mth pa aba

I'm not sure how "unbelievable" figures in, but this is typical and I would say just fine. My GM&O DL-109 is the same way. The cost would be higher with boards and wiring spread all over the place. (Then there would be other "unbelievable" comments.)

If you want to "fix" it, get a speaker (easy to find), mount it in the silent unit, run a tether from the speaker circuit in the noisy A to the silent A (I'm sure that the board can drive 2 speakers) and you have distributed your sound - though it will be the same sound as in the original A.

Why did the silent B unit not offend you? It (the real one) has prime movers (engines), too. And smoke.

I know that railking sets only have one unit with sound. I like to run 2 and 3 unit diesel lashes that sound awesome in O scale. When researching the premier sets I believed both A units were powered with sound because it says both a units have motors and smoke. . And after spending 700.00 on this set I was a little disappointed. . I could've bought 2 rk sets and got 2 powered A units. But these premier santa fe PA s are extremely beutiful.  So I can just solder wires to the existing speaker to another speaker in the other unit? No voltage drop? 

I don't typically run dummy units but the PA and F unit ABA sets are very special and look great pulling a passenger train. So I'm happy with 2 powered A s.

Mike,

When researching the premier sets I believed both A units were powered with sound because it says both a units have motors and smoke.

What would have led you to "believe" that both units had sound?

And after spending 700.00 on this set I was a little disappointed.

Why? You got exactly what was advertised.

I could've bought 2 rk sets and got 2 powered A units.

Sure, for two A units without smoke or sound; without a B unit; and less detail over all.

The Premier set that you bought was by far the better deal.

This is standard for ABA and AA slave sets.  All features less sounds.  You have two choices:

Upgrade the Trail A with PS-2 or 3 depending what this unit has.  This is less extensive upgrade because much of the wiring is all ready done.  This allows you to remove the tethers and run in Lashup.

Alternatively you can run a 2 wire harness from Lead A into B or through B and into A depending on where you want the second speaker.  You can either run the 4 ohm speakers in series which will probably reduce overall sound level, or get 2 8 ohm speakers and run in parallel.  This gives equivalent 4 ohm speaker which is what PS-2 3V and PS-3 is rated for.

DO NOT put a second 4 ohm speaker in parallel you will more than likely damage audio amp, or worst.   G

While I prefer power in all my A and B units, I definitely want sound in all the units (smoke doesn't matter).  Because of this I do not buy new MTH ABA units.  The one set I have is made up of two used sets I got cheap to get the two PS2 powered A units, then I ran a second speaker as G mentioned from the trailing A unit to the non-powered B unit.  Plenty of power for the 10 passenger cars, and sound in each unit.  Next time I think I would go the upgrade route for the trailing A.

another reason why we miss K-line, they gave you powered ABA with smoke and sound. 6 motors, 3 speakers, 3 smoke units just like the real thing.

Thankyou G and Ron!. That's exactly what I'm talking about. . I don't care about smoke either except steam engines.  But the guys right.  These units are very nice.. so ps3 uses the 4 ohm speaker. I actually have one. . The housing is in the other A unit.. no chance mth installed a plug for this? 

And used premier ABA sets are 500.00 that are 10 years old.. I'm keeping this set for life so I figure it's worth it with the warranty and all.

I'm doing Mth tech Tech school this year. I could take it and do the upgrade but I already have 2 other locos to take along. 

Good Morning      Do the Lionel ABA sets have sound in all units?    I'm not trying to start anything I just don't know.

Thank you

clem

PL&W PETE,

   You bet buddy, you bet!   I miss the original K-Line Super Snap low voltage switches big time also.  With the loss of RMT, it look like they will no longer be produced and their last run had problems, so K-line we do miss you big big time!  

PCRR/Dave

The early 80's K-Line Coca Cola Train.

Not all K Line had smoke in the B unit or sound in all.

I have a set of K-Line PRR ABA F7 engines with TMCC. All three units have smoke which is nice. The two A units are powered but only one A units has TMCC the what I call the second A gets it's TMCC direction commands through the tether which connects the three units together. I don't remember a powered B unit being offered but that was a few years ago so don't that that as a fact. By the way the two powered A units can pull a ton so I don't know if a powered B is necessary. Oh if you put the second A on the tracks without connecting it to the first A it does not move or make a sound.

I do not think MTH is being cheap not putting sound in the second A unit. Even the new Legacy F units as well as E units there is no sound (or motors) in the second A.  I believe the Lionel's second A unit has Legacy to control the lights and couplers. I do have a ABA TMCC Alco FA PRR engines where the second A has smoke and TMCC as you need to give it a second engine number and run it as a train. The second A is not powered as well as the B however it is still a good puller with only the one powered unit. The nice thing about Lionel covered wagon engines is no tether which can be a problem connecting (or at least a pain)

i do think only Atlas is offering powered A and B units all having TMCC so you can have a all powered ABA. But at $500 per units that would be a lot of money for covered wagons.

JohnB

I thought all new MTH ABA where no more thether and full DCS in each A unit ? All units sold separately ?  

I model the New Haven.  The NH didn't buy any PA B units so I leave the B in the box and run the A units back to back.  Having sound in one unit doesn't seem to matter with this configuration.  

NH Joe

JohnB, you are correct.  The K Line used one set of TMCC boards in the front unit.  In Legacy today they have it set up as you stated.  The RCMC board does the couplers, smoke, and lighting.  The new RCMC board system used today in Legacy is as good as it gets.

Fwiw, I get the mrc AC sounder unit. With just 2 wires: 1) to the power feed and the other to ground, you are done. Get the remote for $12 to program in the alco sounds and if you want the horn on or off. For a louder sound a 4 ohm 50mm speaker set in the empty fuel tank should satisfy your sound needs.

Clem K,

      I do not know much about the new MTH F, E and other covered wagons so I cannot comment on whether or note they have tethers or individual DCS in each unit. I know one of our club members had a ABA set of Lehigh Valley FTs and it took him for ever to get the tethers connected. Almost as bad as me tethering up the K-Line F7s. Once I got rid of the diaframs and went with the close couplers it got a lot easier setting them up. 

       Maybe someone who has the new MTH units can let us know how they are configured. I would think that individual command control in each unit would be much better than the tethers.

JohnB

clem k posted:

I thought all new MTH ABA where no more thether and full DCS in each A unit ? All units sold separately ?  

The Premier units are sold this way now. Railking still uses the teather.

I bought this set because I wanted the Santa fe warbonnets.  Railking warbonnets are backordered. Nobody has them. I would've bought 2 sets of power / dummy and had my big lashup. So I Bought these instead..You notice it says motors in each A unit and smoke in each A unit so I figured thrre was sound in both A units especially since Rk ABA all are power dummy  dummy and these are premiers. And ive never seen an Mth with smoke and power that didnt have sound. When i Put thrm on the track the other A unit was dead. Im like no way this cant be happening. . Thrn i noticed the teathers and it was ok. Barry is right ..as much as i love running sound lashup these units are nice. The strobe lite. The side grills ..smoke Is  cool when visitors come in. So adding a speaker is not that big a deal  because these are so impressive.  The tethers are no worse than a tender cable to a steam loco.