Are the PS3 upgrade kits out yet?

John, not much more.  AT the Wed night MTH gathering at York, Andy Edelman, MTH VP, said they were working on a miniature variant that would permit them to produce a scale GE 44-ton loco to come out next spring.  That is a very small loco, if you've ever seen one.  The topic is of interest to me because I'd like to convert a Docksider.

Marty, could you do it if I get it or do you send it to GGG or gunrunnerjohn? If you can(and I get it) I will email you.

Nick, I am currently involved with radiation treatment and do not want to do any work at this time.  Call GGG or John. 

Nick, I can do it.  Have kits in stock if you don't have one.  G

Marty, I wish you the best.  Bob.

Thanks Bob.  Not a fun way to spend the summer. 

I'm sorry, if I knew I would have called GGG. But thanks for your help.

Whoa!

I don't know if you're a religious man or not?

I'll say a prayer for U!

I hope all becomes well. I have a friend who went thru this and it's rough. I don't know how he stayed positive but he did. It's been a few years now and he's fine.

Thank you Joe.  It has been a tough two years.  Operation plus radiation.  All the great people at OGR, dOTTY and all my train friends have been a huge help.  I will come out on top and try to stay positive every day. 

Marty, I wish you the best for your treatments.  You will be in our prayers, hang tough!

 

Marty,

 

What John said and then some!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Best,

Dave

I have a few questions,

A. can I install an upgrade in any engine.

B. Would I have to rewire it and does the kit include the instructions and the wires to do it.

C. Could I keep the wiring in PS1 locos.

D. Email me the cost of YOU doing an upgrade.

You can install the upgrade in almost any engine with the following features.

 

DC Motor with a flywheel.

 

You will be doing rewiring, what you need comes in the kit.

 

You won't be keeping the PS/1 wiring as the wiring for PS/2 is totally different.

 

FWIW, I just ordered some PS/2 upgrade kits from MTH, and Kristi told me that it's going to be at least a few months before the new PS/3 kits are available.  As far as she knows, they're going to be producing the PS/2 kits for some time yet.

 

Emailing you an upgrade price is problematic as you don't have an email address in your profile.

Just updated my profile, email listed.

Also, will these new kits have connecters for ps2 3v?

Nick, are you talking about the new PS/3 kits, or the existing PS/2 kits.  The PS/2 kits have standard 3V boards with the standard connectors.  There isn't a lot of concrete info on the new PS/3 upgrade kits, but one presumes they'll have a path to repair older 3V and 5V locomotives that need boards.

 

John, I was referring to ps3 boards.

Nick,  PS-2 Upgrade kits are PS-2 3V boards with PS-2 3V connectors.

 

PS-3 is totally different with one 6 pin connector and one 40 pin connector.  Very fine wires.  PS-3 Diesel is one board, PS-3 Steam is 2 boards.  Hence why MTH is using the diesel board and an adapter for the PS-3 kits.  Again this hasn't even got to full Beta test yet though I know they have proto-types.  I was hoping to get one to Beta test.

 

Your best sticking to a PS-2 upgrade for now.  The instructions for the kit are on MTH web so you could look it up and see if you want to tackle it.

 

The difference if I or another Tech does it, is we install a permanent Engine name with the serial file and it comes with a warranty.  If you mess it up you on your own.  Which is why I get a steady stream of PS-2 boards to repair.    G

I talked to Mike today and information will be out to the public soon.  Knowing what the systems are and what the boards look like,  I can say that everyone should be happy with the product.   I am very happy for people with 5V boards as they can go right to PS-3 with the separate sale boards.  A speaker change will be needed.  Remember guys you can load any favorite 3V sound file into a PS-3 board.

 

Marty & GGG,

 

Either of you have any good tips on repairing pins not making good contact on the small 40 pin connector?

 

Just the pin to the smoke resistor and I pushed it down tight and it ran fine for a few loops and stopped again.  Push down again works for a bit then same issue.  Proto3 steamer board.  This engine originally cooked the board and the wire harness was damaged beyond use.  It took MTH 15 months (yes that long!!!) to send the new harness and the new one has a smoke issue.  (If you don't know the part number - heaven help you.)

 

So any tips on getting the pins to tighten up on that micro connector???

 

Thanks

Jim

 

Has there been any confirmation that the PS3 upgrade boards will also support DCC?

They will.

Jim, hit my email and we can converse.

Thanks Marty. Get well soon.

Jim, I hear you.  I had an issue with a diesel board.  The diesel board used 2 pins for heater.  I have found the outer connector can crack easy.

 

Have not had an issue with the boiler board yet.

 

I asked MTH about supporting some PS-3 wires with connectors so that harness can be repaired.  No joy on that.   G

I Would like to know. Can the new ps3 boards fit in an mth railking dockside switcher?
I am planning to buy one and upgrade one if the boards fit.

Not the current PS3 board.  But MTH has promised a mini PS3 board for a 44-tonner, and there is the possibility is might fit.  I have an R-K Docksider, and so follow this closely

I put TMCC in the Dockside switcher, and I can state that putting the PS3 board in there would be more than a tight fit.  I barely got the ERR MiniCommander 2 in there, and it's a lot smaller than the PS/3 board!  I couldn't get sound in it, just not enough room.

Oh come on now GRJ, I thought you were the upgrade wizard 

Upgrades?  No problem.  Making space where there simply isn't space available?  I'm not so good at that.

 

Maybe you can use some of the Lionel Fastrack Extender Paste P/N 6-OI812?

But I don't want the locomotive to get bigger, is there an "interior space" option?

 

Got to check with Mike R. to see if there is an 3D Interior Space Increase Paste also available!

 

Maybe it is: 6-OI8123DINT

Sounds right...

 

John, MTH is working on a smaller but O scale PS-3 board that could work.  Probably coming from the S gauge work.  That is what RJR is referring too.  G

I realize he's talking about a future product, I was talking about what was available now.  I'll be very happy if they produce a PS/3 upgrade kit that features truly smaller boards to upgrade small motorized units, it just doesn't exist now.