DCS Help Please!

Did you start it up with the Number # 3  soft-key?

No.  The remote screen does indicate the correct engine though

Try pressing the #3  softkey, Your engine may be in conventional mode. this will  put it in command.... Give it a press with the engine on  screen. 

When I press the #3 softkey the cab light turns on and off.  Looks like the softkeys perform different functions?  Appreciate the patience with a DCS newbee

Scott R posted:

When I press the #3 softkey the cab light turns on and off.  Looks like the softkeys perform different functions?  Appreciate the patience with a DCS newbee

There are keys at the bottom of the dcs remote numbered 1 to 9 ..  read Doppler  & e-stop.Try the #3. Number 4 turns the headlight on/off.  

Still nothing.  I can control everything about the engine (lights, coupler, sounds, start-up, shut-down), but still no response to the throttle thumbwheel.    She just sits there.  Frustrating....

Scott, are you able to send me an email to rgroth@optonline.net and I will respond with my phone number?  Maybe I can talk you through the process and get it running. 

Rich,

I just sent you an email.  I'm beginning to think its the engine.  I just tried conventional DC - still nothing.  Sound, but no movement.

Scott:  I'm glad I was able to get your engine up and running.  Have fun and contact me if you need help again accept when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing the Dallas Cowboys, lol

Rich G.

Rich G posted:

Scott:  I'm glad I was able to get your engine up and running.  Have fun and contact me if you need help again accept when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing the Dallas Cowboys, lol

Rich G.

 

what was the problem?

Well, many thanks to Rich who get the engine rolling.  There was a loud buzz audible from the engine when the smoke unit was on though.  However, I attempted to run the engine through the diverging section of a Gargraves switch for the fist time and the engine sparked at the rollers and now I am back to square 1.  Same symptoms as before.  I can control everything but make the engine go.  Is it typical for DCS to be so finicky?  Anyone else have similar problems? 

Yes dcs can be a little finicky at times... especially with loose connection and dirty track. (brand new track).My experience with GarGraves sectional track is.... It really needs a good cleaning with track cleaner and a light sanding, I use one of the sanding blocks you can get at the hardware store,  37 Inch flex track is not quite as bad.

How are you making out now?   It seems you have the engine added to the dcs remote but..

When you first apply power to the layout does the engine stay dark and silent ?.   It should.

Same problem still there.  Yes the engine stays dark and silent until i hit the startup button (#3).  The only engine function i can not control (other than making it go) is the smoke.  I could turn the smoke on and off for the short time i could get the engine to run. But when the smoke was on the engine had a loud buzz.   All this is making me think there is a problem in the engine. Maybe time to send to MTH for repair?

Try this one  Menu/ Advanced/ Reset engine/ Feature reset/  Choose the feature reset  first and not the factory one just yet.  Turn the smoke OFF with the Number 1 key  before and after the feature reset.

There seem to be DCS problems all over the place this Christmas. I am only going to suggest a fix for your smoke issue because I had something similar happen with a PS3 engine, and in the past when I have found DCS to be finicky so that smoke/light features disappear this has worked.

You can do either a feature or factory reset with an engine that is responding to the remote but not working quite as its should. The short circuit you describe might have scrambled the settings for the smoke.

Go to the Menu options and select "Advanced" and scroll to Reset Engine then choose Feature Reset - I'd steer clear of the other option, Factory Reset, because that will delete the engine from the remote and you'll have to re-add it. 

See if that gets the smoke back. There should not be a lot of buzzing from the smoke unit but it may just need running in. Have you added sufficient smoke fluid?

Good luck!

Scott,

Your engine's issues are not DCS-related, rather, the engine itself has at least 2 problems.

The buzz is most likely just a noisier than usual smoke fan motor. If so, it's not serious and there are a couple of simple remedies, depending on what's actually causing the noise.

The lack of movement could  be attributable to one of the following things:

• The tether may be loose. If this is a PS3 or a Premier PS2 with a wireless drawbar tether, make sure that the connectors at both ends of the drawbar are seated all the way into their respective sockets. If it's a PS2 engine with a wire tether, may sure that it's plugged all of the way into the socket on the engine
• The engine's connector from the motor to the board may have come unseated. This would definitely cause the symptoms that you're seeing
• The engine could be locked in neutral from conventional mode. Although not likely at this point, since it was running previously, it's still worth a try doing a conventional reset. With the engine on a conventional track (bypass  the TIU and wire directly from the transformer to the track,, or turn off the DCS signal on the track's TIU channel and cycle TIU power), press 1 whistle and then 5 bells. Use 1/2 second presses with 1/2 second pauses in-between. If successful, the engine will sound 2 short whistle blasts. Timing can be tricky and it may take several attempts to get it right.

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase  from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Scott R,

   I doubt the problem is your New DCS, you might have some real problems with you engine however, also make definitely sure you have the Red Channel from the DCS TIU going to your track mid rail, and the black TIU channel to one outside rail, thru out your complete layout.  I also recommend Barry's DCS O Gauge Companion and the OGR Video Guide to DCS, especially if you are a visual type learner, Rich Melvin does a great job in the OGR Video Guide to DCS.

