# MTH DCS (OK not DCC)



## rrman987 (Aug 29, 2021)

Apologies as I did not find a DCS forum (if there is then, moderator please move thread).

Is the DCS hand held the "smarts" and the TIU the "dumb" unit? In other words could I take my handheld and engine to another DCS layout, and assuming all things equal, would my engine run on that layout with my hand held or would my engine have to be entered into the layouts remote? Are the engine parameters stored in the handheld or in the TIU?


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

The engine parameters are stored in the handheld remote. You can take your engine to another DCS layout and run it with your hand held remote.
If you are just staring out with DCS, I would pick up _*The DCS O Gauge Companion*_ by the late Barry Broskowitz. I'm not sure how much the latest version applies for the hand held remote. The older version that I have was published before they had WiFi. Here's a link to the latest. Note that there is a free sample that you can check out. There is one of the older version currently on Amazon.
DCS WiFi Companion - Second Edition Released | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS (mthtrains.com)


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## rrman987 (Aug 29, 2021)

Bob,
The engine parameters are stored in the handheld remote. You can take your engine to another DCS layout and run it with your hand held remote.
If you are just staring out with DCS, I would pick up _*The DCS O Gauge Companion*_ by the late Barry Broskowitz. I'm not sure how much the latest version applies for the hand held remote. The older version that I have was published before they had WiFi 
***
I have both copies of Barry. I have a complete working DCS system on my layout, but was wondering about where the parameters were stored. Where I live, most modelers are "lone wolfs" and no model RR club or layouts, so everyone has their own setup (whats worst, they're HO or Z). I seem to be the only one around with O gauge AND a DCS system, so I learned as I went, and luckily my electronics background saved my donkey in getting this stuff running when it first hit the market. My layout is up on youtube under rrman987.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Most of the stuff is indeed in the remote. This is both a blessing and a curse. If you take your engine to another site with DCS, the remotes that have been used on a different layout will likely have different engines assigned to your engine numbers. Also, if you try to use your remote to run one of the engines from the other site, when you add the engine, you'll likely end up changing the engine number of that engine, thus invalidating the entry for that engine in the remotes from the location you're visiting!

Many club layouts solve this problem by having club remotes and not allowing you to use your own remote. They also will frequently have a configuration track where you initially load your engine(s) into the remote and then move your engine number to a "guest" number range on that remote.

If you've ever visited the New Jersey High Railers for one of their TrainStock affairs, that's how they manage the DCS visitors. A fun feature of the NJ-HR site is the many publicly accessible WebCams!


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## rrman987 (Aug 29, 2021)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Most of the stuff is indeed in the remote. This is both a blessing and a curse. If you take your engine to another site with DCS, the remotes that have been used on a different layout will likely have different engines assigned to your engine numbers. Also, if you try to use your remote to run one of the engines from the other site, when you add the engine, you'll likely end up changing the engine number of that engine, thus invalidating the entry for that engine in the remotes from the location you're visiting!
> 
> Many club layouts solve this problem by having club remotes and not allowing you to use your own remote. They also will frequently have a configuration track where you initially load your engine(s) into the remote and then move your engine number to a "guest" number range on that remote.
> 
> If you've ever visited the New Jersey High Railers for one of their TrainStock affairs, that's how they manage the DCS visitors. A fun feature of the NJ-HR site is the many publicly accessible WebCams!


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## rrman987 (Aug 29, 2021)

Hi John,
Thanks for the clarification on the handheld and TIU. Glad to see you on this board, wonder what other OGRers are here?
As you may or may not surmise I was kicked off OGR board by that &*(# Alan for posting a non train thread that violated their delicate TOS. 
Still learning my way around this board, so excuse a repeat quote above this reply (couldn't delete that posting).  I like the one area to blow off steam on non train subjects I suspect (never see that on OGR!!)
Take care 
Sam


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Sam, it takes just a little bit more to get booted here.


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

And the good news Sam is that GRJ will do the booting.  
Always good to get the boot from a friend. 

Magic


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## Quietman (Oct 2, 2016)

So, this brigs up another question someone might have I'd like to verify. If you are using a WIU or DCS Explorer with the app, it appears to me the locomotive data is stored in the app. Am I correct in this?

The other Sam


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## rrman987 (Aug 29, 2021)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Sam, it takes just a little bit more to get booted here.


John please contact me offline. Thanks


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