I have a legacy system with a powermaster I use to run in conventional mode. Works fine. I got my first MTH engine with Protosound 1. For about an hour I worked with it until I found the key to getting it to work smoothly. Keep your finger off of the "direction" button. Interupting the power this way does not do trigger the PS1 electronics correctly. Just use the big red dial to reduce power on and off. Then it all works as the manual states.
In reading the manual very carefully this system expects the power on/off to be done by moving the power lever on the transformer. Nothing mentions the direction switch.
It is a Texas special PA ABA set hardly run and the sound is great and everything works as it should. Real fun now that I know to keep my finger off of the "direction" button.
A week later and further review.
Using the dial is the way I get it out of reset mode. After turn on and 2 bells for reset mode and enough voltage for engine sounds, I turn it down until the exhaust sound and bell-clunk. Then power back up a little. It is now out of reset. After that dial to power 0 or even the direction button will do FNR or cycle through station sounds. Based on age I think I will be using the dial. Also the directions for this set always show using the transformer handle for FNR etc. BCR may be part of it. I make sure I let it charge up the first time I run the engine after not running for a few hours. With 2 engines and 4 motors and a ZW250 behind it, it would fly off the track in no time at high voltage.
What I see from protosound 1 is RTM, RTM and once MORE Read the manual.
I like it as a good conventional engine set and it looks great with all the Texas special cars I have. Diesel smoke works great, but my wife is borderline asmatic, so that will be used sparingly.
