Multi Train System

[Hal Farsed]

If, say, someone with the in depth computer control knowledge that peaked with the Motorola 68000 and 6802 were to buy a locomotive that was fitted with an "MTS decoder" and "MTS sound", what would be the best way to operate this loco? Bearing in mind the rails are dead and half the rolling stock has uninsulated wheelsets. Is there a better way than launching the electronics and fitting Deltang/Fosworks kit? I'm a bit stumped to be honest.

 

[PhilP]

If, say, someone with the in depth computer control knowledge that peaked with the Motorola 68000 and 6802 were to buy a locomotive that was fitted with an "MTS decoder" and "MTS sound", what would be the best way to operate this loco? Bearing in mind the rails are dead and half the rolling stock has uninsulated wheelsets. Is there a better way than launching the electronics and fitting Deltang/Fosworks kit? I'm a bit stumped to be honest.

How much functionality do you want?

You can disconnect the pickups from the wheels and feed 'DC' in from there.

If the decoder is set to work on analogue power, it will run. - Depending on age, and decoder settings, of course.

Despite the dire warnings not to use a PWM speed controller, that will most likely be fine, as well.

You can always PM, email, or call, if you want to discuss it?

PhilP.

 

[Gerard]

Hello Hal,
I advise you to start right away with a digital controlled system.
The advantages are:
1
The most great advantage is the simple wiring: you only need one wire from your computer to the track.
Often people complain about conductivity of their track and decide therefore to go for battery power and Radio Controlled functioning. This is however absolutely not necessary: the only thing you have to do is using Molycote Copper Grease mixed with some evaporating dilutant in all your electric connections. Not only the track connections but all other electric connections too. This keeps all weathering out of your systems for many years. My own track already functions more than about 10 years!
2
When using a digital system there is a continuous Alternating Current AC power of 24 Volt on the track.
The computer generates a digital message, to all users having a built in decoder, which is generated depending on the user settings on the handheld controls. Besides the Digital Decoders in all locomotives, the constant 24 Volt AC also enables to power all electric functions along the track and the lights in your rolling stock with a constant voltage and thus constant light level. In the case that there is a Direct Current DC wanted, for instance when using LEDS to minimize your power consumption, you apply a small current rectifier.
3
The next great advantage in terms of simplicity is that all your points and other operating equipment can be connected directly to the track. No more long wiring to switch banks any more!
4
So far my view on this, and i hope i succesfully explained the advantages of the digital system to you. However in case you are interested in more explanations you can read a lot more about this subject in our book "Our Model Garden Railway" available at Amazon.

 

[Hal Farsed]

How much functionality do you want?

You can disconnect the pickups from the wheels and feed 'DC' in from there.

If the decoder is set to work on analogue power, it will run. - Depending on age, and decoder settings, of course.

Despite the dire warnings not to use a PWM speed controller, that will most likely be fine, as well.

You can always PM, email, or call, if you want to discuss it?

PhilP.

Thanks Phil. I'm now thinking that even if I did disconnect the pick ups, and stick a battery in there, I would still need some sort of (possibly very expensive and not very available) controller that I do not have and am not getting for one loco. Hmmmm.

 

[Hal Farsed]

Hello Hal,
I advise you to start right away with a digital controlled system.
The advantages are:
1
The most great advantage is the simple wiring: you only need one wire from your computer to the track.
Often people complain about conductivity of their track and decide therefore to go for battery power and Radio Controlled functioning. This is however absolutely not necessary: the only thing you have to do is using Molycote Copper Grease mixed with some evaporating dilutant in all your electric connections. Not only the track connections but all other electric connections too. This keeps all weathering out of your systems for many years. My own track already functions more than about 10 years!
2
When using a digital system there is a continuous Alternating Current AC power of 24 Volt on the track.
The computer generates a digital message, to all users having a built in decoder, which is generated depending on the user settings on the handheld controls. Besides the Digital Decoders in all locomotives, the constant 24 Volt AC also enables to power all electric functions along the track and the lights in your rolling stock with a constant voltage and thus constant light level. In the case that there is a Direct Current DC wanted, for instance when using LEDS to minimize your power consumption, you apply a small current rectifier.
3
The next great advantage in terms of simplicity is that all your points and other operating equipment can be connected directly to the track. No more long wiring to switch banks any more!
4
So far my view on this, and i hope i succesfully explained the advantages of the digital system to you. However in case you are interested in more explanations you can read a lot more about this subject in our book "Our Model Garden Railway" available at Amazon.

