I'm starting to accumulate quite a few accessories from Lionel, MTH, and a few Menards buildings.
Thinking about the future and what to use to control them. Thinking of one of these (am I missing any?):
(Lionel) 6-81693 - LCS Accesory Switch Controller 2 (ASC2) - Thinking this ONLY controls switches?
(MTH) 50-1004 - DCS Accessory Interface Unit (AIU); I already have one 50-1003 (DCS Track Interface Unit (TIU))
Wondering which one - pros/cons - is better to control accessories AND switches.
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A single AIU can control 10 switches and 10 accessories, while a single ASC2 can control 4 switches OR 8 accessories. (Both devices can be daisy chained.)
The larger question is whether you are (or will be) using DCS or Legacy, or both. If the answer is DCS or both, you'd go with the AIU. If Legacy, you'd be looking at the ASC2 (although another option would be the Lionel SC-2, which is no longer in production but can still be found at dealers; it can control 4 switches and 4 accessories, OR 6 switches, OR 12 accessories).
My preference is the MTH DCS. I was thinking their AIU can control a lot more than the Lionel ASC2 - and you have confirmed that.
Looks like I can daisy-chain up to 5 AIUs together so that should give me enough - I think/hope.
I wonder if I end up with more than 50 switches and accessories, can I have more then 5 AIUs - each additional set powered by a separate power supply.
I would also ask yourself if controlling accessories from the remote (DCS or Legacy) is the best route to go.
The LCS approach, using the iPad seems to be far quicker for activating switches, power blocks and accessories.
@graz posted:I would also ask yourself if controlling accessories from the remote (DCS or Legacy) is the best route to go.
The LCS approach, using the iPad seems to be far quicker for activating switches, power blocks and accessories.
If you don't mind packing the iPad around! The problem with the iPad and LCS is it's not nearly as nice for controlling locomotives, so you end up still wanting the remote.
@paulp575 posted:I wonder if I end up with more than 50 switches and accessories, can I have more then 5 AIUs - each additional set powered by a separate power supply.
You could have more than 5 AIUs by adding another TIU.
If his layout is so big that there will be 50 or more switches, do you think he needs the extra TIU anyways???
- walt
@walt rapp posted:If his layout is so big that there will be 50 or more switches, do you think he needs the extra TIU anyways???
- walt
I doubt my layout will have 50 switches. Just doing some forward thinking.
@paulp575 posted:I doubt my layout will have 50 switches. Just doing some forward thinking.
sorry, i missed that point in your one email.
- walt
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