how do you build a programming track?

First, thanks for purchasing The DCS O Gauge Companion!

Second, there are two references to programming tracks, for specific situations, on pages 164-165.

Third, others may disagree, however, in my opinion, there is no need at all for a dedicated programming track, per se. Any siding or block of track is a perfect place to add locomotives, as long as it can be powered independently of the rest of the layout. As a matter of fact, if a layout is wired properly, an engine can be added to a remote just about anywhere, regardless of whether another engine is powered up at the time.

The "secret" is to have a layout with isolated track blocks, enough power available to support any engines on the rails that are drawing power, a high DCS signal strength and only one TIU connection per track block.

On my layout, I have every engine on a track that's controlled by a toggle switch and, as a practice, I leave all sidings that have engines on them powered off unless I want to run that siding's engine. This allows track on the layout to be a good place to add engines.

That said...

If I isolate a siding and put it on fixed two will that isolate a loco on the siding?

Yes, it will, as long as the siding has its center rail isolated from the main line.

 if so can i power fixed2 with the same transformer as 1?

Yes, you can. However, if you're adding an engine on Fixed #2, you should turn off power to Fixed #1.

You can just run one of the TIU outputs to the programming track (the siding) and power it with the same or a different transformer.  You'll want to switch off the power to the main track so that those locomotives won't be seen.

Barry, if two locomotives are on the track and not in the remote, how do you know which one you'll get?

John,

if two locomotives are on the track and not in the remote, how do you know which one you'll get?

First, why does it matter if you're adding both anyway?

Regardless, DCS first looks for engines on tracks starting with the highest TIU first and then works down. I can't tell you in what channel sequence it looks for engines.

Next, DCS adds the engine with the highest number on that channel and works its way down.

I figured there was an order.  I've stuck three on the tracks and cleared the remote, then added them.  They indeed did add one-at-a-time until all were added in three passes.

As long as you don't have signal strength issues, I suspect your previous suggestion to just put them on a siding and power up and add them probably works fine.

Thank you both for the help I have picked up alot in the last few months from each of your posts.  I think I have read before in one of Barrys earlier posts that a dedicated programming track wasn't necessary but since I am having trouble adding engines and my loop is still under construction and far from perfect it seems like the easiest way to diagnose problems

I think a weak signal affects adding the locomotive more than running it.

John,

I think a weak signal affects adding the locomotive more than running it.

Absolutely!

DCS signal strength requirements, highest to lowest:

• Transferring sound/chain files
• Adding engines
• Operating engines.

Put a double HUH in there for me Barry, I don't know what he's talking about either.

Third, others may disagree, however, in my opinion, there is no need at all for a dedicated programming track, per se. Any siding or block of track is a perfect place to add locomotives, as long as it can be powered independently of the rest of the layout.

Barry, you are absolutely correct!  I completely agree.  What I do is only power up one "loop," then turn off all block toggle switches save for the one I am using.

I think a weak signal affects adding the locomotive more than running it.

GRJ< I also agree with you.

Worked perfect!!  put the siding on track 2 of the z4000 on fix2 of tiu only powered no 2 and the engine thats been giving me fits all afternoon loaded fine.  tells me loco and tiu are doing good and I need to keep working on getting my loop blocked the way its supposed to be.

Gregg, I'll buy the multiple remote issue, that's an issue we're currently sorting out for our modular club displays.

However, an engine that's already in your remote will not add again, or at least I can't make that happen.  It's certainly true that it can add with a different ID than other remotes, but the programming track doesn't fix that.

Gentlemen,

   Barry is definitely correct as long as you have an isolated block to work form and still I would rather have a programming track set aside to work from, in this manner I can still run my trains and use the programming track at the same time, have never been big on the sidings as a programming tracks.

The toggles are a great idea, but I still want the programming track for testing many different things.

PCRR/Dave

Give it time on .

Gregg,

however we went back to 3.11

DCS 3.11 is buggy and primitive as compared to DCS 4.2.

My opinion is that if someone's not on the latest version of DCS, it becomes very difficult to troubleshoot problems.

Sam,

I'll bet that at some point you did a Factory Reset of the engine. Since it was a conversion, it's possible that whoever did the conversion just put a Custom Name onto the PS2 board, instead of using a permanent name (only do-able using the Service DCS Loader Program).

