# MTH DCS control system verses Airewire?



## wcooper93 (Feb 2, 2012)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Hey guys, im looking into the next step for powering my trains, and i saw on youtube how a g scaler uses the MTH DCS control system in his Bachmann train. When i did a little research, MTH says that it only works with the 3-rail track...so im stumped there. I love how MTH has protosound 2.0 do synchronized chuffing, and the proto-coupler deal. But the whole thing seems questionable to me. I know airwire works great, but i would like to avoid having to charge batteries and deal with explosive lithium batteries if possible. DCC sounds cool, but i can say i know little to nothing. 
Here's the video that got me started on MTH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr4_...r_embedded
And thank you for your time. 
@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## Polaris1 (Jan 22, 2010)

If you want to know about G Gauge MTH DCS Train systems...... 

Raymond Manley of Kansas City, MO is the "Expert".... He is a busy man,... But he is very helpful.... 

His chocked FULL MTH DCS Web site is ' www.rayman4449.dynip.com' ..... Just start reading A LOT..... 

You can contact him via E-mail too....... [email protected]

With DCS you can run 2 rail AC or DC Power to the Tracks.... 

Dennis M 

PS: I have 6 MTH G 1/32 Engines (they can run AC or DC conventional/Analog or DCS AC or DC) & 12 DC conventional/Analog G 1/29 Engines.

It sure is a learning curve !!!!!!!


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

If you want to run your trains using power to the track, you have four basic options 

1. DC
2. DCC
3. DCS
4. Aristocraft revolution 

Conventional DC you already know about. 

DCS is MTH's proprietary control system. It can do a lot of cool things with MTH locomotives or other manufacturer's locomotives in which you install MTH's electronics. A command station sends signal info over the rails to the electronics in each loco. DCS might be understood as a variant on DCC.

DCC is more or less the standard way to send digital control signals over the rails. It can do all the things you saw in the MTH video, although nobody sells a locomotive will all the features you saw pre-installed--to do the cool stuff like remote uncoupling, you would have to install the little servo motors yourself. You buy a command station which sends signals to individual decoders locating inside you locomotives. DCC is standardized across many manufacturers, so equipment from company X can work with equipment from company Y. I use DCC on my layout. 

The Aristocraft Revolution system. With this system, you put an individual receiver in each loco, which gets power from the track. Then you use a handheld transmitter to operate the trains. It looks kind of like DCC or DCS, except that the rails only carry power, not signal information. In my opinion it's better suited for battery operation


If you want to run on battery power, you have a number of options, including

Aristocraft Revolution
Airwire
QSI/NCE
RCS

there are others as well 


In all cases, you install the battery pack to power the locos, and then each loco gets a wireless receiver so it can be controlled independently. In the case of Airwire and QSI/NCE, the commands being sent over the air are standard DCC commands, but they are coming over the air, rather than the rails. In the case of Aristocraft or RCS, you are sending proprietary control signals through the air.


MTH is kind of unique. They have their own control system, DCS, and they decided their approach would be to sell you an engine with all the stuff preinstalled. It's pretty cool, but more expensive upfront and you are committed to using MTH products only, or installing MTH electronics in any loco you buy.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It should be mentioned that the indications are that MTH is winding down the G scale (1:32) line... they have never made the MTS III decoder for large scale, but it's in HO, and many reports of them just getting out of large scale. 

Greg


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 03 Feb 2012 07:32 PM 
It should be mentioned that the indications are that MTH is winding down the G scale (1:32) line... they have never made the MTS III decoder for large scale, but it's in HO, and many reports of them just getting out of large scale. 

Greg 

What has MTS III got to do with MTH?


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## Polaris1 (Jan 22, 2010)

I think that Greg E made a rare typo....... 

For MTH there is no MTS III...... but the new MTH standard is DCS 3....... 

DCS 3 uses no battery..... DCS 3 for G Gauge (1/32) would need a higher amp rated board than DCS 3 HO .... IF it is ever built for G scale????? 

Dennis M from GBay, WI


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Right, was meaning MTH's DCS III that made it to HO, but apparently will never make it to G. 

just a slip of a letter, and too busy to see the mistake until now. 

Basically the recommendation is when considering starting in the hobby, AirWire is on the upswing with new products and features for large scale, MTH is winding down it's large scale products, and has not rolled out it's latest technology to large scale. 

Regards, Greg


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