WTIU & Base 3 questions

@NeOhiofan posted:

I have only had Lionel legacy & TMCC. My layout is powered by a ZW with 5 amp breakers. All 4 handles power a 3 loops and the 4th handle powers a staging yard. Layout is fastrack and it’s wired for direct voltage. I do not run anything conventional. My switches are wired to track power as well. I only have 1 MTH engine and that is the CP Holiday Train. I’d like to purchase more MTH but have not due to only have 990 system and upgraded to base 3. I was called today by local hobby shop to inform the new WTIU was in and if I wanted one. Starting January I will be doing a layout redesign. This would be the time to invest. I have a few questions

!. How does the WTIU wire in the layout

2. Can Lionel & MTH be ran on the same track

3. Does wtiu hook up to base 3 or vise versa and MTH / Lionel be ran off either app?

4. Any other pertinent info you can give me that I didn’t mention or should know.

thank You

First, basics:

DCS is a high frequency electrical signal that goes on the POWER to the track. As such, the TIU channels are connected with both wires- outer rail and center rail.

Lionel TMCC/Legacy is a radio frequency that connects with one wire to the outside rail of the track.

!. How does the WTIU wire in the layout- In series between your power supply source (transformer) and the track

2. Can Lionel & MTH be ran on the same track- Yes, because TMCC is a radio signal and DCS is a digital signal riding on the power channel.

3. Does wtiu hook up to base 3 or vise versa and MTH / Lionel be ran off either app? Lionel cannot run MTH digitally. This is because the DCS protocol has not been published for 3rd party usage. Lionel did publish TMCC and Legacy protocols and MTH did use this, so it means an MTH remote or app can send TMCC and some Legacy commands to Lionel. That said, you need some cabling and the current WTIU only has a USB port that is a host port. This means you need a USB to serial that is compatible, then the special MTH cable, then that plugs into a lionel LCS SER2 module, and that plugs into the base with a PDI cable. Bottom line- I would not do this and connect all this for some one remote utopia.

4. Any other pertinent info you can give me that I didn’t mention or should know.

This diagram is still basically valid. The WTIU goes in place the older TIU and the new one includes the power adapter. Further the base is the same, regardless of what base- meaning Base 3 still is one wire.

Again, this older diagram is still valid regarding the serial cabling for connecting a WTIU to a Lionel Base, but both ends need adapter devices. The Base 3 has no serial port- hence needing to buy an LCS SER2 module and PDI cable, and on the MTH side- the WTIU has no serial port, and needs a compatible USB to serial adapter cable- and not just any cable- a compatible one- and kicker- we do not have that list.....

https://mthtrains.com/dcs-and-...-control-integration

At the end of the day, it's still pretty much the same thing- again just extra cost adapters on both ends.

Thank you for the info. It seems if I understand correctly until MTH come out with the cable I can run both but will have to use each app. Once MTH come out with the cable I can run both off the MTH app.

One more question. How many tracks can I hook up to constant voltage? I have 4 tracks that I can hook up to base 3. Not sure about WTIU

@NeOhiofan posted:

One more question. How many tracks can I hook up to constant voltage? I have 4 tracks that I can hook up to base 3. Not sure about WTIU

There are 4 track outputs. You should be able to set the 2 variable tracks as fixed- making 4 fixed tracks.

@NeOhiofan posted:

Thank you for the info. It seems if I understand correctly until MTH come out with the cable I can run both but will have to use each app. Once MTH come out with the cable I can run both off the MTH app.

No, not exactly.

If you just want to have the ability to run either Lionel or MTH on the same track with each prospective app, you do not need any cables or modules.

You can run your legacy signal to the track as you do today and simultaneously run the DCS signal to the track from the WTIU.   The power can be the same as you have today, you do not need to run it through the TIU unless you want variable control for your conventional engines.

Then just use each app to control whichever train you are running.  Or if you have friends over you can run MTH, they can run Lionel, etc.

The only time you need all these cables and connections is if you want to run MTH & Lionel trains from the MTH App (you cannot run MTH from Lionel).

So, you can run all trains today with no extra cables.

ONLY if you want to run your Lionel engines from the MTH app will you need the cables/modules.

It is kind of messy.

First you need a PDI cable that goes from Base 3 to the LCS SER module (that turns the PDI into a Serial connection).

Then you connect the MTH/TMCC serial cable from the SER to the (yet to be released from MTH) Serial to USB pigtail.

Then you plug the USB end of the pigtail into the WTIU.

Then you can load TMCC/Legacy engines into MTH app and control them in one app.