Cab Light on MTH PS3 Premier Alco S2 Switcher

It has a cab light that works except only when the engine is stopped. As soon as I move forward or back it shuts off and there's nothing I can do to turn it back on except come to a complete stop

That's normal for PS3 engines, not PS2. When moving, the cab light is off and any ditch lights are on. When stopped, the reverse is try.

That also matches the prototype, when they're moving, they tend not to want the cab light in their eyes.   Most Legacy locomotives act the same way.

Learn something new every day. Thanks guys! 2 more questions...

1. New to trains here so learning but I've seen the word "prototype" used here in the forums. Does prototype mean the way the real operating engine would have worked or is something else?

2. This being my first diesel engine I am not sure if the engine sound should change based on speed like my steam locomotive which does when proto chute is on? With this diesel engine the sound doesn't seem to change as I speed up. If I hit the Labor button on my dcs remote it does but not w/o doing that.

Thanks!

I have the PS2 version in WM livery and the cab light is always on. I like it that way although both engineers complain about it constantly!  I tell em to "shut and keep driving it's my railroad!"

Seriously, I really love that engine. Does the PS3 version have dual rollers on both trucks?

Yes the PS3 version has dual rollers on each truck & it looks, sounds & moves great. I absolutely love the engine sound because it's so unique. My lights do turn off & wish they would stay on but I guess just like interior lights in a car I guess it wouldn't make sense to be driving around w/ them on at night. Now that I understand that's how the real ones would be used it makes sense.

From experience with my premier Alco RS11 the labor button works only with steam locos, not the diesels. Also increase/decrease speed does have a change in engine sound. It depends on the diesel. My pennsy E8A responds with more change in sound than the Alco RS11, but I love those Alco sounds. 

It should change, all of mine do, Premier or RailKing.

With the S2 the engine revolutions/load sound don't seem to change based on speed but if I use the Rev Up or Rev Down button it does make the engine sound more or less labored so perhaps that's the way this engine is supposed to sound.

Do a feature reset on that engine and see if that makes any difference.  Sometimes...for unexplained reasons (though I know there is an explanation for everything)...a good reset will restore things to "normalcy."

Try it and let me know...just to humor me.

Tried the engine reset and didn't make a change BUT I think the engine is operating as expected. The few videos of Youtube of this Alco S2 all sound like mine and I think the only way to make the engine sound differently is by using the labor up button. I guess I'm comparing it to my only other train which is a steam locomotive that as you go faster the sounds change drastically?

Well...mine rev up when I accelerate but, they are PS2.  Were I you, I'd do a complete reset...thereby deleting the engine...and re-enter it into the remote. 

Personally, I have heard that some of the sound "stuff" is not as good with PS3...I don't know that from any personal experience...so, I am just repeating rumor.  I suppose I should not do that.

You've definitely done all you can to this point...I would not know what else mere mortals like ourselves might do.

If you can get Barry B to comment...we would have what I would call the "definitive" answer.

I'll see if I can encourage him to take a look at this "sound issue."  He has already commented on the cab light thing...a very positive feature for PS3...in my book.

Yes Barry has chimed in on a few of my questions so very helpful (along with everyone else) and being new to trains I'm learning a lot.

Perhaps a call to MTH will also provide some insight. I find it odd that a 2013 premium engine would not have proto the auto proto chuff feature but who knows!

If you can get Barry B to comment...we would have what I would call the "definitive" answer.

Definitive? Not exactly...

If it were a PS2 engine I'd say with great conviction that the sound file defines the way the sounds work. However, PS3 is a different animal, in that it also has loadable firmware files (the "chain" file" that also determines engine behavior.

You can contact MTH to find out for sure where the logic is exactly that controls whether or not the engine will auto-rev.

In the mean time, try setting Proto Chuff to "AUTO". You never know, you could get lucky!  

Menu/Sound/ProtoChuff, press soft key AUTO and then press the thumbwheel.

It's hard for me to believe that the intended behavior of a diesel is to have the prime mover sounds never change with a change in speed.  I have to believe this is either a configuration thing or a mistake of some kind.

