Mth diesal and remote commander

Did you check to make sure it is in DCS mode and not DCC mode?

did the store do a FEATURE reset ?

on the PS2's just a regular reset did not work.

Just a thought...

The locomotive must be set to the factory default address to operate with the DCS Remote Commander.  That needs to be performed with the full DCS system, and it's easy enough to do once you do it once or twice.  I have a couple of locomotives that have been operated on my "regular" layout (full DCS) and on my tinplate pike (DCS Remote Commander only), and I have to go through this procedure each time I go from the regular layout to the tinplate layout.

I read where those remote commanders are programmed only for the engine that was in the set that it came with. I believe you can reporgram it for your new diesel, but then the engine that came with the set won't work. If you are going to expand your locomotive fleet with command control, you might consider buying the MTH DCS system.

You stated that the engine "does start up" but nothing else works.  Since the engine does start up, it is getting that command and is probably been factory reset correctly.  Does the remote commander work with a different ps2/ps3 engine?  When you aim the remote at the receiver, does the green light blink when you issue commands.  If not, possibly your remote or receiver is bad, as well as the stores?

My friend has the HO set with the same issue.  It required a factory reset.  All was good after that...

Sunrise

I read where those remote commanders are programmed only for the engine that was in the set that it came with.

That is completely untrue.

Any DCS Remote Commander will work with any PS2 or PS3 engine that is new or that has been Factory Reset using a DCS Remote or a DCS Commander.

Just to add my experiences on this topic - I've been puzzled by something similar: I use the Remote Commander and have no problems with the MTH steam outline locos I have (Premier Big Boy, Railking FEF, French pacific etc) - but the two plastic-bodied locos I have so far (UP Coal Turbine and the TRAXX Cargo) will only start up and run but will not obey any other commands.

I too would be grateful to hear of anyone else's experiences or advice. All locos were new out of the box - my dealer does not open the boxes even - and yes, the switches are correctly set.

I now wonder what my next MTH purchases (another TRAXX and the UP E8 ABA set, whenever they come!!) will be like.

Regards

David

Spotty and intermittent operation from a DCS Remote commander. It seams this was mentioned in another thread and the answer then was the DCS remote commander was bad and should be returned.

Al

I'm not sure why you might have that problem.  I have run all types of locomotives (die-cast, metal/tinplate, plastic) with my DCS Remote Commander without that sort of thing happening.

I will be interested in hearing what others have to say about that if they have experienced and/or solved a similar problem.

@David Cooper...I have no issue with either a Premier GG1 (die-cast) or a Railking F40 (plastic), both PS2.

Maybe your Coal Turbine and Traxx were/ are not properly set from the factory or MTH testing...a proper factory default reset with a DCS system may/ should solve the issue.

"Additionally, the Remote Commander is meant to work only with the set's engine, so the ID number sent by this system to the engine is fixed and cannot be changed." This quote comes from the Oct/Nov issue of O Gauge Railroading. I am no command control expert by any means and maybe Barry Broskowitz can explain this to all of us.

It's just a matter of George's wording in the review that may have led to your misunderstanding.

The DCS Remote Commander is set to work with the factory default setting for ANY PS2 or PS3 engine.  In the Remote Commander system itself (receiver and handheld remote), you cannot change the engine ID.

However, you can operate ANY PS2/PS3 locomotive with the Remote Commander IF that engine's ID (if necessary) is set to the factory default, which is the same for all MTH engines as they come from the factory, regardless of whether they came in a set or as an individual item.

If your PS2/PS3 engine has ever been operated on the full DCS system, that factory default was changed when you programmed the engine with a new ID.  In that case, you would have to re-set the engine to the factory default in the event you ever wanted to operate it again with the DCS Remote Commander.

I hope this clarifies things.

I am no command control expert by any means and maybe Barry Broskowitz can explain this to all of us.

How's this? From The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition, page 198:

Differences Between the DCS Remote Commander handheld and the DCS Remote

There are several important differences between the capabilities of the DCS Remote Commander Handheld and a DCS Remote:

• The DCS Remote can issue DCS commands to any PS2 engine that has been added to it. The DCS Remote Commander Handheld can only issue DCS commands to engines that have their DCS ID# set to what it was when it left the factory. For additional information regarding DCS ID#'s, refer to Appendix E: The Truth About DCS Engine ID Numbers, later in this book

• The DCS Remote can simultaneously operate multiple PS2 engines independently. The DCS Remote Commander Handheld cannot

• The DCS Remote communicates with the TIU via two-way radio frequency (RF) communication. The DCS Remote Commander Handheld communicates with the DCS Remote Commander Receiver using one-way infrared (IR) communications

• The DCS Remote can issue all DCS commands. The DCS Remote Commander Handheld can only issue a subset of DCS commands.

