Lash Up Anomalies

You now need to go back to the individual engines change their settings. Sound ,chuf rate, smoke. It's in Barry's guide. Once you do this the settings will lock in for the lash up. 

suzukovich, thanks for your comment.

I would like to note that the lash up worked well under DCS 2.0.  I changed the sound settings on the lead loco, and based on your suggesting, I will change the sound settings on the second loco too. 

What Smoke setting are you referring to? On/Off?  

thanks, Tom

2.) At a speed of 26 MPH or more the lash up goes into a "clickity-clack" mode, the engine chugging sound is muted and the bell/whistle no longer works.  When I set the speed to 25 MPH or less, the chugging sound returns and the bell/whistle feature then works.

Comments or suggestions?

Thanks,

Tom

That's  the way clickity clack works however I'm not sure about a lash-up. Maybe select each engine from the inactive list and turn off the clickity clack.  Try the lead engine first.  If that doesn't work try the other engine as well.. I've just had too many problems that I don't run them any more. We use dummy  units now. Are you really running version 2.0? It was  the very first  version and lash-up info was stored in the tiu (not remote)

 Let me explain this better. While you are running the lash up. Pull up the engines in the lash up. Example press engine and select The M1. Then press the menu button and select sound. Adjust the settings. Do the same thing with the other engines in the lash up. Once your done press engine and go back to the lash up. Turn it off and then start it again. This will lock in the changes you made and insure that the lash up is doing what you want it to do. Like I said it's also in Barry's guide to DCS.

Do the same thing with the smoke settings too. That should fix the smoke issue. Also  make sure your setting your transformer to at least 17. Smoke unit suck up a lot of juice. I had a couple of issues when I replaced my old DCS with a new one. I just pulled up Barry's guide on my laptop and refreshed my memory on lash ups. No more issues.

suzukovich - will do, thanks. Tom

Gregg - I am using DCS 4.3.  I noted that when I used DCS 2.0, I didn't have any issues

Tom,

Two things...

First, did you reset both the TIU and remote after upgrading from DCS 2.0 to DCS 4.3? If you did not, you're very likely to see assorted anomalies.

Second, under DCS 4.30, after changing the settings of lashup members, instead of shutting down and restarting the lashup to save changed settings you must press the lashup's FSV soft key.

Barry I have 4.30 I shut it down and restarted and changes had saved. Besides. The only way I will know if the changes took effect is to restart. Just common sense. Now understand I don't have your latest book with all the updates in it and nowhere when I purchased it said that there were going to be automatic updates.. My guess is a lot of us have older versions and the lash up instructions seem to work just fine.  

Thanks Barry.  I followed the two steps you outline.  Didn't know about the FSV softkey.

The odd behavior continues.  The most troubling issue is the wimpy amount of smoke that is generated (even with the voltage set as high as 20).  When running the locomotives separately the smoke level is awesome, but in the lash up mode one has to look carefully to notice a trace amount of smoke coming out the locomotives, especially the lead one.

Did you do the same thing that you did with the sound?

suzukovich - Yes, I cycled the smoke on/off/on in the lash up mode and then pressed the FSV softkey.  And, the smoke units are definitely both on, but operate to the point where it seems like they don't have enough smoke fluid.   But, when they run separately without any programming changes, the smoke billows like mad.

You are probably using the wrong kind of rope for your "lashup." 

I just knew that sooner or later Rich would chime in.

Hey Tom... I may be able to give it(smoke) a try later on tonight with a couple of upgraded steamers.   Did you get the clickity clack  issue fixed? Later.

 You are probably using the wrong kind of rope for your "lashup."

 

....

 

I just knew that sooner or later Rich would chime in

 

That's Rich's line.

Gregg - when lashed together, I have not been able to get the clickity-clack or smoke issues fixed.  When I un-lash the steamers and run them separately they smoke well and there is no clickity clack at higher speeds (greater than 27mph).  When lashed together, above 27mph a clickity clack sound begins without chugging sounds and the bell and whistle sounds are disabled.  Really odd.  Tom

Tom 

Later when the craziness in my house dies down( I can't wait for school to start) although I running diesels with smoke units off. I will turn them on and see what happens. Both engines in this lashup are PS3

Tom,

when lashed together, I have not been able to get the clickity-clack or smoke issues fixed.  

Change smoke in each member while in the lashup to MAX:

Menu/Control/Smoke, and press the MAX soft key. Then press the thumbwheel.

Change Clickity-Clak to off:

Menu/Sound/Clickity-Clak, and press soft key OFF. Press the thumbwheel.

Bring up the lashup and press FSV.

Great suggestion Barry.  I will try this tomorrow.  I need to spend some time reviewing all of the programming and softkey controls available within DCS.  Great flexibility at the expense of more complexity.

Hi again... I couldn't duplicate your problem with the smoke and didn't get a chance to turn off the clickity clack.   However I did a feature reset of both engines before creating the lash-up. Menu/Advanced reset engine /feature reset.... Give it a try before creating the lash up. Of course you'll have to delete the lash-up from the remote first.

Thanks Greg for testing your system.  Good to know that it works for you.

