Odd PCC Electric Behavior-Updated... It Works!!!

Cheryl,

Has the route ever played correctly in the past? If not, it may be a defective sound file.

Yes, it has played correctly many, many times.  That's what makes this so baffling.  It has always gone around the loop correctly before.  Nothing that I am aware of has happened to change how it operates.  I am totally lost on this one.

I can't see this being the tach tape, though the battery is a remote possibility.

I'd do a factory reset and also a conventional reset with a whistle and five bells without a DCS signal on the track.  I know the PCC will do odd things, even after a DCS factory reset, but my symptoms were different, no announcements until I did a conventional reset.

I'd also reload the sound file anyway.  It's an easy test and possibly something got corrupted.  I don't think it's likely, but it eliminates one variable.

I have reloaded the soundfile, no change.  I have not done a conventional reset, will give that a shot.  Battery doesn't appear to be bad, sounds continue to play on a hard shut down, but ya never know...

Thanks

Cheryl:

How long did it sit on a powered siding without moving? 

Bill

Have tried conventional reset with bell/whistle button and program button using a Z4000 and it made no difference. 

It has been sitting there for two or three months, as I had other trains stored and/or running on it's usual loop.

It does everything else (that I know how to make it do) just fine.  It just hangs up in loop mode after the second to the last stop.  Very weird...

Any other thoughts?

Perhaps time to talk to MTH at this point.  Since it used to work, and all other functions work, I'm somewhat at a loss.

Did you try a sound file reload?  G

See the suggestion and her doing it a few posts above.

Re-teach loop in conventional mode with a different # of stops.  Does it still hang-up on the 2nd to last station?

We contacted MTH and they said the processor board is shot .  Have to replace with PS3.  So it gets shelved for a while.

Interesting input from MTH, but I would use the Trolley board in a regular steam or diesel engine and swap that board with to the trolley.  Clearly the board works even if it can't do all the trolley stops.  G

That has me scratching my head, but I agree with you George.  I'd just use it in another engine.

George,

I would use the Trolley board in a regular steam or diesel engine and swap that board with to the trolley

Unfortunately, that's not the case. Cheryl's trolley has a 5 volt PS2 board.

While the trolley's board would most likely work fine in another PS2 steamer or diesel, the board from the steamer or diesel would not be able to handle stations stops at all if placed into the trolley.

The trolley would need an MTH PS2 board with part number AE-0000004, for subways/trolleys and articulated engines.

Barry are you sure?  That is listed as a 2005 Trolley?  If it is 5V your correct, so it would be a little more involved with a gut swap.  G

The user's manual does show a 5V board, that's surprising for 2005.  I would have thought it would be a 3V board.

George,

I checked the user manual before posting. According to the manual, it has an 8.4 volt battery.

Barry I did too.  BUT.....

I was doing some research for another post on an engine and the instruction sheet had a picture of the 5V board in the engine, another without it, and another showing a MUX board in the tender.  All in the same instruction sheet.

 Here is the old website service information.  It is a 3V sound file.  Soooo....I think it is 3Vs

http://mckeencar.com.340elmp01...m&docsearch=true

George,

Hmmm...could be MTH just used the manual from the 2000 run of PCC cars.

Regardless, Cheryl will know about 3 seconds after she removes the cab!  

Or when she flips if over and checks the charging jack.

I wonder if MTH was using up the supply of those boards.

Normal Engine boards would run out faster than Trolley boards and any PCB has to be made in quantity for cost reasons.

John,

Still, about 3 seconds...  

You must have the turbo model electric screwdriver.

John,

Why would one use a screwdriver to turn it upside down?

Geez..u guz are thilley thumbtimes..jk Good post though

Barry, I'm assuming that she has to take the shell off to get to the battery.  I don't remember any access on those, other than removing the whole shell.  I'm pretty sure that will involve a screwdriver of some type.

John,

Are you a little slow today? You said:

Or when she flips if over and checks the charging jack

So I said:

Still, about 3 seconds...

Now, do you get it?

No, but I see the light in the tunnel, maybe that's the train.

For 5V I think they were the same board just flashed, or they were flash capable boards and flashed as needed. The issue was not enough memory for combined code.  Articulate and Pantographs also required a flash board, just a different code installed.

3V had more memory so articulate steam and trolley code could be loaded on the same standard board as diesel and steam.  G

G

According to their description in the 2014 Volume 2 catalog, the PS-3 PCC’s only have a maximum of 6 automatic stops, not 9 like the PS-2 models.  Why is that?

BTW, are they out yet?  Per website, scheduled delivery is May 2015.

Bill 

Bill,

   I remember somebody pointing this difference in the stop count out some time back,

however if Cherly has had this Street Car programmed with 9 stops and running just fine before, it should do it again.  She is right something else is not working correctly.

PCRR/Dave

Bill,

According to their description in the 2014 Volume 2 catalog, the PS-3 PCC’s only have a maximum of 6 automatic stops, not 9 like the PS-2 models.  Why is that?

Most likely it's either a typo or the prototype only had 6 stops (which is less likely).

Regardless, where did you see it had only 6 stops? I have the Brooklyn PCC on order and I don't see a stop count on its web page. I also saw no reference to it in the instruction manual, either.

are they out yet?  Per website, scheduled delivery is May 2015.

No, they are not. Best guess form MTH, about a month ago, was June.

Barry,

Thanks for the info on delivery.  Re the station stops, the last sentence in the 5th paragraph on page 33 of the 2014 MTH Volume 2 catalog in which they were introduced says "..... create a trolley route with up to six automatic stops ......."

Bill

Bill,

create a trolley route with up to six automatic stops

That's almost certainly a typo.

Hey guys!

Enjoying the continued conversation here!    When I reloaded the soundfile the program indicated a 3v board FWIW.

On another point, what should the trolley response be to a conventional reset?  All it did was a whoosh sound.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

UPDATE:

I finally got the little devil to take a conventional reset (got the two toots)!!  Put it back on the loop, and voila, it's working perfectly again!  I'm so happy

Hehehehehe...

Here is everything it says

Station Stops for DSR PCC Car

1)      Cass Avenue

2)      Brooklyn Avenue

3)      Trumble Avenue

4)      23^rd Street

5)      Scottin Avenue

6)      Livernoix Avenue

7)      Wyoming Avenue

8)      Ford Motor Plant

9)      Fort Street & Shelby

Conductor Standard Announcements

1)      This is the Michigan Rouge Car.

2)      Please make way for exiting passengers.

3)      Please watch your step getting on and off the car.

4)      Please stand clear of the closing doors.

5)      Please move to the rear of the car.

6)      Please stay behind the line.

7)      Please take newspapers and personal belongings with you.

Conductor Special Annoncements (@Trumble Avenue)

1)      Transfer here for the Trumble street car.

2)      Exit here for Tiger Stadium.

Passenger/Public Announcements

1)      Children laughing/giggling.

2)      Hurry up or we’ll miss it.

3)      Paper, get your paper here.  Hotdogs, get your hotdogs.

4)      Hey, wait for me.

5)      This way children, this way.

6)      Hey buddy.  Pardon me.