PCRR/Dave

Thanks to all for the responses and suggestions.  Weave a great hobby and great comradery on this forum.

I've tried all the suggestions, unfortunately, still no luck with my engine.  I guess back to MTH for repair it goes.  Disappointing, I was looking forward to running trains over the Christmas break.  I'll use the time to catch up on ballasting more track an scenery until I get it back...

I just did a quick read through this.  I think we have all experienced DCS issues one way or another.  I did not see what kind of transformer you are using to power the layout.  I use an '50s Lionel ZW and I have to say I have very strange issues if the phasing isn't correct.  If you are using a transformer with an un-polarized plug, try plugging it in the opposite way you have it now.  Power everything down, then back up.  See how it goes.  

Tony

How were you operating the M1 before DCS set up?

You can always try it conventionally with your Z-1000 and no TIU.  Does it run now?  If you turn power off does it play shut down sounds?  If not the battery is weak or dead and needs to be charged or replaced.

If it does play shutdown sounds but doesn't move, do a conventional reset 1W and 5B?  Get a 2 toot confirmation, does it work now?  If not, may be a loose plug on the board, bad tether connection, etc...  Back to how did this work before.

If it runs conventionally, back to dcs and do a feature reset, see if it runs now.  G

GGG,

  George Outstanding advise, as usual! We definitely should have told him to try this 1st.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

GGG,

  George Outstanding advise, as usual! We definitely should have told him to try this 1st.

PCRR/Dave

Boy ! that sure makes the first responders feel great.   Is it now running Dave?

I'm using a z-1000 power brick to power the TIU.  I did try to use conventional DC via a transformer i had from an old Lionel Gold Rush Special G gauge set.  Still no luck.  I have tried multiple engine resets - no luck.  Seems like there is either a loose wire or something wrong with the board in the engine itself as Barry suggested.  I'm in the Fort Worth area and will run by a nearby club today to see if there is an authorized MTH repair location in the DFW area

Scott, I just tried to call you and left you a message on your cell.  Rich G.

Gregg,

   Never meant to make anyone feel badly, especially the 1st responders.  GGG's response was right on the money however.

PCRR/Dave

 Of course GGG' s  response was right on the money  .He's one of the best  teck s   around however is the engine now fixed? I don't think so. Rick actually got   the engine to run but we don't know the details.

Well,  I called the MTH tech yesterday.  They had no idea other than a loose wire.  I'll open up the engine later today and see what I can find.  If I cant find anything its back to the factory.

Barry, per your post (excerpt pasted below), you mentioned I might try a conventional reset.   I have a Z-1000 brick to power my TIU.  The only way for me to run conventional is through the TIU.  How do I turn of the DCS signal to the track's TIU channel as you suggest?

"The engine could be locked in neutral from conventional mode. Although not likely at this point, since it was running previously, it's still worth a try doing a conventional reset. With the engine on a conventional track (bypass  the TIU and wire directly from the transformer to the track,, or turn off the DCS signal on the track's TIU channel and cycle TIU power), press 1 whistle and then 5 bells. Use 1/2 second presses with 1/2 second pauses in-between. If successful, the engine will sound 2 short whistle blasts. Timing can be tricky and it may take several attempts to get it right."

Menu/ System/ DCS set up/

turn off the signal to a var channel and set up a var channel in var mode... Scroll the voltage up to around 10 volts..... Use the dcs remotes horn & bell button for the combination.... Don't forget TIU need a power  supply to function.. FXD 1 or aux power.

Try what Gregg said.

Actually you have to set up the var channel first , then turn off the dcs signal. It works,

I  know you checked  the tether but what   about the motor leads that plug into the circuit board at the end of the circuit board ( 4 or 5 pin), most of my engine  have yellow  &  white leads .... not to be confused with the speaker.

Gregg,

Can't you go back after setting up the var channel to var mode and turn the dcs off with Menu/system dcs set up.     I'm pretty sure because the tiu channel  must be in on it.  Anyway the tip came from MTH years ago .  Try it one way or the other.   Turn signal off first or later. 

I had a similar problem and had a wireless drawbar.  As stated in one of the posts above, the connector on the tender side was not seated properly.  I am awaiting a new drawbar as a replacement.  I had a similar problem with a wired connector.  In both cases, the lights and sounds came on when pushing the '3' key, but nothing else.  So to me, it sounds like a connection problem either with the drawbar/tether or internally.  Good luck.

Bob

Solution found!  After reading through several previous threads it was obvious my problem was not unique at all.  Definitely a loose connection issue.  I had reseated the drawbar connection at the tender side with no luck.  I removed the engine shell and reseated the drawbar plug on the engine side.  When I did, it was obvious the plug had backed out some.  I buttoned up the engine and put her back on the rails.  My RK M1a now operates flawlessly!  All the DCS functions operate as they should.  I'm happy to report the engine glides over my GarGraves track and switches, to include my GarGraves O-54 cross-over, without problem.   

Thanks again to everyone for their responses and help.  The information on this forum led me to the solution.  Much appreciated and I hope to return the favor someday.