Running a F3 AA powered pair in DCS

Jay,

You cannot use a cable to connect two engines with regular PS2 boards. That only is appropriate when one has a PS2 slave board.

However, you can certainly run the pair as a lashup. I don't understand what you mean when you say "I don't want to give up reverse capability for the train as a whole."

Well, I was thinking that for a lashup, the engines would both have to be facing the same way forward. And to overcome that, I would have to set one engine in forward only and the other in reverse only. Isn't that correct?

Jay,

quote:

Isn't that correct?

No.

When you build the lashup, you indicate which way each member faces and which direction each starts out going.

The lead engine would be be set up as facing forward and starting in forward. The trailing engine would be designated as facing backwards and starting in reverse. DCS would then keep everything synchronized when you reverse direction.

Do you have a copy of the The DCS O Gauge Companion? This is covered on pages 100-101 of the 2nd edition. It's also in the first edition, however, I don't recall the page number.

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 here to go to the web page for the book.

Thank you, Barry. Yes, I do have the O Gauge Companion. I just haven't finished committing it to memory, as yet.

Jay,

quote:

Yes, I do have the O Gauge Companion. I just haven't finished committing it to memory, as yet.

Just follow the book as you build your first couple of lashups. It's really not difficult at all.

Just one more question, then I'll have every question answered:

 

   Can a DCS engine running on a Fixed 1 block run onto a Fixed 2 block and continue along without losin gsignal?

 

  In other words, can you have a continuous track block operating under different DCS channels? 

 

 Can a DCS engine running on a Fixed 1 block run onto a Fixed 2 block and continue along without losin gsignal?

Yes, you can run PS2/PS3 engines from channel to channel, and if in Super TIU mode, also from TIU to TIU.

 

Oh, wait. I'm sorry. There is just one more question. If I get a TMCC Command Base to hitch up to my DCS, does it matter if I get the latest one - like REV L in DCS is the latest one - or will just any old one I can pick up on ebay do the job fine?

Jay,

 

I don't know if there was more than one revision of the TMCC hardware, however, as far as DCS is concerned, it matters not at all what TMCC command base you use. 

Barry, you definately earn whatever is spent on DCS Companion. I've got another problem in the F3 lash up.

 

I cannot get the signal to activate both engines. THey are identical engines and (I think) I've created the lashup as described in the DCS COmpanion.  I changed the name of the lead engine in the remote and then lashed them up, one facing forward, the other reverse. But the second one just sits there and drags. Like, it got left behind when I created the lashup, or the TIU isn't properly distinguishing between the two engines and is just powering one of them.

 

Am I suipposed to be doing more when I add the second engine to the system in the way of distinguishing it? I thought there was a page on this, but I've re read it and cn't find anything.

ANy idea?

Nevermind. I think the offending engine got stuck in the inactive engine list. It seems to be working now. I'm cautiously optomistic.

What seems to be happening is that one of the engines will drop into the inactive list for little or no provocation. Then the lash up doesn't work.

 

In order to have a properly functioning lash up, should the lash up and the two individual engines both be in th eactive list or, should just the lash up be in the active list?

 

should the individual engines be renamed to keep them distinct?

Did you give the Lashup a name? The Lashup isn't complete until you do so. It may be the reason one single engine was found in the ACTIVE list.

No, I did that. But I didn't rename the individual engines when I was (re) adding them. Does the DCS have any difficulty distinguishing one identical engine from another?

Jay,

Does the DCS have any difficulty distinguishing one identical engine from another?

No, it has no difficulty at all.

I guess if you are running PS2 AA lashup in conventional, one must be locked FORWARD and the trailing A locked in REVERSE.

This would eliminate running the train backwards.

I guess you can reverse the leads in the trailing A motors.

And also hope they do not drop out of sinc.

Jay,

What DCS Version are you running in your remote and TIU? Early versions stored the lashups in the TIU instead of the remote and it might cause a problem.

I guess you can reverse the leads in the trailing A motors.

 

pennsyk4,

 

Some MTH ABA sets are made to operate together using a slave unit in the trailing A unit, so they don't get out of sinc. You don't have to use the B unit to run them if you want as the B unit just has a wiring harness running through it to connect the trailing A unit.

This is the best way to go for conventional use in my opinion.

 

The early PS1  powered B units that would run alone would sometimes get out of sinc.

The later PS1 ABA units wired the trailing A as a slave to avoid the sinc problem.