I’m trying to stay up with dcs on a large scale layout. I’ve upgraded dcs to version 4.01. I found that when running a pfa during a lashup only the lead engine of the consist accelerates back to track speed. There may be a bug in dcs version 4 and 4.01 that’s causing this I’m told. So pay attention to that to save your tires on your engines.
I also performed some upgrades on the equipment to solve communication errors. Here’s the latest antennas I 'm using. They’re from a Dollar General store set of $5.00 walky talkies.
They’re cheap and it seems to work so far. Joe P= jwpcfv@msn.com
As you know, I run my “G” gauge with DCS. (2 rail 20 volt DC)
I upgraded to 4.0 when it first came out and have had NO problems, I always run two, and sometimes three, Dash 8s in lashup and have no problems with the second and third units BUT:
I have made new “Lashups” after the upgrade. (The engine file carried over but I still re-did the “Lashups”)
I start a “Lashup” by moving each of the engines I am to use to the “Active List”. I then make and name the “Lashup”, Start it up, add the coupler slack sound (auto), set both Accel & Decel to a “1” (for Speed Set), and finally go back to the “active List” to select engine two (or three) where I turn on the Number Board lights and set the sound volume for “Engine” to match engine “1”, as well as raise the Horn Volume (that Lashup had defaulted to “0”) to a 30 (lead Lashup engine I set to 80), gives a nice sound.
I know that I get good info from you! So I ran down stairs and tried it again. I put just two dash 8s and ran a pfa. This time the lead engine took off forward and the tail took off in reverse! First time for that. I had to reload the remote and tiu after doing a factory reset. My remote clone program doesn’t work. I also had to rebuild all the lashups again so I think it’s not that. I ran 4.0 and I thought that it was alright but upgraded to 4.01 to stay current. That’s when this problem occured. I see postings on an O gauge forum of this happening to others with 4.0 so I thought it was both. I should say that it maybe just happening on 4.01 for me!
I have tried to install the new MTH DCS upgrade but something in my computer or wiring harnesses from the comp to the TIU refused to work for me. Now it looks like I may have saved myself some trouble!
The worst I had happen with the DCS unit and a locomotive was a run away accident, I crossed an unpowered siding from the mainline with a PS-2 equipped locomotive, loco was shut down but power still went through the engine from one center pickup to the other and bridged an electrical gap at the siding sending a pair of conventional powered Williams SD-45’s onto the mainline at almost full speed and before I knew what had happened I had four freight cars on the floor and another five derailed. The SD-45’s rammed the rear of my freight train and would have kept going if they didn’t short out the transformer when they derailed.
Since then I have installed a kill switch that shorts out the track when activated, a 120 volt 15 amp momentary contact switch.
Overall I am not that impressed with command control systems!
Lee F, I too have had some bad mishaps with command. I got through it some how and really enjoy the benefits over the hastles. I don’t even want to ask about the damage cause I lost my challenger’s sound amp to a similar short event. MTH just called with the news about the repair and I’ll probably have her back on the rails soon! I once left a switch thrown to a railless siding after mods and I heard a crash from 40’ away that left me gasping. Luckily my lasy habits of not cleaning up after myself paid off. The stack of plywood strips kept a long consist from smashing on the floor.
I find the most hastle with the computer and the internet when that’s acting up. When everything works perfect I actually think somethings wrong. I won’t go backwards and that keeps me trashing thru the muck of problems. Good luck, Joe
DO NOT run a lashup and use PFA with DCS v4.0.1. There is a bug in the software that does what you have described. You’ll be replacing traction tires and driving yourself nuts trying to figure that one out.
