MTH DCS - error msg.

Have you tried ADD ENGINE? I have had that same message and then DCS "finds" the engine but assigns it a new number.

I have gotten this error when trying to add a locomotive that already has an address that duplicates one in the remote

Manny,

Can you add other engines on this track? If you can, that would point to the engine as being at least part of the problem.

If you cannot add other engines on this track, the problem is either the track/wiring or the TIU channel.

If other, non-problem tracks use a different TIU channel, swap the TIU outputs of the good track and the problem track. If the problem moves to the previously good track, the issue is with the TIU channel. If the problem stays with the original problem track, that track's wiring is most likely the problem.

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!

Thanks Barry - I have tried several engines that work on other tracks with no success. What puzzles me is that when I take an old MTH PS 1 unit it works in conventional mode. It has to be how I have wired this track - I am running the wires to an MTH terminal block and then to the TIU. Am a degrading the signal somehow?

Manny

Manny,

Please do as I suggested and post your results.

Oh I am going to try your suggestions - I will post the results. Thanks

Manny,  PS-1 is different than PS-2 as far as operation without a DCS signal to the engine.  It is very common to have a TIU channel lose the DCS signal.  I have repaired quite a few recently.  G

Have you tried hooking that track to TIU Fixed Channel 1?  That resolved a similar problem for me a while ago.

I finally had time to try Barry's suggestion. Switched channel on TIU and everything came  to life. I tried two different engines and both were found instantly by the remote controller and responded. Will continue wiring the tracks. Thanks Barry and thanks to all that responded. 

Getting back to work on my layout after a break and some remodeling - realized that the layout had some serious accessibility issues so I made some just short of major modifications. 

Manny,

That's not exactly "good news". It implies that the original TIU channel is either defective or has its DCS signal turned off.

On the remote, press: Menu/System/DCS Setup and then press the AON soft key

This will turn on the DCS signal on all channels. Next, swap the TIU output connections back to where they were before and try to operate engines on the original problem tracks. If you cannot, most likely the TIU has a defective channel.

Barry - ordered your book - I guess I really need to do my homework. I think I really have not set this up well.