If I use more than 1 TIU in super mode do I have to have a TMCC/Legacy unit per TIU?
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No
One TMCC or Legacy command base for a layout, never more! If you have a really large layout and have TMCC/Legacy signal issues, consider my TMCC/Legacy signal booster.
TMCC/Legacy Track Signal Booster (Dale's Legacy Continues) - Kits Now Available -
Does it matter which TIU it's hooked to?
tge best way to use it in this situation is to take a single wire and connect it to the black terminal on you TIU and go from one black terminal to the next. The thing with using more than one TIU is if you want to be able to use tmcc engines throw the MTH dcs system you will need the dcs/tmcc cable which is a 9 pin cable to the best thing to do there is find a splinter and use that to run those engines
So hook the #50-1032 cable to the command base and use a 9 pin splitter (do they make this?) to connect extension cable to both (only using 2 for now) TIU's. Didn't know you could do that. Is this in Barry's 3rd edition of DCS? Still waiting for my copy to arrive.
So hook the #50-1032 cable to the command base and use a 9 pin splitter (do they make this?) to connect extension cable to both (only using 2 for now) TIU's.
The command base is only connected to one TIU's serial port for the e entire layout. It doesn't matter to which TIU it's connected.
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Ok Barry, I know you are the DCS go to guy. How does this work hooked to one TIU? Is it in the book? I have the 2nd edition and my 3rd edition will be here Tomorrow or Thursday. I read the section on TMCC/Legacy but I don't remember a section on Multiple TIU's on a TMCC/Legacy layout.
drodder posted:Ok Barry, I know you are the DCS go to guy. How does this work hooked to one TIU? Is it in the book? I have the 2nd edition and my 3rd edition will be here Tomorrow or Thursday. I read the section on TMCC/Legacy but I don't remember a section on Multiple TIU's on a TMCC/Legacy layout.
I sure don't remember all the specifics, but on our layout I had two TIUs in Super mode, with Legacy AND TMCC added, and it really was very simple. I seem to remember only one "ground" wire from the Legacy/TMCC stuff to the DCS outputs (I had all the common/ground connected together at the TIU outputs).
I think this is all in Barry's book, possibly not with multiple TIUs, but the idea is basically the same. I will try to explain how I connected mine.
You need one wire from the TMCC/Legacy base to the track common, ALL of the track commons if you have things separated into loops, blocks or whatever with your TIU channels and/or multiple TIUs.
Easiest way is to connect all the common outputs of your TIUs together (jumpers). Then jumper the commons from one TIU to the other, connecting ALL the TIU's commons together. Then connect the TMCC/Legacy wire to any one of the TIU commons on the TIU that's closest to your TMCC/Legacy base. Should be good to go.
I only have one TIU, and that is how I added Legacy to my layout. Just didn't have the 2nd TIU to connect to. Each of my TIU channels is isolated from the others. It's been working just fine for over 4 years now.
The reason that I don't discuss connecting the command base to multiple TIUs in any of my books is that it is only connected to 1 TIU, regardless of how many TIUs are on the layout. All diagrams show only one TIU connected too a command base (or both TMCC and Legacy command bases, if both are on the layout).
Further, both books, when discussing adding TMCC or Legacy engines, note that part of the process is to enter the DCS ID# of the TIU to which the command base is connected.
Thanks everyone. That is the information I was missing. New layout planning now, hope to be building by spring.
Further, both books, when discussing adding TMCC or Legacy engines, note that part of the process is to enter the DCS ID# of the TIU to which the command base is connected....... This is the key along with a great common(ground)
