Solved: Need Help Troubleshooting New PS3 Diesel

Scott,

A few observations...

• The smoke and volume pots being reversed is a new one for me, however, I can see how it could happen. It's up to you to determine if it's a big enough deal to warrant returning the engine for another one
• The lack of a DCS/DCC switch is intentional. MTH stopped putting the switch in their Rail King engines because many times it was set to DCC from the factory. People wouldn't read the instructions and check to see if their engine wasn't working under DCS because the switch was set incorrectly. They would call MTH tech support instead. The switch has been replaced by a jumper that is internally set to DCS. It's possible, although unlikely, that the jumper was set incorrectly in your engine
• What's more likely is that your engine was test-run under DCS, either at MTH or the dealer. If so, it simply needs to be Factory Reset by anyone with a DCS TIU and remote, or a DCS Commander (not a DCS Remote Commander). A transformer reset is actually a Feature Reset and will not do it.

Barry,

Many thanks for the prompt and thorough response. The pot reversal is no big deal as long as it doesn't effect DCS performance. And the lack of a switch makes sense and is also a non-issue.

I figured a FFR would be needed. But not clear on how to do that with the Commander console I have as I thought I would need to "recover" the engine first. Following your good advice a while ago I improved the wiring on my 6 x 8 layout and without fail EVERY engine (PS2, PS3, used or mint), all 13 of em, added without complaint. Either an existing number came up that I could change by EDIT or the blank screen that responded to ADD. With this new engine the number 2 comes up (the current assignment for a PS3 steamer) but won't respond to EDIT and ADD gives the flashing Err message.

Given those conditions is there a way to do FFR with the Commander console on this engine? Apologies for asking if it's already covered in your book (which I have).

Thanks, S

For the cheapskates that didn't buy Barry's book, it's even in the DCS Commander User's Manual.

RESET This button works
only if there is at least one DCS
engine added to the DCS
Commander. Pressing and holding
this button for 3 seconds will flash
the FEATURE icon. Subsequent
presses of the RESET button will
flash FACTORY and SYSTEM. The
th 4 press of the RESET button will
return you to a normal operating
screen on the LCD.

Much appreciated Barry. It sounds like this is a one-way command to whatever engine is on the tracks that can receive the signal. I just don't want to mess up the address for my current #2 engine. That's the number 2 shows on the LCD when I hit the DCS button when the GP7 is on the tracks by itself.

John,

I'm a victim of multi-DCS configuration confusion syndrome . I thought you had to "recover" the engine first to do FFR. The Commander console can't do that.

S

Scott,

It sounds like this is a one-way command to whatever engine is on the tracks that can receive the signal.

I don't believe that's correct.

Although I've never had occasion to Factory Reset an engine via the DCS Commander, I expect that it works the same way as the DCS Remote and TIU work, i.e., the engine must first be in the DCS Commander before it may be Factory Reset.

You may actually need to do a Recover Engine, which cannot be accomplished via the DCS Commander.

I will experiment a little but that's what worries me. If that's the case, then back she goes to the seller for them to do with their MTH tech. While they're at it they can figure the pots out!

Will let you know either way and Thanks again!

Like Barry says, it has to be added to the remote to do a reset, so if you can't add it to the remote, then you have a problem.

I've only used the Recover Engine a couple of times, but when you need it, it's a very handy capability.

Scott is using a DCS Commander and it won't add, so the factory reset shouldn't really be an issues.

Scott, can you do a Feature reset conventionally?  G

Hi George,

Yup, did that yesterday with the conventional controller and got the two horn blasts but no change to DCS situation.

Tonight, I'll take one of my other engines (an RS11) and do a FFR with the Commander and then re-add that engine to make sure I'm not screwing up the procedure. Then will try again with the new engine (GP7). If still nothing then it will need to be "recovered" first. If that's the case there's a LHS in Long Beach and I'll see if they can do it. If they can good. If not then back to the seller. Fortunately my wife gets a pretty hefty UPS shipping discount where she works.

Next up will be sending you the boards from a PS2 switcher that died on me a while back if you are available for repair or replace.

S

Are you using a  programming track?

Thats the fun part G, I turned the smoke pot all the way down and it's still blasting away. Looks great but fills up the room quickly.

Sorry Gregg, don't know what that is?

It's  a track  with a perfect dcs signal  to add an  engine.  No other engine can be powered anywhere on the layout. Almost like a short test track.

Yep sure do. That's how I added all the other engines I have. No luck with this one though. The latest is I turned both the volume and smoke pots to zero and tried the little hand held remote commander. As expected no smoke or sound on start. When I pressed SND though I got sound and smoke! When I pressed sound again the sound went off but smoke stayed on. Clearly something mixed up under the hood.

