DCS remote thumbwheel in stock yet?

I don't know about MTH, but I have one I can help you out with.

If interested, email in profile.

Chuck

Supposedly clearing customs some where.  I got the last 2 at York, I found buried in a parts bin.   G

That was a good find George.  I am down to only a few on hand.

When I hear about these issues, I get concerned because I have 19 engines on MTH / DCS. 

No Lionel Legacy.......

I am all in........ MTH / DCS

Side bar? - Should I purchase second TIU & MTH / DCS Remote? Just store......

What do you think?

Gary

I see no need to have a spare TIU, unless you want one for the workbench or are having signal problems and don't have a Rev L.  As for the remote, having a second is handy, if (2) you have guests or (2) you have a lot going on at once and have one in each hand.  But out of fear, I would say the $$ are better spent.

RJR,

   I agree with you as far as the TIU goes, no real need for a spare, however the DCS hand held remote Control is a completely different matter, and they should both be upgraded to fully rechargeable units.  Wish I would have invested in 2 of them many years ago.  I love being able to just stick one on the charger, when the batteries get low and pick up the other fully charged hand held.

PCRR/Dave

Hi RJR & Dave at the Pine Creek Railroad.

     Thanks for answering my question about the back up MTH / DCS system.

If something went wrong with the TIU, I could use my Lionel Cab 1 & One engine on Lionel Chief Plus to keep the layout up and running on a smaller operating conditions.

     If I had to send the TIU in for service or to my local LHS / MTH Dealer. 

Cheers from Michigan

Gary

Two minutes ago I received my invoice from MTH that my thumbwheels have been shipped. That should answer the poster.

I run my remotes as follows.  One for steam, one for diesel, and one for electric.  I have three more that are clones of steam, diesel, and electric.  I run number 7 as Legacy/TMCC engines and one bench remote.  All remotes are backed up on my workbench computer.  Thumbwheels in stock are important to me.

I run a workbench Rev L TIU and keep a backup.   

you can check yourself the part number is BG-5000000, i had one go bad but was sent back under warranty did not even last a month, but my train store ordered one and then the TIU failed and he just sent the whole remote and TIU and has it fixed at Maryland mth repair shop! worked fine after that!

Marty how long do these thumb wheel's usually last?

I'm very gentile with my remote and was surprised, it got harder and harder to push and make it read, but i have bought some older ones and they were perfect?

Alan

P.S. thanks for the info on the sound file and 2 files you sent worked great

!

Alan

Some will go for a long time.  Guys with powerful hands push hard sometimes and break the thumbwheel frame causing the issue.  I have replaced a few of my own.  I have three of my remotes made from parts with new wheels and all is well.  They are very easy to replace.  

Marty, I finally saw that my last order made it out of the order queue and into processing.  I haven't seen it yet, but at least something is happening with it.

Did MTH change the wire color coding since original issue?  I seem to recall something said on the forum along that line.

John, same here.  I have some PS3 2 boards on the way.

I remember a comment about that.  I replaced one a few months ago, and the wire colors matched.  I had the spare in my parts box for some time, so maybe they changed after I got mine.

MartyF

  What is the story on the thumb wheels any way, it seem MTH can never keep enough of them in stock.  I remember you being real nice and sending Bill one for me, when none were available once before.  We were upgrading my Hand Held to fully rechargeable at that time also.  Seems like this Thumb wheel shortage just keeps going on and on!

PCRR/Dave

Dave, I have several people give me broken remotes when they buy a new one.  I had a friend living close who was a huge guy and very strong.  Every few weeks I would be replacing thumbwheels for him.  I feel it is the user in most cases.  Some people do not understand the word SELECT and tend to give it their all when pushing down on the wheel.  I go in the box of broken remotes from time to time and am able to make a few Frankensteins for use.  I recently gave Barry one and made two more for myself.  

Again, I do not want to be in the parts business as people who support this forum pay bills with money made.  I am not a competitor.  If I have something that is unavailable by any of them and I have it I am happy to help out if I can.     

That was me:-)  G

George,

   Sorry buddy I messed that up!  I really did appreciate you making that all happen.

Still goes back to the same question, why can't MTH keep these wheels in continual stock.  Although mine took many many years, it did finally wear out.   

PCRR/Dave

Same reason Lionel runs out of smoke fans....  Not really sure, but they have them again.  G

MartyF,

   Hay the next time you get your hands on another old DCS Hand Held remote control, I would love to have another one, keep me in mind will ya!  Just let me know what you want for it.

PCRR/Dave

Will do Dave.  Thumb wheels are in stock again guys.

I finally replaced my thumbwheel last fall/winter sometime.  I had ordered the new thumbwheel in summer 2013. Wires were same as the old one, direct replacement, wire for wire with nothing changed. My DCS system is a Rev L and was purchased about the time the Rev L had just came out I believe. I am probably guilty of 'Selecting' too hard, but have cut way back since. I see no reason why a thumbwheel shouldn't last several years if one does not 'Select' things to forcefully, as Marty stated above.

To add something about MTH parts, I think that may have also been my first parts order from MTH? Anyway, Midge answered the phone, took my order and I got the thumbwheels and a few other parts I ordered in about 2-3 days later. Makes me wonder if MTH has just gotten a lot busier since that time, as now everyone says their orders take a lot longer (one of mine from last fall took quite a bit longer as well). Now I know this is bad for us when we need parts, but maybe it means train sales are increasing at the train companies and they are a lot busier now. Now this would be very good for all of us in the long term.