MTH Engine Sounds... It must be the COMPU-DUH!

Hmmm 2002.?!

Might be a 5 volt? The speaker should be checked. Also check the volume pot and battery. The battery if still the original, should be replaced.

If it's shaped like a 9 volt, you could do a quick test with an alkaline to see if the engine acts normal.

https://mthtrains.com/30-2295-1

Does it have a round charging port?

Check the speaker for flaking of the magnet. Was a problem with early PS2 speakers.

did you try a reset conventional 1 B 5W from a mth z4000 transformer!

that might make the difference other wise as someone stated could be a bad spear or the audio chup may have partially failed especially if it is a ps2 5 volt board!

Alan

Thank you, all.

The battery was one of those 2 cell affairs encased in blue plastic with a pigtail plug, eliminating the possibility of a penlight battery test.  I gave the original the heave-ho, first thing, and replaced it with a "B-thing". 

I thought about the speaker being bad but the horn, bell and coupler all sounds are fine.  I'll do exploratory surgery, tomorrow.

Yes, I checked the "pot", ran it up and down several times with no discernible effect.  The fact that the horn, bell and coupler sounds work well should eliminate "pot" as the problem.  Maybe?

Yes, it has a round charging port.  As for "spears" and "chups", I have no clue.  And, yes, we have no MTH transformers.

It would appear that, save for a bad speaker, No. 26 is going to need a trip to a knowledgeable authorized AAR shop, home route for repair.  At least the line to Oelwein, IA, still exists.  Perhaps Marty can squeeze me in...

I think Android helped them spell speakers and chips.

Or they are all thumbs today

Rapid Transit Holmes posted:

Thank you, all.

The battery was one of those 2 cell affairs encased in blue plastic with a pigtail plug, eliminating the possibility of a penlight battery test.  I gave the original the heave-ho, first thing, and replaced it with a "B-thing". 

... snip...

Yes, it has a round charging port.  As for "spears" and "chups", I have no clue.  And, yes, we have no MTH transformers.

 

 Does not compute.  If it has a round charging port, that indicates a 5V board.  However, you describe the 3V NiCad battery pack.

How about a picture of the board set in that locomotive?  Given that it's a 2002 model, I'd expect to find a 5V board in it unless it was swapped out at some point.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

 

Does not compute.  If it has a round charging port, that indicates a 5V board.  However, you describe the 3V NiCad battery pack.

How about a picture of the board set in that locomotive?  Given that it's a 2002 model, I'd expect to find a 5V board in it unless it was swapped out at some point.

GunrunnerJohn,

It has been a very long winter but I've not forgotten either the project or your kind offer of help.  Here are two photos, taken today, one on either side, for your viewing pleasure:

I appreciate your help in analyzing the problem!

Thanks...

That is most definately a BCR for a 5 volt board...

So, Barry, is that a 5 Volt board?  If so, then the operation was a success but the patient died.

Is there anything I can do or should I send it off to one of our electronics brain surgeons?

P.S.  I bought your book some time ago and am highly impressed despite the fact that most of the material is way over my head.  Thank you for being a great resource for us lesser beings.

is that a 5 Volt board?

It would appear to be so.

If you aren't comfortable doing your own troubleshooting and repairs, I'd suggest sending it to GGG (George Galyo) for repair. You'll find his E-mail address in his forum profile. I'm confident that George will get you squared away.

Good luck!

If this is just certain sound distortion, that is usually a bad speaker for 5V engines.  Magnet deteriorates. G

It's certainly a 5V board, and I agree with George, the speaker is the top suspect.  Replace that first and see where that leaves you.

Thank you, gents!  I'll advise you of the problem, once it has been diagnosed.

As GRJ said last year, does not compute.  Poster said battery was "The battery was one of those 2 cell affairs encased in blue plastic with a pigtail plug". .

Gentlemen,

Predictably, the Forum Luminaries have come to the rescue once more!  It was the speaker.  However, I can only give you a score of 99.9% because there was one other minor problem - reversed polarity.

The MTH speaker was puking some sort of Zinc Pest-like stuff from one side of the magnet, so, I replaced it with one of my leftover ERR speakers.  I was very careful to ensure proper polarity (white - yellow +) but when I plugged in the new speaker I noted that the colored wires on the speaker side of the connection were the reverse of the colors on the locomotive side.  I ran a test and there was a marked improvement - there were engine sounds but they were muted.

Convinced that there was "something rotten in Denmark", I reversed the connections at the speaker, re-tested, and BINGO!  Somewhere between the drawing board and my test track somebody goofed.

Thank you for all your help, on this issue and many others in the past!  OGRF is the best!

Actually polarity does not matter on a PS speaker.  More than likely you had a cold solder joint first time around. G