Is it possible that under the shell they cross connected the sound and smoke wire plugs?

It does sound like the  engine  is screwed up. You've  added all your other engines with no problems.  I have a question.... With the remote commander does the engine have to be in factory reset mode ? .... no remote ID number... If it does,  I don't know if a recover engine feature would be of much help in dcs command mode or even trying to add with full dcs (tiu and remote)

It wouldn't hurt to try opening up ID 1 and George suggested

If he can address the engine with the DCS Remote Commander, I agree with you.  I can't imagine that Recover Engine would do anything.

Gregg,

With the remote commander does the engine have to be in factory reset mode ?

Absolutely.

Yes it is possible, but your also not the first to have smoke not be controllable via the remote CDR and certain engines.  There is another post in here with the same problem with smoke.

The not adding is a wrinkle.  Could be a wire bundle issue interfering with the DCS signal at the board.

If this one is new, I would send it back for warranty repair, or exchange.   G

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Pretty obvious it needs to be returned. A shame because it's such a great engine otherwise. Seller has a tech around the corner. Will be interesting to see what the issue is.

S

Now that I did not know.

But if so that would explain it.

10 engine limit eh?  Odd.

Scott, When you added it to the Commander it is no longer on the factory reset setting.  That is why it no longer responds to remote.  Let me review the Commander instructions.

Not sure why everything is adding at #1 if you already have an engine at #1.   G

Scott,

I noticed that it can in fact store up to 99 engines in memory.

I don't know what you read, however, that's not my understanding. 10 is the DCS Commander's limit.

Page 16 of the DCS Commander manual.

When operating the DCS Commander in DCS Mode you will need at least one
Proto-Sound 2.0 or later-equipped engine on the track. The DCS Commander
can store up to 10 Proto-Sound 2.0 or later engines in memory.

Sure sounds like Barry's correct.

Page 16 of my manual states..."the DCS Commander can store up to 99 Proto-Sound 2.0 or later engines in memory."  So there must be a revision to the manual.  G

What can I see, this was downloaded recently from MTH.  Unless I've totally flunked reading comprehension, it says 10 engines.

I am sure you flunked comprehension reading (just teasing here), but my manual says 99, which is why I assume they had to make a revision.  Probably just copied and pasted from the DCS manual.  Just pointing out there is a reason Scott though otherwise.

I believe it is 10.  So back to why he can't load his engine...  G

I am guessing you're right, probably a direct copy and they noticed they screwed up.  That was the easy one, figuring out why the engine won't load may be more difficult, ball's in your court.

George,

From the manual on MTH's web page for the product:

When operating the DCS Commander in DCS Mode you will need at least one Proto-Sound 2.0 or later-equipped engine on the track. The DCS Commander can store up to 10 Proto-Sound 2.0 or later engines in memory. These instructions assume there is already a power source connected to the INPUT jack and the track is connected to the OUTPUT jack and track power is applied.

Barry, I think we've beaten him into the ground, he's a believer.

Scott,

Whatever you can make of that would be helpful.

This one's easy.

You have 10 engines in the DCS Commander, however, they aren't numbered 1-10.

Barry,

Ok. But why would the Commander allow me to assign addresses higher than 10? I know I have an engine at #20 that's fine and #11 and #12 as well that operate trouble free. Does it say somewhere in the manual that the addresses have to assigned in sequence?

Thanks

Scott,

Does it say somewhere in the manual that the addresses have to assigned in sequence?

No, it does not.

Why would you assume that they would have to be in sequence, particularly since you already knew that you had engines with numbers higher than 10?

Correct, but then I guess I don't understand what you mean by "having 10 engines in the Commander but they aren't numbered 1-10".

Scott,

The capacity of the DCS Commander is 10 engines. They each can have any DCS ID# from 1-99 .

I can't be any clearer than that.

Ok, sorry but I still don't know what to do next. I only have 9 engines stored currently but can't add any more. Appreciate your time.

Scott,

I only have 9 engines stored currently

Either you have 10 in the device or the device thinks that you do. If the latter, do a Factory Reset of the DCS Commander and re-add your engines.

Always was, this reminds me of the joke were you give a task to a person in line and they pass it down the line.  You than walk to the end of the line and find out how much the original tasking changed at the end

Got it. Do I have to factory reset the engines that are currently stored before I do the Commander reset? Or is the Commander reset all that is needed?

I think you'll agree that the correct next step for me will be to do what I should have done to begin with. Just buy a full DCS + TIU rev L system. The ability to only store 10 engines doesn't work for me. I at least know that my track wiring is DCS friendly but the Commander's capability is no match for full DCS.