MTH Proto-3 diesel issue #$%???

Don't send the engine back. That's not a fault of the engine. We just had a discussion about this in a separate topic. https://ogrforum.com/...conventional-layouts

If you program an engine for a DCS track (in other words, used with DCS thus setting an engine ID in both the engine and the DCS remote) then when you attempt to run conventional with some transformers- you might have issues. This is NOT a defective engine. Sending it to MTH is a waste of time and money and then when you get it back and follow the same sequence- you get the same result.

The advice is to reset the engine to factory defaults when you know you are going to run at a guest track in conventional mode. Also helps to use a known compatible transformer at the guest track- however, the engine reset to Factory defaults is the best insurance you will be able to run at a guest track in conventional. For whatever reason, it appears that factory defaults are more compliant and accept different transformers to see the ac voltage signal for commands.

Also, as a note, I find it near impossible to reset an MTH engine using the bell and whistle command sequence with some transformers (for me, the local train shop had a Lionel CW-80 and the club track has GW-180 transformers). The most reliable transformers used with MTH PS 3 for me were my old K-line, an MTH Z500, and my MTH Z4000 at home.

What I'm trying to say is, let's say you have a PS3 engine and run DCS at home. You forget to reset the engine to factory defaults before leaving home to run on a guest track. That guest track also has a Lionel transformer and may have or not even have bell and whistle that a PS3 engine accepts for programming. The issue is- then it's extremely difficult to get the sequence to be seen by the engine to even reset it via transformer. It still programmed DCS engine ID, should allow conventional operation- however, for reasons I cannot yet explain, in this state, the PS3 system does not like certain transformers and worse, is near impossible to reset to factory defaults using the bell and whistle command sequence.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Different issue. A DCS factory reset is never a bad idea when you're having oddball issues.

I'd also try to do a conventional factory reset. While it seems illogical, some things are NOT affected by the DCS factory reset.

In addition, try the lock in a direction, it could be locked in neutral.

FWIW, I just noticed one of mine doing the same thing, it was purchased used, so I'll have to see what happened.  I don't run conventional, and in DCS it runs perfectly.  Mine happens to be a PS/2 model, but the instructions are the same.

The resets work with PS/3, but the timing is fairly rigid, so you may have to try several times.  Once you get the "rhythm", you can accomplish the reset.

FWIW, unless you've done something like lock the locomotive into a direction in conventional mode, there's no reason you need to do any resets running it on a different layout in conventional or command mode.  I do it all the time.

An operational note, the conventional factory reset and the command factory reset are NOT the same thing, and one does not automatically imply the other.

FWIW, the CW-80 is specifically mentioned by MTH as an incompatible transformer, so it's not a surprise that one is troublesome.  I think this picture may explain why the CW-80 is problematic for many electronic locomotives.

L.I.TRAIN posted:

A friend has an MTH proto-3 diesel. When running with DCS everything works as expected. The problem is in conventional mode the engine starts up with the engine running in reverse and does not respond the direction button. I tried resetting it conventionally and again with DCS and still the same issue continues to exist.

The secondary issue is the owner and his grandson only run the train at the TMB club and will run on our branch line in conventional mode.   Any help here is appreciated.

THX    Steve

The million dollar question not in the above help request is then what transformer is going to be used at the TMB club and/or is being used during this testing?

If the engine runs fine in DCS, with full normal forward and reverse control, and then the problem is conventional mode- this again, does not indicate a failure of the engine nor return to MTH. Simply put, there is a compatibility list- and MTH doesn't make that list because they are trying to sell you a transformer-it's because there are a lot of unfriendly output transformers out there.

When you do the conventional reset did you get a confirmation 2 toots of horn?  If not you did not do the reset.

If the engine is locked in a direction in conventional and the factory reset with DCS does not fix it, start engine up in conventional and even though it starts moving limit voltage to 10-12 volts.  Make sure it has fully started up the cycle.  Try the conventional reset getting confirmation toots.  If that does not work, try the unlock sequence.  Then hit direction button.  If it stops in neutral, it should then work.  G