totally confused

You just need to put your TIUs into Super TIU mode. From page 116 of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition:

Turning on Super TIU Mode

In order to operate properly, Super TIU mode must be turned on for each TIU on the layout, from each DCS Remote used with the layout. This is accomplished as follows for each of the layout's DCS Remotes:

• Press the Menu key on the DCS Remote to enter the DCS menus

• Use the thumbwheel to scroll to TIU SETUP and press the thumbwheel to select it

• Use the thumbwheel to scroll to SUPER TIU and press the thumbwheel to select it

• A list of all of the TIUs in the DCS Remote is displayed. Use the thumbwheel to scroll to the first TIU to change to Super TIU mode and press the thumbwheel to select it

• Press soft key S1 (SPR) to place the TIU into Super TIU mode. A message "Super TIU Mode" will be displayed

• Repeat the above process for each TIU listed

• Press the Menu key to exit the screen

• Repeat the above process for all other DCS Remotes

To change back to normal TIU mode of operation, repeat the above process for all TIUs and DCS Remotes, however, press soft key S2, NRM, to place each TIU and DCS Remote back into normal TIU mode.

This and a whole lot more is all in TH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

There are issues with super mode with software version 4.   4.1    4.2 and 4 .3     If a engine ends up in the inactive list  and is on  track controlled by another tiu other than the one it was added to; it won't come out.  The "read " in this case is not your friend. Any engine on a toggled off siding is heading to inactive list.

You  can delete it and add again or pick it up by hand and  move it to the tiu zone where it was added.   Version 5 is much better.

Gregg,

There are issues with super mode with software version 4.   4.1    4.2 and 4 .3

Actually, this bug was corrected in DCS 4.30 and is also fixed in DCS 5.0.

I am using 4.3., and I did say that I had put it into super-mode. But i did try this again. On my remote it says soft-key 2 is for super-modeand S1 is for normal. I did it again and ..... nothing!

Should I up-grade??? Should I delete and add it engines again from TIU 1 which is the only one that seems to recognize it?

Menu/system/ Tiu set up/ Super tiu.... Press SPR for each tiu. The remote will tell you the tiu has been set to super. Sounds to me like you're doing it correctly.

If you have a working engine in tiu's #1 track , try and run it in over to  other tiu zones. Do you lose control? or can you still control the speed and blow the whistle etc. 

Make sure DCS signal is turned on for TIU 2 and 3.  G

GGG posted:

Make sure DCS signal is turned on for TIU 2 and 3.  G

Menu/System/ DCS set up/  AON...( all on )

Gregg and Barry helped me with this last week.  It will work, but you have to be very sequential in what you do.  

1) Don't reset anything like it says in the DCS manual.  Start each TIU separately, and check the blinking red light.  That tells you the real TIU number it is set on.  Your designations may be different that what each is reading.  Set each TIU to the number of blinks.  If you have two the same, change one.

2) Follow Barry's steps, and yes, super TIU is #2 and normal is #1.  Put them all in super.

3.) Make sure you have at least one engine detected in TIU1.  If you have PS2's intead of 3's that is an issue that caused my problem, so get a 3 detected first on TIU1.  You may have to run your PS2's on this track initially, but the guys will have a solution for this too.

4.) I found it best to add the engines on the TIU controlled track they start up on.  Try to add them there.

5.) If that doesn't work, try adding them all to TIU1's track.

6.) If the tracks are all connected in some way (mine are not) they should still run perfectly as they change TIU blocks.

7.) I had to follow what the guy's were saying many times, but eventually the software recognized everything.  Just added a new engine today, on a separate layout, on my TIU2, and all is well.

Jerry G

They are all on

The fact is the loop that Tiu 1 is on is a independent loop and is not connected via track to other 4loops. Is my remote messed up? S1 says on and for super mode s1 is super mode

S-1 is for Normal mode   S-2 is the one you want for super mode     SPR.

Menu/System/ Tiu set up/ Super tiu/    S elect the tiu and hit S2    SPR.

Do it for each tiu . 1  2 &3

First thanks for giving time to help.... everyone.  All TIUs are on. All TIUs are set to super via S2. The loop for TIU 1 is not connected via track to the other loops. Therefore I cannot even attempt to run it from that loop to the others. This is why I am pulling out the last 2 or 3 hairs in my head I have left.

