Legacy-Only Operator Needs a DCS Locomotive

I'm sure the same folks that peruse the DCS and TMCC forms, will be here to answer, but I'd ask my question there too. Good luck

I'm sure its easier said than done, given it has a wireless drawbar. I dont know how much hacking you'd want to do with it, they're quite nice locos.

You could get a remote commander, but then have access to so few DCS functions that it may hardly be worth it. Given that you can run TMCC with a DCS remote, do you really "lose" by having to buy DCS?

Unless your layout is huge, I doubt a rewire will be necessary.

Are MTH wireless drawbars the same as Lionel or proprietary? I just performed a Cruise Commander upgrade with a Lionel wireless drawbar. Ken at ERR gave me a diagram with a custom note on how to make it work:

You might as well go for the DCS system, cuz you know down the road you will find another engine you just have to have.

No need to rewire your layout. Many have just added DCS to their current wiring with afew mods and it works fine.

Nick....you may want to go ahead and add DCS to your layout.  It is not as difficult as it may seem and this will open up endless possibilities of you being able to run both systems accessing nearly all of the features from one remote.  If you need help, just send me an email...

Alan

Go ahead and get the DCS system. DCS, TMCC, and Legacy peacefully coexist on your layout and it opens up so many more locomotive choices for you.

You could add a Lionel TPC unit and run the MTH loco conventionally via the legacy handheld. You'll have whistle, bell, and electrocoupler operation via the corresponding buttons on the legacy remote. You will also have access to some of the passenger/freight crewtalk if you follow the instructions for conventional PS2 operation in the TPC manual.

I've operated an MTH loco with a Lionel TPC and accept for the brief power interruption when changing direction(of course) once under way its hard to tell its not being run under "command". Having said that, the battery in the MTH electronic system prevents the loco sounds from cutting out during direction changes which is nice.

Mth's cruise and smoke work just as well conventionally as they do under DCS.

Slow speed is still excellent and I ran the smoke unit with the smoke "pot" set at half way and they still smoked like crazy.

I just finished completed the conversion of an early MTH PS1 scale Northern to Legacy (not TMCC) using the guts from a recent Legacy loco I had that had been damaged. I hope to post pictures and a short video of the loco running and such later today - or tomorrow if the job keeps me at work all day today, as it might.

Everything with that conversion went smoothly including the wireless drawbar, etc. The only wrinkle with the electrics in that case was that the tender had no center pickups at all (power to it sound was transferred via the tether from the loco) and so I had to add those.  You just have to innovate and take your time.  But there is this:::You won't know until you take the MTH loco apart if there is enough room inside the loco to take the various TMCC boards, etc.: you could end up having to make a tether and put them all in the tender anyway and do a lot of custom tailoring.  My point being until you do it you don't know what you are getting into and you have to be prepared to innovate.  It is not so risky that I would not take on something like that if I wanted the conversion badly enough, but . . . Whether you want to take on the conversion given this reality is something only you can answer.

A point raised above: very likely this will not be the last MTH loco you just gotta have - they are offering some pretty irresistible locos from time to time.  Maybe just spring for the DCS system instead? I don't have your particularly problem because  I use the only truly universal toy-train operating system - conventional, but if I ran digital I'd have both, for sure.

It was mentioned that the DCSRC has limited controls.

While this is true, it is not that limited.

Startup, Shutdown, Speed, Volume, Front or Rear Coupler, Whistle, Bell, Change Direction, trigger random idle sounds when stopped, and the PFA (Pass/Frt sound sequence) sounds are all available from the Remote.

And it will work with ANY PS2 or PS3 engine that is at Factory Reset condition. Even 2 at once !  Yes, they will both do the same thing.

Some have tried 2 Remote sets on 2 loops, Since they are IR and not radio, this can work, just put the receivers at opposite ends of the layout and point the remote at the one you wish to command. This is a point for single operation too, point the remote at the receiver, not at the engine as we are used to.

For $50 what have ya got to lose? Tho it may suck you in to a Full DCS system 

I use one on my Christmas layout, I simply did a Factory reset on the engine desired with the Full DCS, Shut Power to the track off, Moved the engine to the Christmas loop and ran it. On returning the engine to the Main layout in Jan. I simply re-added it to the DCS system. (Factory reset removes the engine from the remote)

I'm completely with Russell.  I have a DCS remote commander and it does all the basic functions including very fine speed control.  It is a little different to point the remote at the IR receiver but I've found it do be very handy.  You can even use it for switching work with some practice. 

I would definitely try this first and see if you like for $50 or less before I hacked up the electronics on a perfectly good locomotive.

John Z.

The drawbar is not wireless. It uses a flexible PCB attached to the drawbar and connector. It does eliminate the ugly cable tether though.

Pete

Its MTH's term, I just used it, you'll have to take up the semantics issue with Mike.

Please, please, PLEASE,,,,,,go ahead and get add the DCS system to your layout! My layout has all three systems, i.e. DCS, TMCC and Legacy, and we runn everything together, at the same time, and on the SAME TRACK.

If you are actually contemplating purchasing any one of the many MTH New York Central L Class Mohawks, now is the time to add DCS. Just my opinion, but MTH did an EXCELLENT job on the various L4 Mohawks, and my personal favorite is the special L4b " Super Mohawk", of which the NYC had only two (both with roller bearing rods, Worthing Feedwater System, and Selkirk Front End.

It has nothing to do with semantics. Some, including yourself, were saying you couldn't use the drawbar with a conversion to TMCC because it was wireless. Being that in fact it is wired you could use it if you wanted to convert to TMCC, not that I could understand anyone wanting to do this downgrade.

Pete

MTH "wireless" drawbars are not wireless, and they can be used like an ordinary tether.  The TMCC conversion, if you wanted to do it, would be pretty straight-forward.  I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but if you wanted to do that, there's nothing in the design of that locomotive that will preclude it.

Todd,

I could be wrong, but the pot is an off/on device and not able to adjust the smoke output.  Does anyone know for certain?

The conventional smoke control on PS3 and later PS2 engine is, indeed, an adjustable pot. It used to be a switch, however, that was replaced by a pot years ago.

Just get the DCS and add it to the layout. It will open a whole new world of possibilities.

I run DCS and TMCC and will add Legacy as soon as I can get a new system.

The MTH scale Mohawk is a KNOCK-OUT!!! I am going to wait for a PS3 version of the L3a.

Their Niagara is nice too. It's been 12 years since they put one in the catalog so maybe they'll do it again soon.

I have TMCC and a Remote Commander on an old (1990) layout. It works on MOST

of my PS2/3, but not all. Yes they are Factory Reset on a full DCS system or out-of-the-box-new. I suspect that the interactions of old layout and particular locos to be the

issue. I bought a new GE Dash-8 that would not run under the RC. It even went back to 

MTH. Still no go (conventional was fine); I got my money back. I imagine that the

loco was fine.

But those Mohawks are just sweet; I have one of the Lima L3b's - it was the reason

that I bought the RC. It does indeed run under the RC.

$50.00 - try it, you'll like it (pretty well - I still run my TMCC stuff a lot more often).

BTW, I can point my RC remote at the ceiling in my layout room and the base will

pick it up; the line-of-sight is not a major inconvenience for me - your results may

vary...

Thanks for all the responses guys. After some more consideration I've decided to go with the Remote Commander. A friend of mine saw this thread and offered his to me like new for $30 shipped. Cheap and easy, this is what I'll go with for just one DCS locomotive for now. If I end up with more then I'll likely consider the full fledged system along with Legacy on my future layout