PROGRAMMING MTH PCCs

I can't recite quite from memory, but the programming for these is pretty much identical to the way subway sets are programmed. 

Are you using DCS, or programming conventionally with the the short sequences of horn/bell button presses?

The DCS forum might be a good place to get more eyes on the question.  I'd suggest adding " for Auto Mode" to the title to attract readers.

Good luck!

-Dave

Thanks Dave.  I'm using my MTH Z4000.  The "out and back" I programmed would have

been perfect for subway cars which reverse before returning,  Of course it doesn't work

for PCCs which go around loops at the end of the lines. The question remains: Can it be

programmed to call out the stations in reverse while continuing in the forward mode?

Is it necessary to program the car to move in the forward direction only? I haven't tried

this, because my PCCs have to back into the storage tracks. By the way, I don't use DCS,but I don't think it makes any difference.

Lew

OK, I guess now I see why it's a harder question.

I didn't realize the PCCs used a reversing loop at each end of the line to turn around.  That makes the question different than I originally thought you were asking.

Off the top of my head, if you were to decide to use DCS someday, you could probably program a recorded session to do what you ask(instead of programming Auto Mode), since you are asking for reversing the stations, but keeping the same direction. 

The auto mode I am pretty sure relies on reversing the direction of the train. 

There is not an obvious way I can think of to have it stop at the last station, go around a reversing loop and then read that same station again while still going in the same direction and then read off all the other stations in reverse order until it reaches the other end of the line, reverses through a loop and then starts all over again. 

-Dave

lewrail and Dave,

Has anyone succeeded in reprogramming an MTH PCC to run "out and back" instead of

 

in  a loop.

Yes, they can, indeed, be programmed to run "out-and-back".

The question remains: Can it be

 

programmed to call out the stations in reverse while continuing in the forward mode?

No, it cannot.

Is it necessary to program the car to move in the forward direction only?

Yes, one programs the car going forward and then, when completed as an out-and-back" route, the car knows to run forward and then backward, calling out the stops first forward and then in reverse.

 I don't use DCS,but I don't think it makes any difference.

No, it does not. The programming method is different, however, the result is the same.

 if you were to decide to use DCS someday, you could probably program a recorded session to do what you ask(instead of programming Auto Mode), since you are asking for reversing the stations, but keeping the same direction. 

That's correct.

The auto mode I am pretty sure relies on reversing the direction of the train. 

That's correct.

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the information. Yet I'm still mystified.  I have an MTH PCC (St. Louis) that

has the stations programmed for out and back, yet continues to run forward.  I still have

the ability to manually put it into reverse if I wish.  So somehow, that MTH system has

the capability of switching from loop to out and back without reversing.  

The MTH instruction book says that if you use the Bell Button to select the name of the last station and the Horn button to save the name, then press the Horn button again the car will exit the Learn Mode and enter Manual Mode.  Indeed when I followed the instructions the cars did "Exit the Learn Mode" but on one car it reversed and on the other it went back to the Loop mode.  

Next time you visit Marty we can have an Out and Back Programming Session!!!

Lew Schneider

Lew,

I have an MTH PCC (St. Louis) that has the stations programmed for out and back, yet continues to run forward.

Hang on to that PCC - it may be a factory error and worth a lot of money!  

Seriously, it's not operating not as per spec. I wouldn't know how to actually program it too behave that way.

Indeed when I followed the instructions the cars did "Exit the Learn Mode" but on one car it reversed and on the other it went back to the Loop mode.  

Programming in conventional mode can cause a missed button press due to timing. With all due respect, it sounds sort of like "operator error".

Next time you visit Marty we can have an Out and Back Programming Session!!!

I plan to be there the week after April York!

Hi Barry,

Hope to see you sometime during the week of April 27th.

Thanks.

Lew

Hi Barry and anyone else interested in this strange topic

I've checked my PS2 MTH PCC inventory and found the following:

1. Operating forward out and back:  St. Louis, Baltimore, Chicago

2. Operating forward in a loop (Can't program out and back) Cincinnati,

    Brooklyn, Newark (PSCT),Boston (Riverside)

So, it looks like the St. Louis car was not unique.  I'd still like to be able to

reprogram the others to out and back, but the computer is putting up a big and

seemingly successful fight.

Has anyone else out there successfully used MTH's instructions to reprogram their

PCCs?

Lew Schneider