When you did a Factory Reset, the Custom Name was erased.

You can use DCS to put a new Custom Name into the board as described on pages 38-39 of The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition. From the ENGINE SETUP Menu:

To edit a PS2 or TMCC engine, use the thumbwheel to scroll to EDIT ENGINE and press the thumbwheel to select it

To edit the name of a PS2 or TMCC engine, use the thumbwheel to scroll to EDIT NAME and press the thumbwheel to select it

• A list of all of the engines in the DCS Remote's active engine list is displayed

• Select the engine by either scrolling to it using the thumbwheel or entering its one or two digit DCS ID# using the number keys to highlight the engine whose name is to be changed. Press the thumbwheel to select it

• Use the on-screen keyboard to enter the engine's new name. Scroll the thumbwheel to each character in the name and press the thumbwheel to add the character. Scroll to D on the bottom row, right end of the keyboard and press the thumbwheel to save the engine's new name

• The engine's name is changed in the DCS Remote and the ENGINE SETUP menu is displayed

• Initially, a PS2 engine's name is entered into a PS2 engine at its time of manufacture and resides in the PS2 engine itself as the Factory Name. When the name is changed, a Custom Name is created and the Factory Name no longer is used, although it remains in the engine. Changing the name of a PS2 engine by creating a Custom Name changes it in the engine and in the DCS Remote in which the change was made. Changing the Factory Name in a PS2 engine may only be accomplished using the Dealer Loader Program. PS2 subways and trolleys may not have a Custom Name.

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!

For those of you who are complaining about Barry advertising "his" book here, I want to clear up something about this.

The DCS book is an MTH PRODUCT, written by Barry.

MTH has been a long-time advertiser and supporter of this forum. Consequently, the "ads" which Barry posts for this DCS book are legitimate ads for an MTH product.

Nuff said.

With as many quotes from his book that he freely posts and as many people that he tries to help here, I am surprised that anyone could complain! I am very glad he puts forth the efforts to help us as much as he does. Thanks Barry!

Thank you, Rich, for affirming that Barry can mention his book when he posts answers.  He does more than anyone else on this forum to help those needing assistance with DCS.

Absolutely correct. To be honest, I and many others here would be completely lost without Barry's constant advice.

We're putting in a separate programming track on the work bench as it gets cumbersome to add a locomotive on the layout while others are running (typically, a DCS locomotive enters the staging room at precisely the wrong time). The plan is to set up a separate TIU connected to a test track, where the user tethers the remote to the TIU. This will prevent the remote from "reaching out and touching" another locomotive on another nearby TIU via radio. In testing, it works well tethering to one of the TIUs when no other trains are in the zone.

Matt, that's exactly what we're going to do for the modular shows, I have a second TIU that will just connect to a siding and serve as our programming track.

John. If I tether a remote to one of the TIUs, does it stop trying to talk to the others once tethered? 

Yes. remote only talks to the tiu it's tethered to. I tried splicing a second remote into the same curly cable... the software knew and would only communicate with one remote .

RJR,

   No matter who complains I am going to talk about Barry's book and the OGR Video guide to DCS, sponsor or not, these are the best educational materials we have for setting up and running our trains, and along with Barry's & Riches help here on the OGR a member gets and education far supperior to any thing else in our hobby.  You are correct, glad Rich made things real clear for those questioning what was going on, he made things absolutley clear as to what is happening. 

PCRR/Dave

I bought Barry's book and there's a lot of highlighting in it now.  Great resource! 

The more I use DCS the more I like it.  The 2-rail MTH Premier locos are awesome!

Rail Dawg,

   Keep your high lighter handly, given a little time there will be a lot of yellow in your book!

PCRR/Dave

C&O,

   Just Run your lines from the TIU to a terminal block, then from the Terminal Block to a seperate track that is not part of your over all layout, if you have a slighltly older TIU, use the magic light.  Mine worked great.  Remember when using older ZW & KW type transformers to use a Scott 10 amp Breaker to protect your DCS TIU also.

PCRR/Dave

You can see my programming track in this picture below, above the transformers with the terminal blocks on each side of the DCS TIU, it worked very very well.