"No Engine to Add"

does it run with the TIU removed from the circuit?

does it play shutdown sounds if the power is quickly cut out?

Bruce, can we assume this loco has never been in the remote?

I've had something like this now happen twice, with a PS2 battery unit and a PS3 supercap unit.  Eventually I got them working again, and never did figure out what I did to accomplish that.  Both of these had been in the remote.

Your battery test, unless there was an actual load on the battery, is virtually meaningless.  Unless there is an internal disconnect, even an almost dead battery will show a decent voltage reading.

run the engine inn conventional, you should hear a click when you  power up,and try a conventional reset. don't forget what the other guy was saying your battery can be bad because it won't hold a load when higher current draw. maybe let it sit on your track  for an hour and then try to run and add engine again.

Conventional reset will work if the boards are not working correctly sometimes.check your battery first and go from there. when  you power down the sounds should last 6 to v10 seconds, if they stop immediately your battery voltage is not holding the voltage for proper power down.

ALAN

Test in conventional and make sure good shut down sounds.  If that is successful, do a recover engine with DCS.  At least 3 times if not successful the first few times.  Must be done on Fixed 1 and I would ditch the aux power.

The only other thing is if you have a MU in the remote.  May include the address of the J, delete the MU.   G

GGG< BB tells me that a recover engine can only be done on TIU#1.  BTW, that didn't work for me.

Bruce,

Since you have a copy of The DCS O Gauge Companion (hopefully the 2nd edition), look at page 169 to see how to do a recover engine.

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!

Barry - YES - 2nd edition.  Replaced the battery with a BCR2.  Disconnected TIU.  Powered up in conventional.  Sounds are good, lights good, whistle and bell work fine.

Engine moves forward and reverse and responds to throttle changes.  Upon shut down - the sounds are there after power cut-off. 

Connected to TIU  Fixed 1 - could not add the  engine.  Performed transformer reset 6 times - no response.  Deleted other two engines in remote.  Performed Engine ID# outside normal range procedure.  Tried to recover engine several times - no luck.

Guess the locomotive has to go to either George or John?

bruce

Based upon my experience with two locos, I strongly suspect that, if a loco, already in the remote, but with weak battery or discharged supercap is powered up (haven't decided if with or without a watchdog or DCS startup), and then power is cut before supercap gets charged or battery gets at least a surface charge so that a complete write can't be accomplished, things may get garbled.

Reset the remote and try adding 20-3024-1 again with nothing else on the track. Since the engine runs fine in conventional. (it'll leave neutral) the battery is probably OK.

You could also try  DCS track signal test with another engine  to verify the tiu is putting out a good signal if you can't get it added.

George, Gregg

I powered up the J611 on my test track, TIU1, Fixed 1, TIU powered from Fixed 1 and advanced the throttle to 18VAC.  Waited about 5 minutes.  Did a factory reset on the remote.

EUREKA!!!  went to Engine - Add engine  -  Add MTH engine  - (enter)

it worked!!!  up came the J611 ID#3.

Went to the layout, removed the other PS2 locomotives and set the J611 on the track.

Engine  - Add engine  -  Add MTH Engine  -  came up  ID#3.  Test ran it for about 5 minutes, exercised all functions then powered down.  Powered down the TIU.  Restarted everything - came up fine and works as advertised.  Guess it solved that problem for the time being.  I am a firm believer in ID #'s matching in ALL remotes.

thanks for the help - guys.

Good to hear.  G

Bruce,

I am a firm believer in ID #'s matching in ALL remotes.

That's good to know, since an engine that has different numbers in multiple remotes will only work in one of them!

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!

It does help.  I only add new locos to one of my remotes, and then use the save & restore feature of the Loader program to clone my other remotes.  Saves a lot of time & effort if one has to reset a remote for any reason, since the content is stored on my computer..

I agree with you Barry with locomotive ID matching in  the remotes as sometimes I'm  running one of my engines and sit down that remote i can pick another remote and continue with the same engine with a different remote, works Great!

Alan