• The DCS Remote can operate switch tracks and accessories remotely via one or more AIUs. The DCS Remote Commander Handheld cannot operate switch tracks or accessories at all

• The DCS Remote has an LCD screen that displays information relating to the engine being operated and other items. The DCS Remote Commander Handheld does not have a screen

and from page 209:

Appendix E: The Truth About DCS Engine ID Numbers

First, it's necessary to dispel a myth: there is no PS2 engine ID# of 0. PS2 engines come from the factory with an internal ID# of 1 and a DCS Factory Reset changes the engine's ID# back to 1. The following explanation regarding the way in which DCS manipulates the engine ID# is provided for those readers who are interested in how DCS works, as might be said, under the hood. The DCS engine numbering scheme works in the following way.

DCS always places an ID# in a PS2 engine that is one greater than the ID# that it displays for the engine in the DCS Remote, i.e., if one adds a PS2 engine to a DCS Remote and the engine adds as ID# 11, the number written into the PS2 engine's memory is actually 12. This causes DCS ID#s that display in the remote from 1-99 to

actually be resident in PS2 engines as 2-100. That's also why DCS ID# 99 is a special case - it's actually in the engine as 100, the only 3-digit internal PS2 engine ID# number.

Further, this also explains why one cannot place a new PS2 engine, or one that has just been Factory Reset, on the track and run it under DCS using an entry in the DCS Remote for engine number 1. In this case, the DCS Remote is looking for an engine that has an internal ID# of 2.

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!

This is for both Barry and Allan, Thank you both for explaining this to me. Remind me to keep my mouth/keyboard shut when it comes to DCS, TMCC or Legacy. What I could use is a tutor for those systems because I have all three but I am definitely in the novice stage as tlo using them. Barry, I will get your book, thank you. Do you also have a TMCC/Legacy book?

Barry, I just ordered it through Amazon. Thanks again!

Do you also have a TMCC/Legacy book?

Nope, I only write about things I really understand!  

I just ordered it through Amazon. Thanks again!

On the contrary, thank you!

I work at a LHS that is an MTH dealer.  We found when the DCS Remote Commander came out was that some factory new locos (never programmed on the DCS Remote) would not respond to the DCS Remote Commander on our test track.  Most of them were Premier models, though there were a few RailKing models as well.  After we did a factory reset with our DCS system the worked fine (although some needed more than one reset).

Its my belief (though it may be wrong) that MTH tests its locos both on DCS as well as conventional.  After testing they are given a factory reset.  Sometimes, as we found, the reset doesn't always take effect, and this may have been the case with Trackahead's engine.

Stuart

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the replies. Ok so now I am totally confused. Currently the store now has the engine. Are we saying thathe needs to connect this to s DCS system and reset the fac defaults? If so, then when I go to use the commander for use with the original engine, what do I need to do then??

Thanks,

Trackahead

Once you have the engine truly reset to factory defaults, you just plop it on your track with the DCS Remote Commander connected, power the track up, and it should work.

Hello gunrunnerjohn,

What I meant was, when i then want to use the remote commander with the original engine that the remote came with, what do I do?

Bob,

First thing, I do not have the DCS remote system only the commander.

I guess i need to purchase that system now. If not, when the engine is reset to FD,

I presume then my commander will work, so then when i went to use the commander back to the original engine, will it still work??

It seems unless i have the complete DCS system, I am going to resetting factory defaults all the time, is that correct?

I think there is some confusion about the DCSRC.  You can use it with ANY locomotive that is truly reset to factory defaults.  Note that you can ONLY have one of these locomotives on the track at a time, since the DCSRC only handles a single locomotive that is reset to factory defaults.

You don't have to do anything to use the set with the original locomotive, you didn't change anything in the DCSRC.

A note to those that repair DCS engines. Please obtain and install a TIU on your workbench. I have run accross several repair techs that have gotten used to using the transformer to do resets on MTH engines. This is a carry over from the PS1 days. They have gotten quite used to doing commands from the transformer and see no reason to install a TIU. Some will have a TIU that they pull out if they need to reprogram an engine but otherwise consider it unnecessary. For some reason they seam to have missed the note that the transformer reset does not reset the engine ID.

Al

Let's clear up some confusion:  

• We're talking about the DCS Remote Commander (DCSRC), not the DCS Commander
• The DCSRC can operate any PS2 or PS3 engine, O HO or NO.1 Gauge, that has been reset to Factory Settings by a DCS Remote and TIU or a DCS Commander, or that are brand new with original Factory Settings
• A transformer reset is not a Factory Reset. It is a Feature Reset and will not allow a PS2 or PS3 engine to operate with the DCSRC
• All PS2 or PS3 engines that have been reset to Factory Settings that are on a track connected to a DCSRC receiver will all respond to all commands issued by the DCSRC handheld, at the same time
• If a PS2 or PS3 engine has been added to a DCS Remote and TIU, or a DCS Commander, it must be reset to Factory Settings before it can be used with a DCSRC
• The DCSRC cannot operate conventional engines at all.

Photo of DCS RC:

Photo of Commander:

Al,  Why are you telling techs how to repair? :-)  I do 95% of the repairs with the Z-4000.  If a train comes in and I don't put it on DCS, then I have not changed the address.   If I have to load a sound file or test on DCS, then I ALWAYS do a Factory Reset at the end which has to be done with a TIU.  This also removes it from my remote.

