HELP- with MTH GE EVO-please?

I'm guessing that it's just in neutral?

Do you know how to run it? It's always hard to tell what each poster knows about trains.

Read the manual and learn how to shift it out of neutral. They are sensitive to voltage and it takes some practice. The internal battery in PS2 needs to be charged up to get it out of neutral, if it has been sitting for some time. It takes several hours to charge the first time. With PS3, it should charge in just a few moments.

 Post any specific questions on the DCS forum for help about the electronics.

It doesn't matter which MTH EVO it is since they all work the same way and there's no battery to charge since they're all PS3.

Apply power and let it sit the first time for 30-60 seconds, or until sounds start up.

On your KW, press and hold the direction button, the one for the throttle that you're using (the KW has 2 throttles) for a second and release it. That will start the engine going forward.

Adjust speed as desired.

Another press of the direction button will put the engine back in neutral. A third press will cause it to go forward, and a forth press will put it back in neutral.

Another press and it's back in forward.

The sequence is neutral, forward, neutral, reverse, neutral, forward.

I apologize if this belongs in DCS. Barry- it seems when I pushed the directional button on the KW, the horn would blow. I guess I need to do some more on track research today. I have a friend that's going to stop by today but he does HO- so we'll see. thank you guys!

I should have stated only PS2 (older ones) have the battery.

looks like he has this one?

http://mthtrains.com/20-20168-1

it is newer with PS3.

Still, follow Barry's post about getting it out of neutral.

Martin,

Not true.  This ES44DC is PS2.

That's an ES44, not an EVO.

Joe,

looks like he has this one?

http://mthtrains.com/20-20168-1

Please re-read his post. He has an EVO. He has the RK Imperial engine, http://mthtrains.com/30-20168-1

An ES44 is an Evolution Series(EVO) locomotive.

An ES44 is an Evolution Series(EVO) locomotive.

MTH only began titling their engines as EVOs when the first PS3 version was released. Al the MTH EVOs are PS3.

The original poster bought a 1:48 model, not a 1:1 prototype.  

Sorry for the wrong advice. OK with me whatever he has. I didn't see any mention of the RK line. It's always better for a poster with a question to start with exactly what he's inquiring about. He did state sixty seconds and I missed that!

 Barry, I mis-understood what he had. I thought at first it was bought as a used, older model. Many train guys are just talking about the ones with the charging lights.

 As long as he got help here, is all that matters!

http://www.getransportation.co...ocomotives/evolution

http://mthtrains.com/20-2986-2

this is what I have. I thought it was PS2 but now I'm not even sure??

"Product Name:       Evolution Hybrid Set w/Proto-Sound 3.0 (Scale Wheels)        

from the MTH product description:

Product Copy:       With a wave of consolidation behind it, North American railroading is once again a good business to be in. Freight traffic is booming. Locomotive orders are coming in at a record pace from the Big Six roads that dominate rail transportation on the continent: Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Canadian National, and Canadian Pacific. And the two remaining diesel builders are locked in a battle to become the locomotive supplier for the 21st century. EMD, newly independent and no longer a division of General Motors, is represented by the AC-traction-motored SD70ACe and its DC-traction sibling, the SD70M-2. General Electric's standard bearers are the EVOs, the Evolution Series ES44AC and ES44DC.

At the heart of the Evolution Series is a brand new prime mover, the four-cycle, 12-cylinder GEVO-12. While producing the same 4400 horsepower as its 16-cylinder FDL-series predecessor, the GEVO-12 uses less fuel and spits out 40% fewer emissions. GE claims the EVOs are "the most fuel-efficient, most environmentally friendly diesel locomotives in history." Everything about these locomotives has been examined, questioned, and re-thought, generating 25 new U.S. patents in the process. And every Big Six railroad has ponied up to buy them, with the BNSF currently rostering the largest EVO fleet.

Like all Premier locomotives, the new ES44AC offers O scale's finest combination of detail, realism, and performance. Listen to the chant of an authentic GEVO-12 motor, and throttle down as low as three scale miles per hour so you can admire the details as the Evolution Series glides by: see-through fans and grilles, walkways with safety tread, opening doors with working door handles, and a host of other separately applied metal details.

Did You Know? Fully loaded, an Evolution Series diesel carries 5000 gallons of diesel fuel, 450 gallons of lube oil, and 400 gallons of cooling water.

I switched transformer to my ZW, let the loco warm up and pushed the direction switch and interrupted power without shutting the loco down- no effect other than lights and audio. Repeated again several times with no movement. This can't be this tough!

Yeah, some times it's frustrating.

Try playing with the voltage, turning it down before hitting the button.