Ok here's what I've done.... I've factor reset the engine (several times now) and turned on Auto Proto Chuff and listen very closely and there is a small change in engine REV "steps" but not much. So at a stop the engine does sound different than once it starts moving BUT I can only hear I'd say 2 or 3 changes in rev sounds as the engine starts moving and I've only driven it up to about 40 smph. Now if I use the Rev Up button there are 8 different sounds that makes the enigine sounds have a higher rev & smoke output BUT there's no way the engine is making those higher reving sounds I can get manually.

Unfortunately the only videos in Youtube I can find of Alco S2 MTH are either the PS2 or they are just going very slow so I have nothing to compare to.

Try going faster, 40 scale MPH is about right for half the steps.

Ok I'll try that and report back. Thanks!

I have the PS2 version and really enjoy the unique pucketa-pucketa-pucketa sound and yes, the increase in engine revs is very subtle. I also have a small layout run Atlas 3R track on cork with 036 curves minimum. Very very quiet except for a very pleasant click-clack as the engines and cars roll through the switches. Also, the 036 curves are more than enough for anything rated 031. Given that your layout is small, you may want to consider changing over to really enjoy the sound quality of that engine.

I am only skimming the threads...but, if you have to go 40smph to have the sounds change...something is still not quite correct...in my book.

I used to ride on these things with my Dad...we never got anywhere close to 40mph...and the engine rev'd quite nicely...especially, related to the weight of the train.  My PS2 seems to behave something close to the prototype. It is a switch engine...after all.

Well...I will cease splitting hairs...good luck with your engine.

SD60M;

On that note I'll chime in.

I have also noticed that none of my steam engines ever go into Labored chuff unless I press the button on the remote. I have pulled 58 cars w my big Boy and it sounded the same as no cars.

I suspect the auto detect (if it actually exists) for Laboring is set too high as a default and I have asked MTH to give us a way to adjust it with no response.

Logically due to Physics, starting out a heavy load should result in labored chuff until speed stabilizes. Acceleration costs energy far more than maintaining a speed when dealing with the mass of a train.

Atlas has solid rails and doesn't have the resonator (aka plastic base) that Fastrack and Realtrax has.

For running on carpet, I'd want a track with a roadbed, you're correct as far as I'm concerned.

What John says, also the cork roadbed is a sound attenuator I would think. For a carpet layout absolutely Fastrack or Realtrax. You need a really solid surface to put down Atlas.

I'm expecting that my track will be quitter once I move it down to the basement and it sits on Berber carpeting on top of concrete vs. on top of hardwood floors. Sure would be nice to hear more of the clickity clacking sound as a train goes around at faster speeds.

On a separate note feeling pretty good because (reluctantly) opend up my Alco S2 due to no smoke and found the wick to be brown & dry and figured out there was a problem during assembly that was causing the smoke liquid to go everywhere but inside the smoke box causing the wick to char and the motor to whine. After some reading here I picked up some Tiki torch wick & re-wicked it and did a better job than factory of making sure the wick was covering the entire element & that the impeller exhaust was not blocked. I also oiled the fan motor shaft and put everything back together and MUCH improved. Now it smokes like my other MTH engine!!! I also painted the forward, reverse & cab light LED bulbs yellow while I had her open because I don't like the white LED effect and wanted more of the incandescent light and the Alco S2 is doing great. Now I know she's working as she should!

Thanks for the help everyone!

I have never liked most diesel sounds because the sound is so unresponsive to

throttle settings and load conditions. So many have been just an annoying, idle

monotone as it mumbles around the layout. Some of the new ones are better.

I fail to understand why so many diesel sounds, relative to labor, are based upon -

when they are apparently based upon anything at all - the -voltage/speed- and not the -amperage-. 

The amperage - current draw - is relative to the labor being done. A loco with no train behind it can draw 18 volts but low amperage even at 100+ smph. This loco

would not make much exhaust noise (relatively).

Steamers often suffer from this same problem; some bark nicely, but a real steam

locomotive running light (no cars) is relatively quiet. It should BARK when handling

tonnage; the diesel should do the same. 

No sound is better than bad sound.