I did reset the TIU and remote after first experiencing the problems.  And, then I added locos and the lash up.  I will try what Barry suggested in his last post and report back tomorrow.  thanks again, Tom

Tom

Just got done testing with my engines. Believe it or not I had the same issue with the smoke units. I went into each engine in my lash up and turned on the smoke unit in one engine and set it at max. Did the same thing with the other engine. Saved it brought lashup back up and issue went away. I didn't bother with the clickty clack as I had already had turned it of on both engines the other day. I used the same process Barry had described. Remember when you are doing this your setting the individual engines in your lashup while its activated. On each engine all you have to do is press the engine key.

Find the engine( you might have to move it back to the active engine list) depress the wheel.

Press menu go to sound

Scroll down to clickity clack and set it to off.

Press menu. Scroll down to control

Scroll down to smoke volume and set it to max

Barry didn't mention it but you also might want to also reset the chuff rate.

After applying suggestions from the forum (Barry, Suzukovich, Gregg), my two-engine lash up is working great now  Both steamers are billowing smoke and the clickity-clack feature has been disabled.  

Thanks guys for your very helpful feedback. 

Tom

I glad that it has worked out. All we did was point you in the right direction.

I have an issue with a lashup and am requesting comments. Here are the details:

Power source for the TIU is DC. (The layout is 2 rail)

I am using V4.20

I am running two MTH Premier diesels back to back.

Both locos are -2 with scale wheels.

One is an EVO with PS3. the other is an AC4400 with PS2.

The EVO had the newer (and louder) sound file installed by a MTH dealer.

Before I programmed this "lashup", I set each engine for sound level for horn, bell, horn activated ditch lights (on), etc. Each engine when operated separately runs perfectly.

When part of the lashup, I set the EVO as the lead engine and the trailing ACV4400 operates long hood first when the EVO is run as lead and in the forward direction.

Both engines rev up, the EVO horn works when in lead and forward, etc.

Now for the anomalies...

1) When the consist is running forward with the EVO in lead, the reverse light on the long hood of the AC4400 lights.

2) When I hit the (reverse) Direction button on my remote, everything works OK on the AC4400 PS2 engine, BUT, when I blow the horn, the AC4400 now running in lead will not blow its horn, but the trailing EVO horn blows.

This is not a major problem for me, but I would like to understand how to fix it...

You will need to adjust beach engine in the lash up individually. You will find the instructions above in the thread.

I though only lead engine horn/bell sounded regardless of direction. So only the EVo designated as lead would do it, despite moving in reverse where the 4400 is in front. But I can be mistaken on this.  G

This is the way our last two MTH Lash Ups have worked.

 This is correct, only the designated lead engine will have whistle/horn.

As to the other issues, my only suggestion would be to delete the lash-up and re-add it.  As I understand it, you want to set the engine features after they are part of consist by addressing them but not running them.  Follow Suzukovich's instructions several posts above.

FWIW

Can I add another lashup, WHILE RETAINING THE PREVIOUS LASHUP, the only difference being to designate the AC4400 as lead and the EVO as trail? if only the engine designated as lead keeps the horn and bell, I will try that to see if it works....

Can I add another lashup, WHILE RETAINING THE PREVIOUS LASHUP, the only difference being to designate the AC4400 as lead and the EVO as trail?

Yes, you most certainly can do that.

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!

4.30 I take it lets you do that. I have been unable to do that with 4.20. Also you can get the thorn and bell working in the trailing engine so when you change directions you have both. What happens is when you press horn or bell both engines will work at the same time.

Can I add another lashup, WHILE RETAINING THE PREVIOUS LASHUP, the only difference being to designate the AC4400 as lead and the EVO as trail?

 

4.30 I take it lets you do that.

Yes, however, you can do that with 4.20, as well.

I tried that, got the message already in use or something like that. Of course I don't have your latest and greatest either.

I tried that, got the message already in use or something like that.

Then you must have done something wrong, since that's been the case since lashups were introduced into DCS.

However, that's only works with DCS lashups. TMCC lashups, just like TMCC lashups with a Cab-1 and a Command Base, are limited in that TMCC engines may be in only 1 lashup.

I will try it again in the morning.  Thanks

I was able to add a second lashup with my AC4400 as lead and the EVO as trail, while retaining the original lashup that used the EVO as lead. MTH should consider a method to make the lead engine settings migrate to the trail engine when in reverse, in my opinion. After all, most of us have circular layouts and one reason to establish back to back engines in lashups is to run the trail engine in lead.

Thanks to all who responded.

MTH should consider a method to make the lead engine settings migrate to the trail engine when in reverse, in my opinion.

AFAIK, that's how it works now.

Cannot get it to work on the two engines referenced above. I did a feature reset of each engine before I went through the lashup routine. The horn when activated "stays with" the originally identified lead engine, now in trail. The original engine in trail, when reverse is activated so it runs in lead, the ditchlights do not stay on until the horn is used, although they do flash when the horn is activated.

One engine is PS2 and the EVO is PS3, and I am using V4.30. As I said, not a big deal, but if there is something I am doing incorrectly in the setup, I would like to know what it is so I can correct it.