Digital Command Control

No, on the Lionel engine being controlled by DCC. Lionel has chosen to head towards Bluetooth control with it's 2017 LionChief products. Currently, LionChief is dedicated remote only and LionChief Plus is dedicated remote and conventional only.

You can control the MTH engine with the basic DCS remote commander 50-1033 and then have both of your current trains operated with a remote without changing the existing layout or equipment. (perhaps an AC transformer)

I would suggest that you explore the MTH DCS and Lionel Legacy products for train and layout remote control. Leave the DCC equipment to the small scale trains.

Both Lionel and MTH have mature systems with devices to remotely operate accessories and the entire layout. Both systems can coexist or be active on a layout.

There is also a third party company(ERR) that has devices to convert control of manual products/accessories to remote TMCC/Legacy control. MTH makes kits to convert engines.

There are several types of remote control systems. Lionel uses three that I know of of which your grandson's is probably an IR line of sight type. The MTH uses at least two: one is the same IR system Lionel use and the other is MTH's own DCS control system which will not control Lionel trains that use theLionel digital control systems. I believe both Lionel and MTH trains will work on the old fashion transformer connected to the track.

The MTH DSC system requires the TIU box for trains and a separate AIU box for accessories. This is all very expensive. It kind of makes you select one or the other. But there are ways to run both the transformer and the DCS from a TIU (its complicated). You can even use Lionel digital control system on the same track as MTH's DCS but then you have to buy two control system that are pretty expensive.

LDBennett

"DCC" is the name standardized system established by the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA).     The signal on the rails is standardized and the control variables for the basic loco functions involving the motor are standardized.     This means any ones locomotive with a DCC decoder can be run by anyone's DCC control system.     It is non-proprietary.     

so can you control accessories.    Yes,  you can control anything if you put a DCC decoder in it.    There many stationary decoders (do not control motors) available as cheap as 10-12 dollars.     Motor decoders for HO start as low 15-20.     Motors that require more than about 1.5 amps require heavier duty decoders with usually cost int he 50 dollar range for a motor only decoder.    sound decoders generally run over 100.     Many modern models can use the less than 1.5 amp rated decoders.    Most older ones need heavier ones.

But note that DCC is not compatible with MTH's DCS engines. You would have to convert the MTH engines and the Lionel remote control engine to DCC with extra internal electronic parts.

The way it could work is to use both DCC and MTH's DCS systems on the same layout. That way you could control both DCC Lionel engines and MTH DCS engines at the same time. The Lionel IR line of sight remote control engine may also be MTH PROTO-2/3 compatible (??) which is DCS.

It is all very complicated to the uninformed. I have bought only MTH engines with DCS Proto-3 using a TIU and AIU for accessories. I, at one point, converted a "Set" engine from remote IR line of sight control to Proto-3 as the engine already had had the Proto-3 module inside. It is a software change done by the DCS remote using the TIU. I changed it back and gave it to a relative's step daughter. The poster's Lionel set engine may (???) have the Proto-2 or 3 module in it?? I don't know how that sharing of products between Lionel and MTH works.

LDBennett

All MTH Engines with PS-3 have DCC decoders built in

LDBennett posted:

But note that DCC is not compatible with MTH's DCS engines. You would have to convert the MTH engines and the Lionel remote control engine to DCC with extra internal electronic parts.

As stated by MY TRAIN BOOK, this is incorrect. All MTH PS 3 engines have the DCC chip in them and a switch to toggle between DCS and DCC.

Also, the Lion Chief products are radio controlled and nothing like the IR system used by MTH. Lion Chief products are not able to be controlled by Legacy. However, you can put the Lion Chief engine on any track with constant voltage. All MTH PS 2 and PS 3 engines can be controlled digitally by a full DCS system.

See...Complicated! I did not know all these differences. So any MTH engine can be a DCC engine with the change of a switch? Haven't bought an engine recently so must have forgot the existence of the DCD/DCC switch. Sorry for the bad info.

I was misled by Lionel marked sets sold by MTH with both the MTH remote control and Proto-3 DCS control. I assumed Lionel only sets were the same. Seems it is not so!

LDBennett

Not all MTH Engines have a DCC/DCS switch, most all Railkings you have to cut a wire to make it DCC. 

Lionel has done some different things with their starter sets. They are super simple, which is probably their reasoning. MTH stuff is cool because it all works together. I am not sure if the PS 2 engines are DCC enabled, but the PS 3 engines definitely are.

My train book posted:

Not all MTH Engines have a DCC/DCS switch, most all Railkings you have to cut a wire to make it DCC. 

Not true. You remove a jumper. No cutting of any wires is needed.

Goshawk posted:

Lionel has done some different things with their starter sets. They are super simple, which is probably their reasoning. MTH stuff is cool because it all works together. I am not sure if the PS 2 engines are DCC enabled, but the PS 3 engines definitely are.

PS2 locomotives definitely do NOT have DCC enabled.

Corey, thank you for your comments above about all PS3 locomotives having a DCC decoder built in. I routinely run my unmodified MTH PS3 locomotives under DCC control. 

What is the difference between DCC and TMCC- Thanks

luvatenor posted:

What is the difference between DCC and TMCC- Thanks

Completely different, incompatible systems. TMCC/Legacy can coexist with DCS, I don't know if DCC can coexist with either of the other two.

Doug

LDBennett posted:

See...Complicated! I did not know all these differences. So any MTH engine can be a DCC engine with the change of a switch? Haven't bought an engine recently so must have forgot the existence of the DCD/DCC switch. Sorry for the bad info.

I was misled by Lionel marked sets sold by MTH with both the MTH remote control and Proto-3 DCS control. I assumed Lionel only sets were the same. Seems it is not so!

 

LDBennett

MTH produces some tin plate sets under license, with Lionel branding, but they use MTH electronics in them AFAIK.

I have not seen, or heard of any Lionel PRODUCED products using an IR control.

Doug

My train book posted:

All MTH Engines with PS-3 have DCC decoders built in

What I found interesting is that my new Cab Forward with PS3 has one set of features and when switched to DCC, it has many more- for example- DCS gives one idle sequence, DCC -4 idle sequences- interesting!!

challenger3980 posted:

luvatenor posted:

What is the difference between DCC and TMCC- Thanks

Completely different, incompatible systems. TMCC/Legacy can coexist with DCS, I don't know if DCC can coexist with either of the other two.

Doug

DCC doesn't work with either TMCC/Legacy or DCS on the same tracks.  You have to run one or the other.