engine speed under DCS vs. conventional

This is normal.

When you run in conventional mode, in order to maintain consistent speed, the engine will needs hold back power for reserve use in the event that more power is required (climbing a grade, or extra load when going around curves).

Perfectly normal. Most PS2/PS3 locomotives will top out in the 50-70 scale mph range with speed control on in conventional. Under DCS they will go 120 scale mph. If you want to run faster in conventional just turn the speed control off ( one horn and two bells should do it I believe).

@walt rapp what loco is this?  What's the product number?  Thanks!

TED: it;s 11-5509-1 I call it the Christmas set:

Lou1985 posted:

Perfectly normal. Most PS2/PS3 locomotives will top out in the 50-70 scale mph range with speed control on in conventional. Under DCS they will go 120 scale mph. If you want to run faster in conventional just turn the speed control off ( one horn and two bells should do it I believe).

I didn't know that speed control was active in Conventional. thanks for mentioning that (H1000 too).  Can I use DCS to turn it off before I run in conventional.  When I only had PS1 (before DCS) I had one heck of a time timing things (horn and bell).  I'll have to look in the manual, as minimal as it is, and see if they address running in conventional and how to speed control off and on.  Thanks for the tip.

- walt

Speed control is turned on every time the locomotive is powered up. So if you turn the speed control off, power the locomotive down, and turn it back on again the speed control will be on. You'll have to use the horn/bell command to turn speed control off when using a transformer. There is no way around that unfortunately. 

None of these tinplate steam locos are going to run very fast, compared to say, postwar Lionel, or even the original RailKing, Williams, etc.

It's possible to infer the approximate gear ratio from the sound file.  I downloaded this one and checked.  The little can motor might be redlining around 70 scale mph.  That's a good thing!!  In fact if the data in the sound file is to be believed, it's geared more conservatively than a lot of MTH's Premier scale models!

It's ironic that a tinplate Christmas loco should run so well.  All I ever wanted was a mainstream, traditionally-sized O gauge steam loco that runs like this.  I'm not into tinplate, old-timey 19th century steam, etc.  I've been waiting almost 30 years... Build me a 2036 geared at 30:1 that coasts,  no rubber tires, and I'll send you the check right now!!  

where do I find the exact bell/whistle combo to turn speed control off and on??  THe one offered above was a best-guess, but saying "not sure" at the same time.  There isn't anything in the skimpy manual that I have.  

this is a PS3 engine

thanks - walt

The conventional commands for all PS3 engines should be the same. I referenced this from a different manual located here:

Thanks a million H1000!!!!!!!  I love that it includes a blurb about it too.

as always, thanks - walt