MTH DCS ENGINE, PROTO 3

I forgot to mention that the engine is PS-3.

It also helps most responders if you identify the engine by MTH product number (or at least a very detailed description) and the type of power source (old ZW, MTH Z=4000, Lionel PH180, etc.) with a detailed description of how you are attempting to control the engine from that power source, both in command mode and in "conventional" (non-command) mode.

Chuck

OK, here are the specifics about the engine:  it is a Rail King 4-6-0 Ten wheeler steam engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0.  The Item number is 30-1585-1. It works fine when I use the DCS Remote Control. It fails to work at all on a simple tinplate Lionel oval using a ZW transformer.

Is this the original PW ZW pure AC?  Do you even get the head light to come on?  If it works in DCS it should work in conventional.  The volume and smoke pot have to be on in conventional for sound and smoke.  It may just need a conventional reset which would require a whistle and bell button.  You could go back to DCS and do a factory reset and try it again, but the conventional reset may be required.  G

@FELIX posted:

I put it on the conventional tin plate track with a lionel transformer the engine does not budge, no lights, noises or anything.

Do you have power at the rails? Test this. You might be doing something wrong when you disconnect the TIU?

If you're not disconnecting the TIU, maybe the engine is still seeing the DCS signal.

Then, Try tying both outer rails together.

Yes, power at the rails. Someone suggested that I check the wire connections. Wow, the + wire was connected to the outside rail and the - wire to the center rail. A simple switch did the trick; engine runs fine. The older lionel engines ran fine with the wires either way but MTH stuff is sensitive.  Thanks for your reply.

Read the last page of the instruction manual for the locomotive.  You MUST use a pure sine wave transformer.

Bruce

Bruce that's not the case. There are many non-pure sine wave transformers that work just fine with with PS2 & PS3 locomotives.  The one exception to this is the early model CW80 which has an absolutely horrible modified sine wave.

Try placing the locomotive on the track and apply power for about 30 seconds.  Since it is PS3, the super caps may just need to be "charged".  Once the caps are charged, you should see lights and hear the sounds.  You should then be able to cycle the transformer power and run the locomotive.

"Wow, the + wire was connected to the outside rail and the - wire to the center rail. A simple switch did the trick; engine runs fine." as stated above. Hot / red is always center rail .

@FELIX posted:

Yes, power at the rails. Someone suggested that I check the wire connections. Wow, the + wire was connected to the outside rail and the - wire to the center rail. A simple switch did the trick; engine runs fine. The older lionel engines ran fine with the wires either way but MTH stuff is sensitive.  Thanks for your reply.

That doesn't really explain it for me.  For truly conventional running with no DCS signal on the track, the engine would have no way of knowing if you had connected the track connections reversed.  The only effect would swapped controls, the horn button would be the bell and the bell button would be the horn.