New TCS WowSound O/G scale decoder will support fan driven smoke units

Here is where I'm lost & prone to make more future mistakes if I don't get this sorted out in my mind. I started out going 3 rail,but ended up going to rail since I spent 30 years in HO where that's all there is are 2 rails. But I bought the MTH DCS with TIU unit plus a Z 1,000 100 watt power supply,thinking to use all MTH Diesels. Since those beginning days & the change to 2rl,I've learned you can't run Atlas Diesels with the MTH remote. I'd been told you could if you bought a separate controller for the Atlas Diesels & connected it to the DCS System with some type of cable.

So here I am today,a 2railer,with a potentially useless MTH DCS & Z1,000 I don't know if I can use on 2rl MTH units.(?) I thought with finances the way they are,of going Atlas 2 rl DC & adding DCC later,but where does this leave the MTH Diesels as far as control-can 1 put DCC in those Diesels without major modifications? I'm ignorant as far as electronics.

All advise here will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks many times,

Al Hummel 

Alan, we all go through these types of changes. Like you said just sit back and get it sorted out now so you don't waste any money. First of all if need be you can always sell the DCS system but I have kept mine because I still have some 3 rail trains that will be staying 3 rail. Second what that person told you about being able to run Atlas engines with the DCS remote is true if you were still doing 3 rail. In 3 rail the MTH DCS system can control Atlas 3 rail TMCC equipped locomotives. It cannot control Atlas 2 rail DCC locomotives in DCC mode. (It sure would have been great if it could!) About 6 years ago I invested in a DCC system. I use it to control my Atlas DCC engines and my MTH PS 3.0 locomotives. Unfortunately, higher amperage DCC systems are pricey but I wanted one system to run all of my locomotives.

Actually there is a way you could control DC locomotives using the DCS system but you would only be able to control one locomotive at a time and the locomotive would have to be on its own loop or isolated track.

If your MTH diesels are PS 3.0 them they already have a DCC decoder installed in them. It's just a matter of flipping a switch and you can run them under DCC like I do. If they are PS 2.0 then the entire electronics must be taken out and a DCC decoder installed like the one Jonnyspeed is talking about. For someone who doesn't know much about electronics it's a big job. It's also expensive to pay a professional to do it.

However, your system isn't useless unless you have a lot of Atlas locomotives that are incompatible with it. Your DCS system will control your MTH locomotives whether they are PS 2.0 or PS 3.0.

I hope this helps. Without knowing exactly how many MTH locomotives you have and exactly what type they are and exactly how many Atlas locomotives you have and what type they are, I cannot give you any advice.

If you have PS3 already in your loco's you could just convert to DCC. I believe there are a few other possibilities (I currently use DCS)If you have the MTH Commander, you can run DC, DCS or DCC through the commander and switch back and forth. If have a TIU you could install DCS boards in your Atlas units, there's a PS3 board coming soon, this would give you DCS and DCC, or you can scavenge a standard control board from a three rail loco(they use DC motors mostly) and connect it to the output channel of your TIU that gives you variable AC on the track. The three rail board will convert your AC to DC and give you forward and revers from your hands free DCS (TIU) controller. The other possibilities are something like Deltangs 2.4mhz radio control either battery or track power, there would be no compatibility problems as there would be with DCS verses DCC on the track. Then there's S-Cab radio control for DCC, Im not sure thou if your TIU and the S-Cab would interfere with each other as they both operate in the 900mhz range, someone else might know more about this possibility.             cTr.....(Choose the Right)

Thank you Gentlemen for your replies they are very helpful.

Though DCC is pricey in any scale,it sounds like the way to go.

Currently I have no diesels of any kind. Atlas & MTH both have nice engines available,so if DCC will run both those,that sounds like the logical choice. The MTH engines I've had in my sights are PS3,so again,no problem.

Many thanks again,this cleares up a huge question mark.

