MTH Steamer mind of its own!

Hi

try reprogramming the engine with the remote, this sometimes work with lionel

tmcc on certain issues!

 

dave

This sounds like a tether problem. Make sure that the tether is securely plugged into the tender socket.

OK went home and tried to run the engine conventional.  Acted very strange, no chuffing at all.  Also when the direction is changed or the power is off the sound gets very low, and goes through the shut down sequence right way.

 

Battery maybe?

Hi: I have run across this before, and it's not a battery problem. I know how frustrating this can be.

I'm with Barry on this one try an new teather between engine and tender. These can be obtained from MTH directly and sometimes at your local hobby store.

 

Regards,

doc

When this has happened to me it was the tether had worked loose. 

Worked loose from what?  Tender side?  Or the conection at the loco?  I really don't want to dig into a new engine..  I might contact the shop where I bought it.  Only problem is it is in NY and I'm in MA....

I also want to add that the engine still responds to all its commands (fwd/bk, whistle, bell, dir, ect..) as soon as I give the signal to move is when it takes off like crazy..

 

Kinda bummed.

 

But again,

Thanks for all your time and responses gents.

Hi again: The teather is attached in the tender (sometimes a plug or series of plugs) and to the engine. (that one is easy to check.) Look and be sure none of the contacts are bent, by the way. I would try all this and/or a new teather if I were you. After that you would be wise to check the tach wheel and tach board. The wheel should be clean and no serious scraches. The Reader either works or doesn't .... that's it.

 

Don't be bummed .... just work through the steps and you'll find the solution.

 

regards,

doc

When you power it up slowly in conventional does it start to move quickly with no chuff sounds?

If so, this sounds like the tach reader is not reading the tach strip for some reason.

It's kind of a bummer to have a brand new engine do this, but you could easily pop the shell off and check the tach tape on the motor flywheel. It may have partially come off, or gotten soaked with smoke fluid. It may be a very easy fix and save you the hassle of shipping it to MTH.

Just a thought.

 

Rod

Update!!  Took the loco, and tender shell off.  Ran it in conventional mode and everything looked and seemed fine.  That is untill I touched the tether wire where the loop/bend would be if everything was back together.  Right back to having a mind of its own with no chuff sounds.  Just to make sure it wasn't the connection at the loco, I wiggled that and everything stayed fine.  Looks like I have a broken wire/wires in the tether..

Should I contact the shop to try and exchange it?  Or fix it myself?  Are the new tethers any better than what is in there now?

Big thanks to all!
Brian

By the way here is the MTH # 30-1393-1

It is out of warranty for MTH. If it was new from the dealer, I would start there and see if they can help which they should. Replacement tethers are the same but they usually last a long time. Good luck.

It is out of warranty for MTH.

No, it's not.

 

Based on the following from MTH's web site this morning, it would appear that your engine is most certainly under warranty from MTH:

 

Beginning with M.T.H. products produced and delivered after January 1, 2012 and purchased from an Authorized M.T.H. Retailer are covered by this warranty provided the product was manufactured within five years of the date of purchase. This warranty is for the original purchaser and is non-transferable. Products produced and delivered before January 1, 2012 are not subject to the five-year manufactured date policy and will continue to carry a one-year limited warranty if the product was purchased from an M.T.H. Authorized Retailer.

I was playing with a used engine in a store the other day and found damaged wires in the tether.  They are going to see if they can fix it.  Looked to me like maybe the wires in the tether had gotten hot.  The cable had a vague "I've been a little bit melted" sort of feel.

 

Mike

 

Brain: Sorry to hear of shoddy treatment by your local train store. In my opinion It's not fair (or very smart on their part). Good customers are like "GOLD" and should be treated as such. They are the reason for being in business or offering a product or service. Please consider reporting this incident to MTH, and find another supplier. It's time to take a stand against poor service or treatment WITH ANY PRODUCT. There are too many good hobby shops out there .....

Adding on to Docsavage post.  Its too bad there was not a place to post about the really great stores and service to the cr@p ones (sort of like Consumer Reports).  Granted its he said/she said, and actuality somewhere in between the extremes.

 

 

"If the store where Brian purchased his engine is not a ASC or NASC, what is the store supposed to do?   He can only refer you to a NASC or MTH.  Does that make it a "crap" hobby shop? 

 

I don't think so."    

 

It does when they treat the customer like "Crap"