I went to Greenberg's train show today. It was fun, and I found something at the time i considered a jackpot: an MTH PS2 SD70ACe in CSX livery purchased from ACW Trains. Upon arrival home, I uploaded it into my DCS system with some difficulty (it couldn't find it for a while) and I anticipated running it. Upon trying to start it up, the engine would not start up or move. Ocasionally, when attempting to get it to run, I heard a clicking sound that sounded like the direction unit. Please help!!
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Maybe the battery needs to be charged or replaced.
I tried charging it for a bit,but maybe I ned to try longer.
pittsburghrailf,
Try charging your battery for one hour. Maybe, the battery is no longer any good. If it doesn't hold a charge after one hour of charging, I would replace it.
Jimmy
Jimmy,
Whatever the problem is, it is most likey not due to the engine's battery.
In fact, you can add a PS2 engine and run it even if it has no battery at all, as long as power isn't interrupted.
pittsburghrailf,
If possible, please let us know what repairs needed to be done on your locomotive.
Thank you,
Jimmy
pittsburghrailf,
I suggest you call Robert Barth. His phone number is 724-736-0488. Mr. Barth lives just south of Pittsburgh in Perryopolis, PA. He is a excellant MTH repairman.
Jimmy
Try to run your MTH engine with variable track power, make sure your engine likes your power source. That is how I run my Williams SD-45 engines.
Another thing to check is your handheld unit's batteries, are the AA batteries good? Don't use rechargeable batteries here, not enuff volts, standard AA batteries have 1.50 volts, rechargeable AA battery has 1.26 volts fully charged. Your handheld uses four AA batteries so a rechargeable set of batteries would need a fifth AA battery to supply the volts needed.
I bought a PS-1 engine a little while back and had to replace the original battery with a new MTH rechargeable(looks like a 9 volt battery) battery, took me 15 hours to charge the battery because it was brand new.
Lee F.
Lee,
Don't use rechargeable batteries here, not enuff volts, standard AA batteries have 1.50 volts, rechargeable AA battery has 1.26 volts fully charged.
Sorry, but that's just not the case.
Rechargeable batteries work just fine in the DCS Remote. That's all I've ever used for the past 10 years or so in all 5 of my remotes, ever since I got my first DCS set..
pittsburghrailfan,
Two questions:
- You are adding the engine to the DCS Remote before trying to run it, correct?
- Also, when you try to run it, you are applying track power and then pressing Startup, correct?
Lee,
Don't use rechargeable batteries here, not enuff volts, standard AA batteries have 1.50 volts, rechargeable AA battery has 1.26 volts fully charged.
Sorry, but that's just not the case.
Rechargeable batteries work just fine in the DCS Remote. That's all I've ever used for the past 10 years or so in all 5 of my remotes, ever since I got my first DCS set..
Barry,
Don't want to burst your battery bubble but I have had problems with remote controls and rechargeable batteries, for me they just don't do right. Everytime I tried using rechargeables the remote did not work, maybe it is the brand of rechargeable?
Lee F.
Lee,
Don't want to burst your battery bubble but I have had problems with remote controls and rechargeable batteries, for me they just don't do right. Everytime I tried using rechargeables the remote did not work, maybe it is the brand of rechargeable?
My bubble is doing just fine.
You are, of course, free to do as you like, however, I have 10 years of excellent experience with Eveready and Duracell NiMH rechargeable batteries in the DCS Remote. If you're using off-brand rechargeable batteries, or NiCads rather than NiMHs, then that could be the cause of your previous problems.
Regardless of what you think may be the case, quality rechargeable batteries work just fine in the DCS Remote.
Just rechargeables in mine for over 8 years, no problems at all
I have a Union Pacific one and they are very nice engines. I have never gotten heat anywere in the enine or outside. Once yours is fixed you will be very pleased on its running. I reccommend running it in conventional and see what happens.
Good luck!
My dad contacted ACW trains today, and we're sending it to them soon. They'll check it for problems and if they can't fix it, they will (I hope) send us a new engine. I keep you all posted. Also, I tested my Steelers steamer and the D.A.R.E. Model RR club's SW9, and they both ran like normal, so it's not a DCS problem.