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My grandson and I are building a new layout with a multiple track station off the mainline. We've installed toggle switches to turn power off and on to these tracks so the engines do not build up clock hours, and passenger car lights do not burn continuously. The toggle switches are connected to the red wire connected to the center rail. The problem is when the power is turned on to the tracks, the tracks power up but the DCS remote does not read a RF signal on these sections. The RF signal is present everywhere else. My questions are 1) is there a certain type toggle switch we should he using to allow the RF signal to pass through, or 2) should I be putting the switch in the black, outside rail wire instead. We are using Gargraves track, and Ross switches.

Toggle switches used are SPST toggle switches, Radio Shack 276-0606, 3A at 125VAC, 1.5A at 250 VAC

Last edited by Jim M Sr
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HI Jim,

 

I'm guessing the DCS signal is present everywhere, but that there's not watchdog signal for engines on that siding/section to see.   The TIU sends out a signal few a couple of seconds when power initially hits the interface - to get the newly powered engines to come up, I think you need to do a "Read" from the DCS remote - I believe that generates another watchdog for the engines.  

 

There might be another solution to this, but hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can elaborate on it.  

Last edited by thestumper

Jim, my entire layout is blocked and toggled (70+), as is yours, and I have no problems.  In my opinion, any switch capable of carrying its rated current safely is adequate.  In this regard, I note that 3 amp @125VAC is marginal; trains may exceed that, and if you have a short, you'll be breaking a larger current. Switches should be on the red/center rail circuit, as you have them.

 

What gauge wire are you using?  What version TIU (should be a sticker on the bottom)?  Are there fiber pins or gaps in the center rails between each toggled blocks, and none of the blocks having 2 red feeds?  Do you have common feeds to outside rails at various points on the layout? 

 

When you say RF signal, do you mean that (1) you have powered the block, (2) pressed startup for the loco), and then pressed the key to give signal strength?

Last edited by RJR

I think he means "DCS" signal.  RF would indicate communication from the remote to the TIU.  DCS signal is more in line with the problem he describes.

 

If he leaves the toggles 'open' on startup, yes, the engines will receive signal, but if he toggles them 'off/closed' the engines will lose it (as well as power) and go dead AFAIK.  Toggling back 'on' at that point will leave him with a powered engine on the siding but there's no watchdog signal to wake it up.  

 

Performing a 'READ' from the remote should send another watchdog out over the track, so that those dead engines that are now "revived" from the toggle 'on'  now get the wake-up call they need.  

 

At least that's how I think it works...

 

Last edited by thestumper

"When you say RF signal, do you mean that (1) you have powered the block, (2) pressed startup for the loco), and then pressed the key to give signal strength?"

 

There are fiber pins in the siding center rails, one at each end of each sidling.

The locos are fine when running on the main line, but when they pass the switch are are completely on an active siding the remote reads "no Rf signal" and the locos keep running but are not responsive to the remote.

 

i use 16 ga. Braided wire on the layout without issue, but used 12 ga single strand wire on the sidings because of the tab size on the toggle switches

 

 

Performing a 'READ' from the remote should send another watchdog out over the track, so that those dead engines that are now "revived" from the toggle 'on'  now get the wake-up call they need.  

That's incorrect.

 

All a READ does is move powered engines to the renote's Active Engine List and unpowered engines to the Inactive Engine List. There is no watchdog sent.

Originally Posted by RJR:

I don't recall ever seeing that message.  Are the sidings and main line on the same TIU circuit?

 

From what you have just described, this is not a startup or watchdog signal issue. 

Agreed - I've never seen that particular error message.  I've seen the "Out of RF Range" message before, but this is odd.  Could there somehow be interference/reflection from the toggle installs?  I would think the DCS signal would propagate over any connected track unless it was somehow filtered - which would be bizarre.  I would also think that "red" or "center" would be appropriate to but power to this sidings just like anything else.  So now the question to me becomes "how exactly do these toggles work?"  Are they not simply electrical pass-throughs?  There's power, obviously...  engines generally receive the DCS commands on the center rail and respond on the outside rails... 

 

The "fiber pins" confuse me...  could we get a picture/schematic of how this connects up? 

 

(Note:  Apologies - when I think RF, I think wireless.  Clearly the remote is talking to the TIU.)  

Jim,

   I suggest you purchase the OGR Video Guide to DCS, Rich Melvin in the OGR video has Jim Barrett do a great video teaching job, on exactly which Toggle Switches to use, and exactly how to install them in you layout.  This particular back shop segment is the very best Toggle Switch instruction I have ever seen done, you can watch the video as many times as you need, to understand exactly how to install and run the Toggle switches.  Then sit and read Barry's exacting instructions, in the DCS O Gauge Companion Book.

PCRR/Dave

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