DCS with O gauge & G gauge in same room

Option #2

Set up all 3 TIU's in Super mode.  Both DCS remotes would have all O and G gauge engines in them so I could use either remote to control any O or G gauge engine.  In this option, I would have the TIU's be #1, #2 and #3.

I don't think it matters, but I will be running DC on the G gauge layout.

I like this one better only because  you can use both remotes on each level. It's nice to have a second remote for quests or trouble shooting.  Apparently the super mode scrolling issues are a thing of the past with the latest software.  version 4.3

You can't have 2 tiu with the same address , if you go with option 1  the G gauge layout would have to be tiu #3.  There really isn't a downside to  whatever option you chose.

Vince,

I couldn't find anything in Barry's book about running DCS with G gauge

That's because there are no restrictions of which to be aware.

 or having multiple layouts in the same room each running DCS

The only thing to be aware of is that if 2 TIUs on different layouts have the same DCS ID#, DCS will become "confused", and error messages and general chaos may result.

Therefore, I recommend Option #2, although Option #1 will also work as long as all 3 TIUs have different numbers.

Further, if you do select Option #1, be aware that there's a bug in DCS releases through 4.20 where, if TIU #1 is in Super TIU mode, all TIUs are in Super TIU mode, and if TIU #1 is in Normal TIU mode, then all TIUs are in normal mode. This has been corrected in DCS 4.30, currently available here.

I would use #2 in your situation.

Must be a really big layout to need 3 TIUs.

It would seem OK to mix DC and AC on different channels of the same TIU. However, I will defer to the experts.

We had three different DCS systems at one show, I just went around and made sure we were all using different TIU numbers, no issues at all with conflicts with the other clubs.

Jim,

It would seem OK to mix DC and AC on different channels of the same TIU.

That's correct, however, variable channels in variable mode cannot handle DC voltage.

Interesting question, as I've never tried it. 

Will the variable channels pass DC in fixed mode?  Since it's going through the same circuitry, my sense would be that it wouldn't work, but I don't know for sure.

John,

Will the variable channels pass DC in fixed mode?

I think that they will, however, I don't have a DC power supply handy to try it with.

I'll have to try that at some point.

Thanks for all the replies.  Sounds like Option #2 is the way to go.

I currently have 2 TIU's and DCS remotes and just upgraded them to 4.30 the other day (it's been so long since I used them that they were still at version 3.1).

Using 3 TIU's for my layout is probably a bit of overkill.  But, I tend to over engineer things.  Using the 3 TIU's I can keep my blocks short and hopefully have a strong DCS signal everywhere.