Z1000 red and black posts and walk around throttles

Troy,

First, the Z1000 sheet gives no indication of which post is middle or outer rail.

The red post goes to center rail and teh black post to an outside rail.

In addition, since I will be using multiple transformers (z1000 and z4000 several of each) is it still a good idea to tie the common posts together on all of them or is that somehow no longer necessary on newer transformers?

It is absolutely essential to tie all the transformer Commons together.

Also, I have the DCS system along with the wifi/ phone option.  How practical is it to try and use this in conventional mode to gain walk around control?

You'll need the Premium version of the DCS App to operate conventional engines.

I can tell you I have not been impressed with most of the layouts I have seen trying to use DCS.

You've been looking at the wrong layouts and probably listening to the wrong people, as well!  

Everything that you need to know about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Everything that you need to know about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Thanks Barry!  I assumed the red post black post were like that, but we all know what happens when you "Assume".  

On the DCS; I have a book (I will check to see if it is the same version you note), and I purchased the premium while first playing around with it.  I guess I will need to call MTH because, even though I purchased the premium, it does not look like the software actually updated.  (I'm going by memory here as life was interrupted by triple by-pass surgery and I'm just getting back at it).  I understand that it is possible to run conventional off of the system, but I was wondering if anyone had done it and how practical it was versus just walking over to the throttle.  If it takes selecting 7 different options just to operate in conventional off of the phone, I'll stick with the old reliable block control.

On the system itself, I'm sure your correct that I just haven't seen the right layout yet.  I was so dismayed at what I saw that I briefly considered going 2 rail O scale to gain some options for the new layout.  All that being said, I'm still left with a locomotive roster that will require a small fortune to upgrade.  In addition, it seems like obtaining the boards to do it is nearly impossible.  Are you aware of any other walk around options?  I used to have a decent one from MRC years ago, but there were sine wave issues when the new stuff came around.

One other question came up the other evening as well.  I have an older MTH premier H44-10.  The Z4000 runs it just fine.  I have tried multiple Z1000's and none of them will run the unit.  I'm thinking sine wave issue again, but did MTH really put out a unit that would have sine wave issues with their own transformers???  It's looking like my option is to rip the QSI guts out and just install a digital reverse unit so the loco can at least run.

Thanks again!

Troy

Crazy J RR posted:

I have an older MTH premier H44-10.  The Z4000 runs it just fine.  I have tried multiple Z1000's and none of them will run the unit.  I'm thinking sine wave issue again, but did MTH really put out a unit that would have sine wave issues with their own transformers???

Yes, certainly and definitely. See Here

Troy,

Are you aware of any other walk around options?

MTH made a Z1000 Remote Commander that plugs into a Z4000 and allows walk around conventional control of a layout. However, they are pretty much discontinued and may be hard to find. They may be pricey, as well.

They allow control of up to 3 Z4000's (or more if you cheat) with the addition of additional receivers.