CONTROLLING A PROTO 2 LOCO WITH A PROTO 3 CONTROLLER

[BILL A.]

I have a bunch of Proto 2 locomotives, and am finally ready to go DCC.  All of the DCC systems that I am looking at are Proto 3.  Will I  be able to control my old proto 2 locomotives with a Proto 3 controller?  I really don't want to go back and swap out cards from my old locos.

 

I'd appreciate any input that you can provide.

[benshell]

Hi Bill,

 

I think you may be confusing DCC and DCS. They are very different and incompatible systems, although Protosound 3 decoders (or whatever they are called--I use DCC) are also compatible with DCC systems. Protosound 2 is not DCC compatible, so you will need to stick with MTH DCS to use them.

 

[Rayman4449]

There is no such thing as a Proto 3 or Proto 2 controller.  

 

MTH's DCS Control system (using Wireless Remote + TIU, or WIU + TIU) can control either Protosound 2 or Protosound 3 equipped engines.  

 

Protosound 3 engines can be controlled with DCC control equipment.  Protosound 2 engines cannot.

 

If you want to control via MTH DCS, then you dont need to replace the engines with PS2 boards.  If you want to control via DCC then you will need to upgrade the PS2 engines to PS3.

 

This page has an overview of DCS equipment:  http://www.rayman4449.com/DCS_Overview_Videos.htm

 

(I know I repeated some of what Ben posted but I wanted to make a complete reply)