Woah! I'm on the chuffin' pensh chief! But thanks for your interest.

 

[PhilP]

Thanks Phil. I'm now thinking that even if I did disconnect the pick ups, and stick a battery in there, I would still need some sort of (possibly very expensive and not very available) controller that I do not have and am not getting for one loco. Hmmmm.

So what do you control your others with?

Where there's a Phil, there is a way!


PhilP.

 

[Hal Farsed]

So what do you control your others with?

Where there's a Phil, there is a way!


PhilP.

A mixture of Deltang and Fosworks. A very old (I think I had it in 2015) TX22 that I bought when Mr Deltang ran his website has a lot of locos attached to it.

 

[dunnyrail]

Do you gave a Fosworks TX that controls multiple locomotives? If so you could get a DCC Rx from Fosworks to link to it. I don’t believe that Deltang do DCC/MTS Rx at the moment.

 

[maxi-model]

I have just been looking at your YouTube channel Johns Little films Interesting eclectic roster you have there. Only looked at it superficially so far. Am I to assume you are operating with battery power from the comments you have already posted - Deltang RC and uninsulated wheelsets on a lot of stock ? Or do you run both live and dead rail, taking care with what is run ? Is seems there is a decision to be made to buy a loco with LGB's original MTS C&C system. I remember buying an LGB track cleaning loco 20 years ago with MTS fitted (!) and having to extract the card, it's all a bit dim in the memory now. But it ran on my DC PWM Train Engineer set up doing its job OK, minus the odd MTS controlled feature. Max

 

[andyspencer]

If, say, someone with the in depth computer control knowledge that peaked with the Motorola 68000 and 6802 were to buy a locomotive that was fitted with an "MTS decoder" and "MTS sound", what would be the best way to operate this loco? Bearing in mind the rails are dead and half the rolling stock has uninsulated wheelsets. Is there a better way than launching the electronics and fitting Deltang/Fosworks kit? I'm a bit stumped to be honest.

Have a look at the Fosworks TX4.0 and matching FRx24-5 receiver. You could then operate all of the factory sounds via the handset. In its simplest form, fit batteries and recevier into a wagon/coach, remove wiring from track pickups, and connect the track in connection of the loco to a 2 core cable and link to trailing coach.
*depending on the age of the loco, Fosworks only speaks 'Parallel' so may not be able to operate all of the sound features.

 

[Hal Farsed]

Morning and thanks very much for all the replies. I will have a look at the TX4.0 & FRx24-5 as it seems to be the best bet as far as I can see. I'm assuming I simply disconnect the track pick ups and connect them to the Fosworks receivers DCC/DCC connections? Sorry if this is a daft question, I'm a little hard of thinking when it comes to DCC.

 

[dunnyrail]

Morning and thanks very much for all the replies. I will have a look at the TX4.0 & FRx24-5 as it seems to be the best bet as far as I can see. I'm assuming I simply disconnect the track pick ups and connect them to the Fosworks receivers DCC/DCC connections? Sorry if this is a daft question, I'm a little hard of thinking when it comes to DCC.

Yup that is exactly it, the Fosworks goes through the chip allowing most of the functions. Combinations of the top 3 buttons and the red + green side buttons give you up to 12 functions. Think about a wiring loom to make setting up much easier.

 

[Hal Farsed]

Yup that is exactly it, the Fosworks goes through the chip allowing most of the functions. Combinations of the top 3 buttons and the red + green side buttons give you up to 12 functions. Think about a wiring loom to make setting up much easier.

Thank you for your help. If I am successful in my purchase I can see I will have fun trying to work it all out!

 

[dunnyrail]

Thank you for your help. If I am successful in my purchase I can see I will have fun trying to work it all out!

Have a look at some of my battery conversions in the appropriate thread, I do detail Fosworks wiring.

Here is the link to my first DCC conversion, a bit more complex as I allowed it to be track and battery powered hence the extra DPDT switch setup, would not do that now.

 

[maxi-model]

For what it is worth I use the same Fosworks TX & RX combo you are looking at and that Jon uses and has described. In my instance they are used to communicate with modern fully functioned ESU made DCC cards, that act as the loco motor's ESC and provide sound (very hgh quality loco specific) for 7 of my battery/rc controlled locos. As Jon says you can actuate up to 12 functions on the the a DCC card being adressed. It's not a "true" DCC operation though, more a "faux" DCC, if that makes any sense Max.