If a customer wants a factory reset, then of course I give it to him via DCS, since that is the only way you can.  G

Think of the DCS RC as a TMCC CAB-1 permanently set to address ENG ID #1.  All new Lionel engines come with Address #1 already assigned.  So if you start playing with the CAB-1 the engine will respond.  If your buddy comes over with his engine which he changed the address to ENG #42.  You won't be able to control it with your cab 1 because you can't address any other ENG Address but #1.

Your buddy would have to go home to his system and change his Engine ID to #1 then bring it back so you could operate it with your CAB-1.

The DCS RC has a permenant address of #1.  New engines should come set with ID #1.  When some one places a MTH Engine on a DCS system, the engine gets automatically assigned a new ID and it is not #1.  It no longer will work with the DCS RC.  Once a factory reset is done with DCS, the Engine Address goes back to #1.  Hope that helps.

The DCS RC can only broadcast one permanently assigned ID.   G

Well, thank you!  My Hudson did not get reset.  We were able to do all the steps, but at the end it did not respond correctly, and I have yet to enjoy the bell and whistle here at home.  I had no idea, and my local MTH dealer had no idea, that the TIU was needed.

Now I just need to find a TIU.  You have solved at least one puzzle.

GGG,

Ok so what  you are saying, as soon as I took out this new engine from the box

and layed on the track, the ID was changed and that is why my small remote commander will not work??.

Trackahead

What GGG said, PLUS...if you buy a used engine with PS2/PS3 you need to check to make sure it's been reset before using it with the DCS RC.

Ok so i know see what is going on. I am going to get the full DCS with the TIU Etc.

Also, i just got off the phone with for another matter and spoke about this issue of mine, they said that the small remote commander which came with my original set,

should have worked with my new engine without any resets which seems to contradict everything in this thread. As long as the ID of the new engine was not changed.But from what I can see, the ID was changed as soon as I layed the engine on the track.

Do I seem to have all this correct now?

Thanks

TrackAhead

Nope, as far as I can see, you don't have it right, at least the part about contradicting everything in this thread.  I think we're repeatedly said that any locomotive that is truly factory reset will run with your DCSRC.  I'm not sure who you talked to, but if the locomotive was truly in factory reset condition, it would have run without an issue.

Read Barry's last post, I think he stated it as clearly as it can be said.

FWIW, I've been told by at least two dealers that a transformer reset was a true factory reset, and that clearly is not the case. 

See Barry's most recent post.

I do not know how it could be explained more clearly than that.

I will admit that it took me a couple of tries--when I first tried it--to re-set a locomotive to the factory default (using my full DCS system) and to get the process to "take" fully and properly (probably something I did wrong or a step I left out).  After getting it to work properly one time I have had no further difficulty setting PS2/PS3 locomotives to factory default so they would operate properly with the DCSRC, and vice-versa.

The re-set cannot be done with a transformer alone.  It requires the full DCS system (TIU and handheld remote).

Gentlemen,

 

Ok so what  you are saying, as soon as I took out this new engine from the box

and layed on the track, the ID was changed and that is why my small remote commander will not work??.

 

Absolutely wrong!

if you buy a used engine with PS2/PS3 you need to check to make sure it's been reset before using it with the DCS RC.

Absolutely right!

 

But from what I can see, the ID was changed as soon as I layed the engine on the track. Do I seem to have all this correct now?

 

No, you've got it wrong! Go back and re-read my last post.

ok everyone, I thank you for all your posts.

I ma very new to this and was trying my best to understand it all.

I do now. I appreciate everyone's efforts here.

Thx,

Trackahead

Before you take it home, I suggest you confirm it works with the store's DCS Remote Commander. As was suggested early on, watch the green light on the Remote Commander receiver. It is normally solid on. It momentarily blinks off when it decodes a valid button command from the remote.

Of course it's your choice to go out and buy a complete DCS TIU system but that doesn't directly answer the original question. I for one would like to understand why your engine ONLY responds to the Startup command.

G,

 He never could get it to work on his home layout.

Possibly he connected the DCSRC receiver to one loop and the engine on another.

Hello GGG,

I have a 6 x 10 layout using Atlas track and switches. If I may, here is my situation.

I have an MTH starter freight set that came with the DCSRC as the picture shows in this thread. I then last week purchased an MTH premier Union Pacific Diesel. The shop I believe ordered it through MTH or another dealer new in the box. As soon as I placed it on the track and hit the SU button on the remote it started up and that is it, no other functionality from the remote. The engine worked fine on the stores layout using non DCS with a Lionel Z4000 I believe. When he tried it on his other system with  DCSRC, his did not work either, and to boot, the engine started up for him as soon as he placed the engine on his RealTrax. In any case, I am purchasing the complete DCS system tonight. I had intentions in getting one anyway.

Just what is here is what occurred no other connections were made on my end.

The remote works fine with the engine that the remote came with.

Thanks very much.

Cool GGG,

I guess the address ID must have been changed at some point before I purchased it.

I appreciate your reply and everyone else as well.

Thanks again,

Trackahead