DCS TIU W/programming track

You are not running Super TIU mode, and you added the engine and it's associated with TIU #2.  I set both my bench and layout TIU's to TIU #1, that way I don't run into this problem.  If you want to make sure there's no collissions because of having both powered on, simply use a cord and tether your remote to the bench TIU, that disables the radio and the layout won't see that remote, and the layout remotes won't see the bench TIU.  You can unplug the remote after you're done and then it'll work on the layout.

Thanks John. I’m shut down for the night and will pick it up again tomorrow. I think I may have something screwed up with my wiring on TIU 1. If I understand correctly, both TIUs should be on address 1. I do have a tether cord I can try. Jim

Well, the symptoms you mention would be simply adding them using the wrong TIU.  The whole addressing scheme with the MTH TIU's and Remotes is somewhat confusing if you get past one TIU.

I’m back to programming on the layout and it’s working fine. But my layout TIU doesn’t recognize PS3 locomotives. It just give an “No Engine to add!” message. Any thoughts on why that would be happening?

I have two TIUs, one on the layout and one in the shop. The layout TIU is the latest update but the shop TIU is very 5.0. The shop TIU recognizes and adds PS3 locomotives but the layout TIU will not. If I program a loco in the shop, how do I load it into the system on the layout?

@Burlington Quincy posted:

I have two TIUs, one on the layout and one in the shop. The layout TIU is the latest update but the shop TIU is very 5.0. The shop TIU recognizes and adds PS3 locomotives but the layout TIU will not. If I program a loco in the shop, how do I load it into the system on the layout?

The REMOTE is what stores the engine database in MTH DCS. The TIU is largely a conduit or path between the remote and the engine.

You have 2 TIUs. No issue there, but if they are both powered at the same time and the remote is in range of both, and you do not have a tethered cable and remote in the one unit- then BOTH receivers are trying to talk to the remote. So when you add engine in this situation or try to call up an engine and run it- you get BOTH TIUs responding at the same time back to the remote- and a good chunk of the time, you get engine not found or other problems- from the second TIU where the engine is not at the track.

So, the fix was- if you have 2 TIUs in your location.

1. You set them both the ID1. (or another ID, but so they both match)
2. You tether the remote you want to add the engine to- via cable- to your programming tiu with the engine on the track. You add this engine to the remote. The reason you tether the remote is this also turns off the RF 900MHz receiver function of the TIU that is tethered and the remote so they ONLY talk to each other, and not the OTHER TIU out on your track layout. Again, understanding the tether function does 2 things- it connects that remote to that TIU AND blocks any other remote from talking to that TIU at that moment, and prevents the remote from talking to another TIU over the wireless signal.
3. Another way is discipline!!! You ONLY power one TIU at a time. In other words, if you want to use the programming track and TIU, then the layout TIU and all track power and other other way (example USB connected WIU) is off so the TIU has no power and no LED. Then the remote can ONLY talk to the powered TIU. Then after adding the engine to the remote on the programming track- you then power off that TIU completely so there is no red status LED, then take the engine and go over to your layout, and power it up, and now that remote can now talk to that engine on your layout because it was programmed under a TIU with ID1 (or whatever matching ID you chose).

Again as an example we have DCS at our local club. By default that TIU is set to ID1. Most members have TIUs at home also defaulted set to ID1.

A user can program and add the engine to their remote at home. They don't have an interference problem or have to tether the remote because physically there is no other nearby TIUs powered. Again, key here is they add the engine to their remote, and it's done with default TIU ID1 that matches the clubs TIU ID.

They then take their engine and their personal remote to the club. The remote stores the engines DCS ID and the engine also has it's ID and the club TIU just being a path between the remote and the engine on the track- and being a matching TIU ID of 1, it all works.

If I want to add a programming specific TIU to the club- which one day, club funding and TIU pricing come together, we decide to add another TIU,

I'm going to have the same basic problem. Say at the moment I have users running their MTH engines on the layout. I have another user walk in the door that night, they just bought a new MTH engine, they have their remote, and they want to add that brand new engine to their remote.

Right now, with only 1 TIU, I have to have everyone turn off their track and stop running, then only that new user and that new engine is powered so only 1 engine on all TIU tracks is powered, and the user adds the engine to their remote. Then after they confirm they added this new engine, then everyone can power all tracks and run together.

In the future, with a programming track and programming secondary TIU, the sequence would be:

1. Programming TIU is always off completely unpowered unless a user is actively using it. I guess another way could be unplug the internal 900MHz card.
2. User places engine on the programming track and powers the programming TIU- but only when their remote is tethered to it.
3. They add the engine to their remote.
4. They power down the programming track and ensure the TIU is no longer powered. They untether their remote.
5. They can now place that engine on a club layout track on the main operational TIU and run with their remote normally.

Thanks for your answers. I’ll try the solutions tomorrow but I wanted to say thanks. Is there a setting that can cause a TIU or a remote to consistently fail to recognize PS3 locos? I’m pairing fine with PS2s but none of my PS3s will program.

thanks again.

@Burlington Quincy posted:

Thanks for your answers. I’ll try the solutions tomorrow but I wanted to say thanks. Is there a setting that can cause a TIU or a remote to consistently fail to recognize PS3 locos? I’m pairing fine with PS2s but none of my PS3s will program.

thanks again.

None that I am aware of. Instead it's completely reverse- PS2 locos are polarity sensitive, PS3 locos are not polarity sensitive- previously you mentioned TIU wiring, so again, if you said PS2 engines could not be added and or started up in conventional ignoring the watchdog, then I'd suspect wiring.

Thanks. I am going to try the ideas suggested so far. thinking of resetting the handheld.
If I am able to get the PS3s to program I’ll pass it along.