Model Train Journal

It's no bullshit. DCS will be eliminated for Loksounds and DCC.

https://www.scaletrains.com/mthtooling/

Wow. Wondered what was going on since the May deadline is coming up. Looks like Mike has decided to break it up and sell the pieces. That just leaves the tin plate line and "O". There is a lot of steel tied up in all of those dies and even more work/value in the cutting.

Wonder if Kader will buy up parts of the O stuff to fold into the Williams by Bachman line?

Wherever the O scale tooling lands we can look forward to MTH steam with TMCC and Railsounds. The closing of MTH will be the best thing to happen to the hobby in a long time.

Haven't heard anything about the large scale tooling either.

Will be interesting to see if someone takes over the whole O gauge line or just some of the rolling stock and locomotive tooling. Personally, I'd guess that DCS is dead or on life-support when the dust settles.

Neil wrote:......... that DCS is dead or on life-support when the dust settles.

If the IP is soon to expire and there are no further upgrades or innovations by anyone, it's going to slowly fade into the shadows.

If the IP is soon to expire and there are no further upgrades or innovations by anyone, it's going to slowly fade into the shadows.

Expired Dec 7, 2020

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6457681B1/en

chuck wrote:

If the IP is soon to expire and there are no further upgrades or innovations by anyone, it's going to slowly fade into the shadows.

Expired Dec 7, 2020

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6457681B1/en

Thanks. I had inquired here earlier about that in a different thread w/o an answer. There's another good reason for MTH to fold up, dry up, and blow away.

jlong wrote:Wherever the O scale tooling lands we can look forward to MTH steam with TMCC and Railsounds. The closing of MTH will be the best thing to happen to the hobby in a long time.

I think I agree. I’ve been struggling to get DCS to function well on my layout. I’m literally on the precipice of scraping DCS and converting my MTH locos to TMCC. Maybe this influences my decision.

gregj410 wrote:

jlong wrote:Wherever the O scale tooling lands we can look forward to MTH steam with TMCC and Railsounds. The closing of MTH will be the best thing to happen to the hobby in a long time.

I think I agree. I’ve been struggling to get DCS to function well on my layout. I’m literally on the precipice of scraping DCS and converting my MTH locos to TMCC. Maybe this influences my decision.

I feel your pain. When I had a go at DCS in 2005-6, firing up the system was a 50:50 proposition. On an unchanged layout, from one day to the next you never knew if it would work.

I had one test PS2 engine and another on order. Fortunately, I only struggled with DCS for a year before deciding that the "experts" were just guessing at potential fixes. I sold the engine, all the DCS gear, and all the additional paraphernalia. I also cancelled the Premier Decapod I had on order. All engines acquired since have been TMCC equipped (from Lionel), conventional (Williams, 3rd Rail) that I had converted to TMCC or Legacy that I will run under TMCC. In 15 years of running TMCC, I've never regretted the decision.

If I were to acquire that Decapod today, it would be converted to TMCC. Ditto for MTH's beautiful K4s from the late 1990s (a PS1). I'm told that MTH locomotives run decently in conventional mode. All they need is a real brain, so to speak.

George

jlong wrote:It's no bullshit. DCS will be eliminated for Loksounds and DCC.

https://www.scaletrains.com/mthtooling/

Well in the HO market, Scaletrains would be crazy to throw money into DCS. DCC is the standard and many manufacturers and the NMRA have worked to make it reliable and widespread.

George

Neil wrote:Haven't heard anything about the large scale tooling either.

Will be interesting to see if someone takes over the whole O gauge line or just some of the rolling stock and locomotive tooling. Personally, I'd guess that DCS is dead or on life-support when the dust settles.

I think the $64,000 question is: Just how much of the O scale rolling stock and locomotive tooling does MTH actually own and can it be transferred to a potential buyer? Even if China doesn't have all of it, do Mike's other foreign investors own the remainder?

George

There may be a market for the European stuff with a European vendor. Probably wind up sans DCS, probably mostly two rail, possibly DCC.

G3750 wrote:

gregj410 wrote:

jlong wrote:Wherever the O scale tooling lands we can look forward to MTH steam with TMCC and Railsounds. The closing of MTH will be the best thing to happen to the hobby in a long time.

I think I agree. I’ve been struggling to get DCS to function well on my layout. I’m literally on the precipice of scraping DCS and converting my MTH locos to TMCC. Maybe this influences my decision.

I feel your pain. When I had a go at DCS in 2005-6, firing up the system was a 50:50 proposition. On an unchanged layout, from one day to the next you never knew if it would work.

I had one test PS2 engine and another on order. Fortunately, I only struggled with DCS for a year before deciding that the "experts" were just guessing at potential fixes. I sold the engine, all the DCS gear, and all the additional paraphernalia. I also cancelled the Premier Decapod I had on order. All engines acquired since have been TMCC equipped (from Lionel), conventional (Williams, 3rd Rail) that I had converted to TMCC or Legacy that I will run under TMCC. In 15 years of running TMCC, I've never regretted the decision.

If I were to acquire that Decapod today, it would be converted to TMCC. Ditto for MTH's beautiful K4s from the late 1990s (a PS1). I'm told that MTH locomotives run decently in conventional mode. All they need is a real brain, so to speak.

George

At least you learned your lesson. I had it, got rid of it because of the problems. Had a friend that insisted he could get it running well, bought it again He did get it running well then mysterious problems began to show up after we added a second tiu for the yard. Hasn’t been right since. He thinks it’s a software issue, but even if it is I don’t want to be a software engineer I want to be a train engineer. I have about 7 engines I’d like to convert at approx 500$ a pop. There in lies the trouble. Although DCS is bringing stupid money on eBay, I have two Rev L TIU’s. That would about cover 2 engine conversions. I’m still hesitant because I really want it to work but you may have pushed me off the fence on this one. I’ll never believe it’s going to run and be problem free and trouble shooting is a complete stab in the dark. Frustrating. That combined with MTH going out of business, support if any will be even more difficult to come by.

I'm told that MTH locomotives run decently in conventional mode.

The 3 rail ones converted to 2 rail with all the electronics stripped out of them run great,

Neil wrote:Haven't heard anything about the large scale tooling either.

Will be interesting to see if someone takes over the whole O gauge line or just some of the rolling stock and locomotive tooling. Personally, I'd guess that DCS is dead or on life-support when the dust settles.

You were right about the fate of DCS all along. A kludge system destined to become vapor ware.