Well seems you have the remote set up correctly, The read finds the tiu (all 3 of them) the three are set to super... Tiu #1 works but nothing else? The signal is turned on to all the tiu.

 Should  be working.     unless... ???   It may be time for a small test track with TIU #2 and fixed 1. Can you  start up a engine here that's in the active list. Perhaps this is a track signal issue. ( we know some TMCC engine s will degrade the dcs signal. Take them off the track or park in  a dead siding.

With super mode an engine added should  be able to run in any tiu zone no matter what tiu the engine was added to. Heck the tiu that the engine was added to doesn't even have to be powered up.. That's the beauty of super.

Wouldn't hurt to check out the tiu numbers as  Jerry G mentioned.... When power is first applied to  a  tiu    a red LED on top  blinks . Each blink is the actually tiu  number up to 5... a one blink means your tiu is #1... 2 blinks for tiu #2 and so on.    Something else to check but it's easy.

That doesn't matter.  My TIU1 is on an overhead line, the TIU2 is on a table line.  Completely separate, but the TIU1 still masters the other TIU.  If 1 is powered up, your 2 should be working if both are in superTIU mode.

If you can run an engine from 1, you should be able to add PS3's from 2, as long as you read the red TIU blinks at power up and are sure each TIU has the correct address according to the blinks, not according to their address in your remote.  TIU1 should have one blink, TIU2 two blinks, etc.  If not, you have to change the address in the menu/TIU setup mode. (edit TIU)

If you are running PS2's that can be an issue on TIU's other than #1.

Took me several attempts to get it right, but, it works...keep us posted.

Jerry G.

Sorry Gregg, your post hadn't come up yet.  I meant that his separate lines don't matter, same as in mine...I bet his blinks don't match his remote TIU addresses.

The blinks do match up. #1...1 blink.  #2...2 blinks and #3...3 blinks.

Hmmm.  

Are you using any PS2 engines on TIU 2 or 3?  Is TIU1 powered up all the time when running 2 and 3?

If you added the engines in 1 and they work, try pointing your remote at 1 when trying to run on 2 or 3.

Got me stumped..  How many remotes do you have?   The tiu must be set up the same way  in each remote. Engines must have same ID in each remote... Try a short test track with fixed 1 on either tiu #2 or 3,. Use a engine that runs ok in tiu#1s zone..... Can you start it up? maybe even delete a engine and see if it will add  back on the small test track.

Polarity?  Wiring?  Do TIU2 & 3 each have a track going through fixed 1?

JerryG posted:

Polarity?  Wiring?  Do TIU2 & 3 each have a track going through fixed 1?

Good point about the wiring....  TIU red output to center rail always....

Here is what I have . No PS2 engine will run in TIU2 or TIU3. TIU2 and TIU3 are set up as variable. TIU 1 is fixed voltage. Would this make a difference?? We only use 1 remote. All 3 TIUs are within 4 feet of the remote on start up or when trying to start up. Red output is to center rail on all TIUs, but I will check that again tomorrow. 

 One last comment...... I'm not sure what you mean by tiu are set up as Var?  

Don't forget the tiu need a power supply to turn on or function, Power to fixed 1 or an aux power supply  will turn it on but you checked the blinks so I'm guessing it's on. besides the read found the tiu.

 Doesn't leave much except a  poor dcs signal or reversed wiring.. The engines should remain dark & silent when first applying power to the layout.    Good luck tomorrow.

I have one engine that is PS2.  It won't run on my TIU2 either, but is great with TIU1.  PS3's run perfectly with both.  I'm sure there's a way to get it to run on 2, but I don't use it there anyway.  Try a PS3, if you have one.   I think PS2's have problems communicating with the second (and third) superTIU.

Make sure that all 3 TIUs are actually in the remote.

Press: Menu/System/TIU Setup/Add TIU.

If you can add TIU #2 or TIU #3, do so. If they can't be added (that would be because they're already in the remote), then just press Menu repeatedly until you've backed out of all of the menus.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Make sure that all 3 TIUs are actually in the remote.

Press: Menu/System/TIU Setup/Add TIU.

If you can add TIU #2 or TIU #3, do so. If they can't be added (that would be because they're already in the remote), then just press Menu repeatedly until you've backed out of all of the menus.

