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Does MTH DCS interfere with Legacy?

B britrailerOGR Forum Member

I just finished a layout rebuild and, during test runs, I found a couple of spots where my Legacy locomotives stop with rapidly blinking headlamps. At first I thought this was due to dirty track but a thorough scrubbing didn't help.

The offending spots are about 2 ft below and 1ft "behind" 2 DCS/Legacy power distribution terminal strips.

 

The layout has 2 levels with a helix connection - there doesn't seem to be any problem on the upper level even though track is immediately above the terminal strips.

If I put my hand between a terminal strip and the locomotive, the headlamp then lights and it operates normally.

I'm hoping a forumite can help me figure out what's going on here and how to fix it?

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AcelaNYPAcelaNYPOGR Forum Member

It sounds like you have a ground plane issue, where interference from the terminal strips is causing the locomotive to lose the TMCC signal (hence the blinking lights). To resolve this I would try adding ground wires to the affected tracks, or adding a grounded wire mesh/aluminum foil barrier between the terminal strips and the track.

 

-John

Barry BroskowitzBarry BroskowitzOGR Forum Member MEMORIALIZED MEMBER

Although some, but not all, Legacy or TMCC engines may degrade the DCS signal in PS2 and PS3 engines, PS2 and PS3 engines absolutely do not interfere with Legacy or TMCC engines.

 

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Last edited by Barry Broskowitz
B britrailerOGR Forum Member

Thanks John,

 

I tried running a ground wire at the 3 spots where the Legacy signal was disrupted and it worked.

 

Thanks Barry,

 

My DCS engines run fine on the affected areas - that led to my assumption that the DCS signal on the terminal strips was somehow interfering with Legacy.

 

I tried disconnecting the power to the terminal strips at the TIU and the problem persisted. That seems to confirm it's a ground plane issue so, apologies to MTH for blaming DCS!

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