MTH # 50-1028 DCS commander

The DCS Commander was designed primarily for HO DCS (PS3) engines and, while it will operate all PS2/PS3 engines, there's a 6 amp limit on its power handling capability. It also omits  a number of DCS capabilities (including lashups) and can only contain small number (10, I believe) of engines.

Hello Barry..........

10 engine and 6 amp limit ....hummmmmmm, well i have just one engine.  Are they trouble free, just trying to know more about it and if others have one.

the woman who loves railking imperial trains

Tiffany

Tiffany,

They're OK, if stationary control works for you. However, if it were me, I'd get a DCS set (TIU and remote)  instead.

Coming to O scale from HO myself, I find the smaller DCS systems useful. I do own a Rev L DCS System and intend to add on as my railroad grows. The biggest change I can see is bringing Lionel Engines into the picture.

Forum Members have been very gracious with sales, trades and advice. If these forums did not exist, I would have been lost moving from O scale conventional to binary control of engines.

There isn't much to stop you from running a single engine as you learn. When you reach a certain point in your journey in DCS, you will move into bigger and more capable systems. (And add engines too I bet.)

Good luck!

I just got one, and I need some help.  I got it off eBay, so have no instructions.  There is a hand held device and a receiver, plus two banana plug wires.

There is a power plug receptacle on the receiving unit that says: Input 0-20 VAC 6 amp max, Input 0-24 VDC 6 amps max.  The dealer says that the unit does not come with a plug to fit that input, and I cannot see how else power would get in the remote to then be routed to the track.

It does look like the hand held is portable, and needs only batteries, not wires.

I have only one DCS  model, and just want to hear the bell and whistle. I am looking forward to plugging in my 16 VDC and blowing the whistle.

Should I have received a cable that goes from power supply to remote, with a coaxial power plug, or is that the purchaser's responsibility?

An issue with that system would seem that it uses DC on the tracks.  That precludes using a lot of the Lionel stuff.  I think I'd opt to spend another $100 for the full DCS system.

I'd reccomend full DCS if you want to have control of practically all 3 rail O gauge engines, more advanced control, and a wireless throttle.  But, if you're only running PS2/3 with it, and you're fine with it being stationary, I'd reccomend going with the Commander to save $100-$180.

We're talking about two completely different devices on this thread.

The #50-1028 DCS Commander is intended for HO, is stationary, is limited to 6 amps and 10 engines, has a subset of DCS commands, and runs only DC voltage.

The #50-1033 DCS Remote Commander set is a handheld remote plus receiver that can only run PS2/PS3 engines that have a factory-assigned DCS ID#. It can accept a power supply like an MTH brick-type transformer or may be run in "passive mode" where it gets its power back-fed from the tracks.

The instructions for either device may be obtained from the MTH web page for each device. Further, both devices are discussed in greater detail than their instructions in The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition.

This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click on the link below to go to MTH's web page for the book!

By golly, Barry, you are right.  I have a 1033, but no power plug.  Do you know if it is a standard type M power plug, and if it should come with the 1033 set?

Bob,

Do you know if it is a standard type M power plug

It's the same as an MTH Z500, Z750 or Z1000.

and if it should come with the 1033 set?

No, it does not.

For the DCS Remote Commander, 50-1033, you don't need a power plug.  It works just fine in passive mode just connected directly to the tracks with no power on that input jack.

You mean the base unit can use the track power?  Apparently the MTH power supplies use a power plug they call a "barrel plug".  The seller is sending me one.  Thanks for the info; I will try it both ways, and report back.

The 50-1033 will use track power, that's the only way I use it.

Thank you.  That was not obvious.

The green light comes on, and responds to most of the buttons ( some of which have esoteric labels) but the locomotive remains off.  Guess I will have to find somebody who can re set it to factory default.

That is the one stumbling block with this little controller.  I have two PS/2 locomotives, one works fine, the other needs a reset, so I'm waiting until I find someone with the full DCS rig locally.