DCS 4.3 Reviews

I can't see it affecting you if the track is powered off, I think I'd be looking for other causes.

Can't you just drive the Shay out of the roundhouse and park it in another power zone and see if you still have a problem?

The events happening on my layout seem to be similar to others posting here.  If I try to turn off the smoke unit, the lights go out.  Trying to turn on the lights, I get the NMB on then go to the headlight the NMB goes off.  Turn that back on headlight goes off.  And just forget the ditch lights!  It takes a feature reset to get all back on and then it will start all over again when shutting down the smoke unit.  These actions are independent of engines, have had the problems in 5volt, 3volt, and PS3, steam or diesel.  Response acks from the engine are practically nill.  None of these issues were present before upgrading and eliminating the Shay made no difference.  TIU's are in super.  Track commons are tied.  Transciever boards are all seated. 

At a loss here, where to go next.

Cheryl,

Please check your E-mail.

Have been getting lots of "homework assignments" from Barry, and thank you Barry, btw, since I last posted.

It all boils down to a problem with the TIUs themselves, and not DCS.  It would seem, and I'm still not certain, that the function to turn on/off the DCS signal may be faulty.

Right now, everything is working, well, limping really fast, and I'll be able to host the guys. 

Once through the "meet,"  I plan to do some more "homework" and will post any updates/findings later this weekend.

I repeat...  it was not the fault of DCS 4.3.

Thank you Barry   whew!

Cheryl,

Many thanks to you for accepting the role of "honorary beta tester".  

It's been a pleasure working with you!

Any word yet on when the fixed version of 4.3 will be released?

Thanks!

Ran my system last night for the first time since before vacation.  After making the changes detailed in my earlier thread, the system seemed to start up and operate with the settings I had in them the last time I ran.  That's a relief.  I still haven't changed the settings on all of the engines so I had to do some more of that.  The only issue I had which is not particular to version 4.30 is if a train is parked over a switch in a certain arrangement, the engine was not picking up all the DCS commands.  I have to manually move the train off the switch and then restart it to get proper operation.  I don't know what arrangement causes the issue.  It probably has to do with where the pick-up rollers are.  Most times a train will start up over a switch.

Are you sure that the loco is getting power when it's on the switch?  Sounds like a track or roller issue.

The lights come on when I turn it on but it won't move and most commands don't work when it happens.  Sometimes the whistle and bell will work and other times not.  I think it just isn't making a good connection.

If the engine's battery is dead or weak, a momentary interruption in track power will cause it to drop into neutral, in conventional mode.

The next time this happens, try pressing Startup.

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

I don't think the battery is the issue in that it happens to different engines and MUs.  Restarting the engine doesn't usually work for this issue.  Sometimes I shut the engine down, leave everything turn off, and the restart the engine and then it is OK.  Other times, I shut the whole system done by powering everything off, wait, and power it back up.  But it mostly occurs with a MU where one engine is over a switch (Most of my switches are Fastrack O60 or O72).  No matter what I do, it won't start correctly.  Sometimes it says Engine not on track.  When I get the engine off the switch, then I can get the engine to operate correctly.  I have 12 engines (I think) on my system, all diesels.  6 of them are arranged as 2 unit lashups, 3 total.

You mention about beta testers.  I can probably do it but it might take a little time before I get back with results.  I have other things going in that I may not be able to get to the trains for several days.  Background is a Sys Eng in the transit business with a EE degree.  Done board design, software, testing, etc. so I have the background on how things work and how to approach testing, troubleshooting, and the like.

Hey, glad I could help, if I really did, lol.

As I promised, when the meet was over, I would reload the upgraded DCS.

Had some stumbling blocks, but I believe they were self inflicted.  As I shut the layout down tonight, I had it running as well as it did Saturday for the guys under 4.20.  So I think I can safely say that any problems are layout specific and something I may have to work/live with.  The TIU channels are all producing 10's when tested individually with a stationary engine on a 30" piece of track.  So I'm ruling out any problems with them.  Once I got things on that are supposed to be on, like the DCS signal, Variable Channel, etc., the layout operated well, even running PS1 engines in conjunction with PS2/3.  So I'm happy.

If you need more info/detail, Barry, give me a shout.  I'll be at the shop for the next 3 days.

Happy Model Railroading!!!

Cheryl,

If you're OK, then I'm OK.

For what its worth, in my 5 MU [ 3 powered] ps2 and ps3 [2 rail RevL 4.20] under watchdog before startup i cycle the dir button twice because occasionally my lead loco would cause "check track" if i did not. Also that same loco [ps3] would also stay running when i shut down the MU. Now with the above procedure the MU holds its settings quite well and no "check track".

I cannot use eng sound to mute the MU as the middle loco still has sounds, so i use the vol- key or eng all>eng sound and the sounds will mute.

I'm not sure but maybe this procedure would help some running 4.3

to further elaborate, TIU on>DCS on>now in watchdog>forward command via thumbwheel or boost sometimes the MU would not move as one of the locos was fighting it.

Now when i cycle the dir key and command thumbwheel or boost all would work.

Then i hit start up and all is good.

Still 4.20 as stated but wanting to go to 4.31 when ready.

This MU has scale almost 3k miles and has only been rebuilt twice[added another powered loco] and has been very reliable.

Member settings are very important to me as one of the locos hosts an FM transmitter with its low frequency sounds eventually playing through a powered subwoofer.

This host loco i need stable settings..horn 0, eng 100, bell 30 etc in conjunction with the other member settings to give me that hi quality very realistic sound.

Any word yet when the 4.31 fix release is expected to be through testing and available?

Nope.

Lot's of "things" to fix yet?