It should cycle, but maybe it's locked in neutral?

I'm not sure of PS3's cycles or if that's still possible.

Barry can help better.

 I ran my PS3 switcher in conventional with a Z4000 and it was easy to change directions.

Martin,

Don't blame me if MTH can't put together an accurate catalog.

You just don't "get it", do you?

The OP bought a model and he stated that it was an "EVO" because that's what it is both in the catalog and on the box. You were so  intent on showing everyone how knowledgeable you are that you confused the situation by implying that the engine had a battery, which it does not.

Why not tell hm to also check the tether? After all, it's a locomotive and some locomotives have tethers, right?

The issue is to assistthe OP with his problem, not to show everyone how smart you are.

pushed the direction switch and interrupted power without shutting the loco down- no effect other than lights and audio.

That's most unfortunate.

If the light and sounds go off when the power button is pressed, and this is engine #30-20168-1, on MTH's web site at http://mthtrains.com/30-20168-1, then it has a problem. The Supercapacitor isn't charging.

If you can, I'd strongly suggest that you return it to the seller and re-purchas it from a source other than eBay.

HE HAS A SCALE ENGINE NOT HIGH RAIL GUYS 

Barry- I may not have explained right. I pushed down the directional switch on the ZW (without letting it shut down completely) and the lights and audio stayed on but there was no train movement. I did this several times to no avail.

Then the engine may be locked in neutral. If you can perform a conventional reset this may correct the problem.

Press: Horn, bell, bell, bell, bell, bell

Each press should be 1/2 second with pauses of 1/2 second in-between presses. Timing is critical.

If successful, you'll hear 2 horn blasts.

Joe,

this is what I have. I thought it was PS2 but now I'm not even sure??

I have that engine, as well. It's PS3.

How do you perform horn, bell,bell,bell,bell on an old style ZW transformer? LOL-boy was this purchase a mistake. I even tried calling a train repair shop that's 70 miles away- just to get this figured out- and of course there's no answer.   Here's the reply from the Ebay seller-

Sorry, I do not have an explanation for you. It is clearly stated in the manual, that you need the MTH DCS system for full compatibility from an operational and troubleshooting perspective. All the features of the locomotive worked 100% before I packed it up into the box.

Barry, I had to go look and it had the DCC/DCS switch. I thought the box said PS2 and I never even looked!!

D.G.B., I really think that you'll get this sorted out and enjoy the engine. I just tried another engine (SD45 PS3) in conventional and it too works great as it should.

Sounds like you have no Lionels with horn/whistle and bell.

If you can get hold of a Lionel"Sound Activation Button" to hook to your postwar transformers...

...or a low-end transformer with both horn/bell buttons (like any of the entry-level MTH "Z" transformers (Z500, Z750 or Z1000, but not the Lionel CW80 since it won't let you time the signals correctly), you should be able to issue horn/bell commands to control your locomotives' conventional features.

---PCJ

dadgonebroke, make sure your KW is properly connected to the track.  The A or B terminal to the center rail and U terminal to the outside rails.  If they are reversed the horn and bell buttons won't work properly.  The directional control may not work properly, too.  If your KW still will not run your MTH PS3 engine properly, I would try it with another approved transformer such as those suggested by PCJ.

Larry

Doesn't the KW have only a whistle/horn button?

The sound activation button pictured above allows one to issue a reversed-polarity DC pulse (to activate bells) that postwar transformers weren't equipped to provide. Everything else stated above about the KW should be correct.

---PCJ

I've tried it on my KW and then switched to the ZW with no luck. I called a train shop an hour away but he doesn't do much MTH and he doesn't have DCS. He stocks the horn button but didn't currently have one.

A local train person who's pretty knowledgable is going to take a look at it tonite and he's also going to do a cleaning on my 2 gang cars so maybe hell figure out something.

My other option is the train club/ museum located a couple hours away from me but they're only open 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month

are you anywhere near this guy?

http://www.rayman4449.com/

Ray could probably help you out!

I don't see an actual address but Kansas City is about 3 hours away. That looks like a good option. Do you know his street address?  PS- thanks

I have it somewhere, but it's buried. If you email him, he should get you an answer faster! His email is right on top of the page under the picture.

I think it's time to give up- I tried it again today and had a local train guy look at it tonite and we followed the manual to a tee. It still just lights up and makes noises but it will not move. I'm sure the seller isn't going to be happy but I don't need a $300 train trophy on my shelf.

 I just purchased the new MTH GE Evolution 20258 and it works just fine on my traditional Lionel track. I also got the 60 ft. Lab. car and the 70 ft. lab car.  NEAT!