I have a friend who has a DCS system for his garden railroad. To be honest I think he has only one locomotive and then the system itself. He has asked me for some advice and I really dont know the system real well since I use Airwire.

First, he wants to know if he can use other DCC decoders on his system. I believe the answer is yes. I take my knowledge from HO, which you can do but not sure about large scale.

Second, will the DCS system run a conventional DC locomotive. Again, I believe the answer is yes. From what I know about DCS, it is basically a proprietary DCC system.

Finally, he is looking for a good place to ask questions about his system. I refered him to here and another site, but, does MTH have their own forums?

Thanks for the help, I dont really want to misinform him.

This would probably be a good place to get the straight scoop on MTH systems. Those guys make it their life.

I can answer a few questions, I’ve operated, and more importantly, debugged a couple of DCS layouts.

First DCS is NOT DCC and they are not compatible.

DCS usually uses a constant DC on the rails (in large scale) with a small additional signal “riding on top” of the constant DC.

DCC uses a constantly changing square wave AC signal.

DCS cannot run on a DCC signal.

DCC cannot run on a DCS signal.

DCS can run on regular old DC, and so can most DCC decoders, but in both cases you have NO remote control, nor individual control of the locos.

Greg

The new MTH DCS & ProtoSound 3 is/will be compatibile as the new decoders can work on AC, DC, DCC, DCS and Marklins Motorola Type I & II and they’ll drop right into a standard NMRA DCC plug and use BEMF to control the locomotive speed.

A new MTH DCS TIU is in the works that is wifi capable.

This and much more info will be available when the new RailKing #1 Gauge 2012 Catalog is released later this year.

So, they are not going to abandon LS? That is good news.

The ProtoSound 3 has been out for a while in the smaller scales, and many reports that it would not come to LS.

Anywhere this info is posted? I searched all over their web site, could not find a thing.

I did find the 2011 catalog, and it says “factory direct sale” on the cover, but could not find any details.

Greg

Based upon what I am reading on other (scales) forums, looks like The Genius is moving more into H0 and Euro, seemingly dropping new LS stuff, and now he bought into S gauge. Lots can happen in two months.
In 0, his catalog items this year are less than Lionel, so it’s a crXp shoot.

Yes,
I do believe you are correct Dave, You cant always believe what is posted sometimes as there are some that wish things would happen and then
they start to believe it’s going to happen. Seems to be that way in Large scale.

You Betcha LOL…

Nick

Hate to dredge up old posts, but would the simple remote and receiver be compatible with a dc power supply? Have an eye on a set on fb and want to make sure the dang thing works appropriately for the days I decide to bust out the triplex sitting in my basement at the domes or Shady Lane nursery.

Yeah, might have been better to start a new one, rather than tacking on to a long thread 8 years old. Reading the thread from the beginning would be a waste in this case.

What is the “simple remote and receiver”? MTH part numbers please. In general DCS can work on AC or DC track power, it “adds” it’s signal to the “top” of the power, like a carrier.

Greg