DCS Issues

Break the connection of the center rail of the track midway between each drop and see if that helps.  If you have a loop consisting of track and wire, it tends to echo the DCS commands and cause repeats.  You can break the connection with an insulated pin, an easy test.

John, 

Thanks...I've tried that and no luck but I'm willing to try it again and I'll do it tomorrow. I'll take one of the feeds off and just use one. Should I put only one fiber pin on the center rail only or should I do all three rails? Should I do it at the other side of the loop or does it matter? I believe I tried both and didn't get anywhere but I may be wrong. Again, I'll try it again tomorrow. 

I'd leave both feeds and centered between the feeds on both sides of the loop, I'd insert the fiber pins for the center track.

I had temp layouts for about 2-3 years. one or two loops about the size you have. I had DCS problems occasionally, but could always fiddle my way through them and get things going.

Late last summer I started a permanent layout, wiring it as GRJ suggests above (actually per Barry's book). I have not had a problem since, it all works perfectly. Following Barry's guidelines really made a difference. The other difference on my permanent layout was using OGR wire. I used #14 to MTH terminal blocks and #16 to feed the track. OGR is twisted pair wire, all copper and very nice wire.

The blocks were the big difference in mine, I never bothered with them on the temp layouts. Thought they were too small. Break the center rail only and feed each block in the center of the block.

John/RTR

Thanks again. Will do as you say and report back sometime tomorrow. 

You said you are using a Rev I3A TIU.  If so, is there a silver dot after the "A".  If my memory serves me right, the I3A had a signal strength problem.  When MTH came up with a fix, a silver dot was put after the "A" to signify the TIU had been fixed.  If yours hasn't been fixed, maybe part of your problem.

Thanks - I wasn't aware of that but this is the first in the 10 years or so I've really been "dead in the water". I can't remember it the TIU is an I3A or just an I3. I'll check tomorrow. I do know the software is the most current version. 

Probably won't help, but I forgot to add my temp layouts were all somewhere around 4'-4-1/2' x 7'-8' with no blocks. I would get the 'engine not found' and 'engine not on track' and other weird things from time to time. My layout now is 6'x16' with 2 isolated loops and 4 blocks per loop and not a problem so far. Same DCS system, TIU is Rev L about 3+ years old, or there about.

Just came upstairs. Did as recommended, two blocks per loop, split (more or less) in half). Outer loop seemed fine. Inner loop also seemed fine although the inner loop was repeating softkeys a bit but not as much as "usual" so that seemed to be positive. 

I'll keep DCS set up for a few more days and keep trying it out but I'll keep my conventional transformers close by "just in case"..... Appreciate the help. Lots of knowledge on these forums. 

How many tiu channels are you using? Each channel  has a signal generator . Take advantage of it.   You should have a perfect DCS  ,unless you have a faulty I3A?? hope not. A light bulb on the output of the tiu channel might help. It  doesn't look like you're using a terminal block (not necessary here)

Like Greg says, use all four channels.  You can configure the two variable channels in fixed mode, so you have four channels for command operation.  Wire each channel to one of the isolated drops.

Gregg, 

I was just using Fixed 1 and 2 (inner and outer loop, upper remained conventional so I can run my conventional trains also). I checked my TIU is is an I3 not an I3A. My mistake. I have some DCS filters I can try as well. I do use MTH terminal blocks, they are just hidden underneath the table. 

John,

So if I understand this correctly, wire each of the four channels to a specific block? That is new. Hadn't heard of doing such a thing. Any specific advantage to this vs terminal blocks and two channels? 

 It should be working perfectly and  I can't see anything you're doing wrong. Try the light bulb thingy... any bulb might work . street light, station.   hook it  up on the terminal block or  right  on the output of fixed 1 &2.  I never had much luck with the engineered filters because they were designed for a different type of layout . good luck

Dcs doesn't like loose connections anywhere.

Put your filters at the end of the tracks at the split and another one at the TIU output, see if that helps.

The reason for using all the channels is you're driving a smaller amount of track, so you have less of an issue with signal degradation.

Gentlemen,

    SJC's layout is not that big, he should be running with all 10 when set up correctly.

Power the TIU from the Aux and run each train loop with a different channel, put some sighted lock ons on each loop and unless there is a problem with the TIU, his signal strength should be 8-10 all the time with no problem.

PCRR/Dave

We know that Dave, we're trying to get him there.

Thanks all for the suggestions. I will give them a try, probably tomorrow as we have company coming over later and will report back.