Al Hummel

Thanks for this heads-up JohnnySpeed.  This is awesome!  I have an EMD SD40 645 prime mover with this decoder's name on it .  This large scale decoder even has an SD Card on it; what an easy way to upgrade sounds, if indeed that is what the SD Card is there for.  They also added some GE and Alco sounds to the supported sound list.  Nice!  I hope they added the 645 non-turbo sound for the Atlas O MP15DC to their support list as well.  That stock QSI decoder will be retrofit ASAP. 

https://www.tcsdcc.com/Custome...WSound/WOWDiesel.php

Scott K.

Austin, TX

I don't personally see the need for "smoke" in model locos.    There are some reasons.    First, I host operating sessions and my operators are there in the basement continuously for about 3 hours.    The faux smoke and even real smoke hanging in the air for that long tends to be irritating physically.    It is rough to breath and it irritates the eyes after a long time.   I have been to display layouts where they have run the stuff and after about 2-3 minutes everyone is backing away or leaving the room.  

If you are doing open houses where people are only there for 10-15 minutes and the guests are generally not model RRs, then having the smoke blowing out of stacks would be an impressive sight.

But if you have a guest who has asthma or other breathing difficulties, which many of us older people do, that is another reason not to blow particulate into the air.

Also, the residue tends to mess up the nice paint jobs on model locos.

These are just my opinions.

I have heard those reasons many times prrjim. I know you are not alone.

My opinion is that if you have it you can always turn it off when you don't want it and on when you do. If you don't have it then you have no choice.

Personally, I can't stand watching steam engines with no smoke and sound. Steam/Smoke is one of the defining characteristics of a steam engine. Without it I don't see the point. If you don't want smoke hanging around you can install a vent fan. As far as the notion that it ruins paint, I think that is debatable. A final coat of clear will seal any weathering that has been done. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I've never had a problem nor have I ever seen an engine with a ruined paint job due to smoke fluid.

Those are my opinions...

Thanks, johnnyspeed.   I had just pre-ordered the steam version when I saw your post.  Hope to be the first kid on my block to install one.  Well, Scott Kay may beat me to the punch here in Austin TX.

Comes with a Keep Alive, too.

I'm hoping that the sounds will be comparable to the QSI Titan Magnum as I am really sick and tired of the poor support for the QSI decoders. 

The TCS WOW large scale decoders along with the new ST Eco-Nami decoders are really good news. More choices.  Better support

Austin Bill

O Scale in Austin TX

With these new decoder releases especially those from TCS and ESU/LOKSound things are definitely looking up for larger scales.  

Originally Posted by Mike DeBerg:

Mike Deberg:

I'm lost on these decoders but glad to see things looking up for Larger scales!

I don't have any motive power yet,so am ahead of myself but am FEFINATELY keeping my eyes open searching all options. For my funds,buying DC with DCC ready seems the best option. So how are these different from the standard decoder as even in HO,I never got to DCC,but in O,it's a must. I don't mean to ask technical questions here,but I'm obsessed with sound.

Thanks,

Al Hummel

Great post Mike! I have found recently that Atlas dual-motor drives can work great with some HO sound decoders as well. I finally got off my *** and tested several Atlas locos on-track with my RRAmpMeter before taking the plunge.

In all cases each loco drew well under 1A at wheel slip, and under 1.3A stalled. Same for Yoder dual-motors, and of course Atlas SWs and MPs with the single motor. I plan to test MTH next, but Proto3 seems to be working well on DCC for me so far.   

So as long locos are weighted to always reach wheel-slip before stalling I am OK with decoders that have 1A continuous rating. I mount them on brass strip as a heatsink with CPU thermal transfer goop that the computer guys use.

Except for my Pittman motored units which definitely need high-current decoders such as you suggest.  I have seen 7-8A (booster getting warm) at stall with a couple of older ones, so even 4-5A decoders need to be protected by ensuring that wheel-slip always happens before stall. 

But all that said, in my 20 years of O scale DCC, I have yet to fry a decoder or booster in operation. I've fried a few decoders on the bench but that's down to my own clumsiness/haste.    

These next generation sound decoders have doubled my operating fun! 

Pete

Pete, Excellent point!  Definitely need wheel slip before stall. Regardless, an undetected stall can quickly damage a locomotive decoder especially in today's higher amp power boosters.  IMO, The higher amp decoders give you a little more wiggle room all things considered.