# HELP! MTH TIU Limitations



## Perrymedik (Nov 25, 2012)

Hello!

I am writing to inquire on the limits of the TIU. I have read the instruction manual and need further guidance on whether I need to set up an additional TIU or not based on a problem I am experiencing.

I currently have 8 MTH Engines and 1 Lionel TMCC (with base commander attached) on my layout. The 8th MTH Engine I set up on my layout caused another MTH Engine to begin responding simultaneously to the new Engine commands. I was able to solve the problem be deleting the old engine and adding it back. However, since then, one Engine (NW #508) will randomly take off. It seems to do this mostly when I am controlling a separate Engine (NS #1349).

Yesterday I added a 9th Engine ( Chessie (#9010) Item No. 20-2496-1) and unless I remove all the other engines from the track, the TIU won't recognize it. I took all other Engines off, and the new one, then tried to add the others back, but with no success. I was not even able to get all of my old Engines reprogramed until I removed it.

Is this problem being caused by a defect in the Engine, or is it a problem with too much loaded into the TIU?

Page 102 of the TIU Operators Manual says "if your layout contains more then 300 feet of track and wiring or more then 5 Engines on the track at one time, MTH recommends using more then one TIU channel to maintain a good DCS Track Signal".

I am uncertain if the reference to more then 5 Engines means more then 5 Engines just sitting there, not running, or more then 5 Engines that are operating.

Either way, does using more then one TIU channel indicate the need to install a second TIU, or is one TIU capable of sending out multiple channels?

Please advise!

Thank you in advance for your help!

Cory


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can load a ton of engines into the TIU, and I can tell you for sure that running a dozen DCS locomotives on a single layout isn't an issue.

What is very common is that you have the same engine number for multiple engines.

How many remotes do you have. Note that the engine numbers are stored in the remotes, so if you have more than one, it's possible to get confusion about engine numbers.

To sort all this out, try this.

Reset a remote to defaults, that will remove all the engines from the remote. Using ONLY this remote, do the following.

One at a time, put an engine on the track, add it into the remote, start it up, and then do a factory reset on it.

When you're all done with this process, put them again one at a time on the track and add them into the remote. 

At this point, they all should behave. For any other remotes, you can either clone this remote using the DCS Loader or reset the remote and add the engines in one at a time.


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