Whistle=run away

GGG,

So either the DCS command signals for the version you are using, the lack of signal strength, or some other interference is telling the MUX to turn off lights when smoke is turned off.

I disagree. If this was a DCS bug it would have surfaced long ago. It for sure has zero to do with PFA. It might well be a signal strength issue, however, if it is it's almost certainly in the wiring or a defect in the TIU.

Barry, a little help here please. I started my layout in 1999 with conventional wiring, lots of blocks and some relays. Then I installed TMCC and finally DCS. I run basically DCS all the time. My point here is that my wiring is not optimum for DCS even though I try to improve it continually. All this discussion here has me thinking that it may be time for the TIU upgrades. So here's my question--What's involved for me  to do this? I run two Tiu's in the super mode with two remotes.

-I assume the TIU's will come ready to go with 4.2 loaded

-The remotes will need upgrading to 4.2

  -I assume all the info in them will be saved including the Acc and Sw info

Will I need to reinstall all the engines?

Start with TIU #1 and then add #2?

Find the AIU?

It seems like I'll be starting from scratch, but I'm thinking about it.

Thanks for the support,

George  

George,

In response to your questions...

-I assume the TIU's will come ready to go with 4.2 loaded

Assuming that you buy new, current stock, yes.

-The remotes will need upgrading to 4.2

  -I assume all the info in them will be saved including the Acc and Sw info

Yes, assuming that you follow the procedure to add a TIU as outlined in book.

Will I need to reinstall all the engines?

Not if you follow the procedure in my book.

Start with TIU #1 and then add #2?

Follow the procedure in my book.

Find the AIU?.

This should be automatic if you follow the procedure in my book.

Regardless, unless the problem is a defective TIU, swapping TIUs will not solve your problem.

Thanks, Barry. I just purchased two new L Tiu's as I think the layout will benefit from them . I know Phil Klopp and my son have noticed appreciable improvements. I'm not doing it just for this problem. I assume you're referring to page 118 in the book. Will my present remotes with 4.1 work with the new TIU's until I have chance to upgrade them to 4.2? 

 I assume you're referring to page 118 in the book

Yes, I am.

Will my present remotes with 4.1 work with the new TIU's until I have chance to upgrade them to 4.2? 

Yes, they should work fine.

Installation was pretty easy and quick. It's a new day on the layout. Time will tell. This is exciting. Thanks! 

Everything is up and running. TIU's appear to be later version L as the AUX 1-6 functions work fine. The TIU's have 4.2 in them. My remotes have 4.1. My question is what benefits will I get by upgrading the remotes to 4.2?

My question is what benefits will I get by upgrading the remotes to 4.2?

AFAIK, nothing, other than knowing that you're running the latest software.

I don't like prolonging this thread, but I'm happy to report that I recorded my first session with the new TIU's and didn't experience any of the lights on/off with the smoke on/off as before. At this point, I am convinced that the problem was caused by weak signal strength at certain spots in the layout. Time will tell if I'm correct. I certainly recommend upgrading to the new TIU's. The process was pretty simple and the signal strengths definitely improved. 

Barry, you got me again. Tonight I ran the program that has 3 steamers pulling passenger cars. I made an adjustment while the program was running to turn the smoke units off. I then ran some other trains while the playback was running. On 2 of the engines in the program, the lights went off at some point. So I suspect this has something to do with the record/playback program. I'm still learning the limitations of just one can and cannot do with that feature. How do you feel about running 3 trains in the playback mode and 6 other trains at the same time? Will this create any problems like losing control of an engine? I value your advice.

 you got me again

How so?

e. How do you feel about running 3 trains in the playback mode and 6 other trains at the same time? Will this create any problems like losing control of an engine?

As long as you have enough power for all those engines, it should work OK.

You indicated that this was not a signal strength issue and it appears to me now that you are correct. I have run a dozen trains at one time using the program in the past. Now I got the idea of running some trains in the program and some outside the program at the same time. But while I was experimenting with this tonight, I had one of the engines in the program take off ( Speed Up ). Fortunately I could kill the power quickly. This has me a little nervous. It sounds a little like whistle=run away. 

Here's my 2 cents.  It's signal issues !!!!!!  Remember what we are dealing with here.  TOYS.....  made in China at that.  I have a remote control helicopter and my kids have all kinds of remote control cars, I know different signal type, but all of them loose signal from time to time and don't do what they are supposed to, because they are cheap toys.  If you look at the trains the same way you will stop acting like these things were built for NASA and that they are going to have some issues from time to time.    From a technical stand point its still signal issues!!!  POP... when was the last time you cleaned your track?  We are not dealing with a permanent connection here.  Metal wheel rolling on metal track with grease, dirt and dust between them is going to cause some issues. Period, end of story. Yes the new TIU's greatly helps the situation, and I fully believe that because my signal is much better and has almost stopped the issues, but it's not perfect and nor do I believe it ever will be, so from time to time we will all have issues with the engines receiving a signal and not do what it is supposed to.

 It's signal issues !!!!!!

No, it's not. The symptoms are all wrong

There's no signal being "lost" and commands are not failing. Further, when a PS2 or PS3 engine loses touch with the TIU, it simply keeps doing whatever it was doing before it lost communication. It doesn't do something else because it can't do something else.

Barry,  We are dealing with several different issues here.  The rewiring of the MUX board fixes the pulsing of the marker lights.  I've already had this problem fixed on 2 engines.  My MTH tech says that that is the only thing that fixes as we just had this conversation last night.  The headlight, marker light, turning off and on when turning on and off the smoke unit is a problem I had all the time with many of my engines until I upgraded my TUI's.  Now my signal strength is much better and this rarely happens.  So I can only deduce that because I have better signal strength my engines don't get confused as to the command I sent them.  At least, it has basically solved the problem and I didn't do anything else to the layout to try to fix the problem.  As far as the runaway,  I have had that happen twice when running several trains on a program and then running two others outside of the program.  I have no idea why that happens.  My original comments were directed at the lights turning on and off when turning on/off a smoke unit. That happened to me for years every time I ran my trains, once I upgraded TIU's and got better signal strength it basically stopped.

I haven't any idea of what you may or may not have experienced, or what releases of DCS you were using, or what your wiring was like, or what your track plan was like, etc.

My responses on this thread have been regarding "here and now" problems encountered at the present time, for which background has been provided.

In  my experience, the vast majority of DCS problems are self-inflicted, either though lack of knowledge or ignorance of best practices. Some also are the result of defective hardware or known software bugs (of which there are very few left).

Whenever there's a signal strength issue, it's a symptom of the real problem, not a root cause of the problem, and is almost always due to one of the above reasons.