank engine name and all soft keys defaulting to "MTC". This one can also occur even when only a single engine is being added, if DCS signal strength is insufficient to fully execute the ADD command.

Powering with two Z4000 feeding two TIUs.

Usually the amp draw isn't more than 3 or 4 max on any one throttle unless that handle is powering a track with a lighted passenger train pulled by ABBA, etc.  Then it might get as high as 5 going up a hill.

It's sort of set up in blocks ... mostly.

Hey Kerrigan... Did you get them all added back?  I do like RJR suggestion of cloning a remote, We have 7 or 8 remotes and would save a little time  .

As I,ve  mentioned lots of times  we add to tiu #1 only using what we call a programming track, It can be any track as long as the engine being added is the only one receiving power. Everything else dead...

We line up the remotes and start adding making sure each remote adds  the engine  with the correct name and same id. .  After the first add we make sure the ID sticks with the engine by powering down the layout and start up again..   This still doesn't mean the battery is up to par, The engines could still with the ID created when the battery was good.  It's when you go to change a setting or edit the address the dead or weak battery comes into  play .

Gregg, to me, the chief benefit of cloning isn't to save time, but to have all the softkeys for all locos the same on all remotes.  Secondary benefit is that if, sor some reason, you want to do a reset of the remote, everything can be reloaded fast.  BUT, it is critical to save the contents while the main remote is working fine.  If something were to get garbled so as to require a reset (which is rare), you're too late to do a save.

Yep good point(s)

Gregg, I figured you knew that, but wanted to remind other forumites:  back up the remote while everything is working fine.