Cannot get DCS to see engines

Just a couple of ideas.

Is the variable channel for the programming track set to Fixed ? Can you check the voltage at the track.

Make sure the DCS signal is turned on for all the channels.

Try doing a Read with the remote. It should find your TIU. If not. Try tethering it with a phone cord.

Do your hear a watchdog signal ? You will hear a mild click. Like a relay engaging. If you do. At least the engine is seeing somewhat of a signal. As it should remain silent.

when using anything else than fixed #1, you need to power the TIU, right?

are these engines already in your remote?

do they have fully charged good batteries?

What do you see when you press "read"

I can load switches in the remote and it throws them, I still cannot read an engine.  When I do a read, it sees the TIU 1 and the 2 AIUs assigned to it.

This sounds like a large layout. It must have worked at one time during testing.  It will only read engines that are on a powered portion of the layout that are already loaded in the remote. If it can find them through all the track wiring. The AIU’s are all hard wired and don’t require a good track signal. As long as your remote sees the TIU. The rest takes car of itself.

I’m afraid with the amount of TIU’s and the size of the layout. Not sure how it’s wired. Your best off starting at square one. Power Fixed 1 only on one of your TIU’s with one of your bricks. Run the Fixed 1 Out wires to just one piece of track with an engine on it. Nothing else. Try to add it to the remote. At times. You will see Searching For Engine. You may see No Engine Found. Give it a little more time. It may add.

Why so many TIU's if you are only using one channel on each of them?

Good Point John. I’m not sure myself. I was guessing it was a huge layout needing 4 TIU’s. Even the programming track has it’s own 180 brick. Not sure how you would get to this point and not have anything running at some point.

Robert, need a little more info on the size of the layout and how it’s wired.

What version of DCS is in each item?

Version  6.10, I am using 4 tius to shorten all the wire lengths.

Has this worked before?

Are you in super mode?

@rkricko posted:

Version  6.10, I am using 4 tius to shorten all the wire lengths.

What's the drive to reduce wire length?  Is the layout really that big?  I think you introduce needless complication into the equation using a whole bevy of TIU's where one would do.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

What's the drive to reduce wire length?  Is the layout really that big?  I think you introduce needless complication into the equation using a whole bevy of TIU's where one would do.

Well, ?? I'd be jealous anyways of the extra stuff.

I think for testing, I'd concentrate on using TIU #1 and get the system working. I have a feeling, something got changed and is messing things up.

What do you see when you press "read"?

@Engineer-Joe posted:

What do you see when you press "read"?

Also check to make sure the TIU red light is on as I'm not sure by you saying you are using a Variable channel and powering it with a brick. Only FIXED 1 INPUT powers the TIU. I would recommend powering the TIU with  the AUXILLIARY POWER INPUT.

I changed out the TIU and it started working, going to add a block at a time and see if I run into issues.  Lionel works great also.  Thanks for the help guys.