He mentioned the "read" finds  all three and they  are all set to super, I guess I'm curious whether this a new hook up or have the trains run  before on   TIU 2 &3 zones.

We don't know the power  supplies and ,  how the layout is wired. using what  channels ? There's also Legacy or TMCC hooked up... 

Could be a hardware glitch if the tiu are I3a  s. (poor dcs signal)  Take a  look on the bottom of the tiu for   version code.

 A Crossed feeder wire could  also cause all these problems.   

seline,

Did you try TIU1 on another one of the other loops to eliminate a problem with the layout?

I am going to set up a separate loop today and connect TIU 2 and then  TIU 3 to see if this works.

Well I disconnected the TIU2 from the layout and hooked it up using the fixed voltage inputs and outputs to a separate track that I set up for this. I place a PS2 engine on it and it did find it, started up and ran. BUT it ran erratically. For example when I increased the throttle it would go faster but then the speed readout on the screen would stick to one speed as would the engine. But then it would suddenly jump to the appropriate speed. Also there was a delay on the reverse  direction sometimes, but  not always. Also it would recognize the engine erratically. Sometimes it would start up but say out of RF range. Still frustrated. One other thing. I then trie this with my only PS3 engine and it worked fine!!!!!!! At 1 time the whole layout worked fine!

Yep.   Can't think of anything else.  Someone must have a fix for PS2's running on something other than TIU1.  

Did you look on the bottom of the TIU for the version....  Any version except I3a is good.

 I suppose you're gaining a bit but not much....  Seems you have Barry book  so maybe read up on the track wiring with terminal blocks and magic bulbs etc

Here a easy test to check out the dcs signal ... Something similar  to what you did with tiu #2.

Hook up small test track  one or two pieces of track (not a big loop) and do a track signal test with the engine you were able to add.  Should be a perfect  10.... Ideally you  would  do this with all  TIU #2  channels   (set var to fxd,  power tiu with aux power  or fixed 1 ,

I had a fun day running on a large layout today with 4 tiu in super., Version 5 is definitely    a keeper so far.  Much quicker &  better response. Having said that I don't believe upgrading is going to help your situation. Since everything was working something's changed??  another option might be tethering the remote & tiu , It'll be in Barry's book.

I am jealous of your layout fun today. I remember when mine always worked. Yes, I have been searching through Barry's book. When this started I don't remember doing anything different. The problem just suddenly seemed to start. The bottom of TIU2 only says MTH and FccQT8RFAT. I will also try to hook up TIU1 to the loops controlled by TIU2 to see if that works. I did tether them with a phone cord and there was NO DIFFERENCE.

The bottom of TIU2 only says MTH and FccQT8RFAT.

That sounds like an original Rev. G. If it has never had its signal generators and traces upgraded (MTH did that as a matter of course if a Rev. G came in for repair), then you could be looking at a long-overdue failure.

The Rev. G's, out of the box, were considerably less robust than any of the later TIU models.

Gentlemen,

    Now Barry I believe has found his real problem, upgrade all the TIU's to the latest change, and if I were him I would purchase a new Rev L and use the old Rev G on it's own single test track, removing it from the super mode all together.  It maybe over kill but I would remove it from the bigger layout control set up.  I had this problem a while back with non matching, till Barry straighten me out, now with all my components matched using the latest changes, I have eliminated all these kind of problems.

PCRR/Dave

We're still using a couple of Gs.   I suppose it may be time for a new one but I would  test it with a track signal test on each channel first..... What about TIU #3?is it a G as well?

I have TMCC with a powerhouse 400. I want to hook up DCS unit to this. When I disconnect the 400 and use the cord there's no where to hook up the 400.

Also ,can run conventional trains with the DCS?

this is worse than trying to operate and program a VCR?

Any help would be appreciated.

I have the TMCC / DCS cable

Buzz 191

You need a serial "Y" cable. Amazon has them for a few dollars.

Just make sure you get one with the correct ends. They come 2 ways; 1 male and 2 female, or 1 female and 2 males.

Thank you Barry.

Pis it a MTH or Lionel product or just a computer accessory?

Buzz,

It's nothing special from MTH or Lionel. It's just a simple off-the-shelf  "Y" cable, available from any number of manufacturers. You just need to get the gender correct, depending on what you're connecting.

Look at what it will connect to and count the genders of whats being connected. Then, get a "Y" with the exact opposite genders.