PRR 060 switcher PS2 issues

If it is a board issue, it is 5volt boards. In that case, you will have to replace everything.

What is the exact model number?  I'm not aware of any conv/PS2 switch on any of these.

 

I'd start by doing a factory reset from the remote in DCS mode first.

 

None of my MTH locos from that era have such a switch either. There was a B6PRR 0-6-0 in 2000 catalog.  Note it also came in loco-sound version.  Also a USRA version in 2002.

 

Hate to get basic, but I would ask whether there's a new battery installed and (2) any messages when you tried to add it to the DCS remote?

 

I assume you just bought it second hand.  Have you opened the tender to check its guts; a prior owner may have made some changes.

There's no place on the electronics to add such a switch.  I suppose you could do something funky like switch in a giant choke to force it into conventional mode, but it's sure not a standard feature from the factory.

 

He does a startup with the remote, so it's not the DCS-RC issue.  He is talking to the locomotive.  Did you try a factory reset?

 

We need to know the exact model. 

GRJ:  It could be starting up in conventional mode, even if the switch is set to PS2.

My problem is the existence of a PS/2 switch!   Such a thing doesn't exist on a stock MTH PS/2 locomotive. 

Well. When I pulled it out. The switch on tender was on.  Put it on and plugged in tiu. And it was full speed!   Switch off. Went to dcs.  Plugged in. Remote recognized engine.  But no engine power or anything. Like tender was good. Sounds whistle bell.  I'll get the model number for you John later. I'm away from house.  It was a prototype model. Said the seller.  I wonder if that was a way to run straight conventional and then if you had dcs. You could do that too.  Battery looked new. The sounds not garbled at all.  It's a 5volt.  9 volt battery in tender.   Did not do the factory reset yet.

DCS runs conventional or DCS without any switching.  If it senses the DCS watchdog signal on power-up, it comes up silent and waits to be started.  If it doesn't see the watchdog signal, it comes up in conventional.

 

If this is a "prototype", I wonder what is actually in it.

Need a picture of the internals.  Only switch on a vintage of that year is coupler or smoke for PS-1 and smoke for PS-2 5V.  Maybe a coupler direction on a larger steam with AUX tender.  But not a switcher.  Since this was a prototype, it did not come with electronics most likely and someone added them.  G

try changing the battery. engines will run on conventional with bad battery but not on dcs.

See the switch looks stock.  Nothing on engine. No center pickups. So something is not telling engine to go. Front coupler. Nothing.  Rear fires on tender. Tender backup light works.  John I tried factory reset.  Nothing.  It's like the signals not making it to engine. Maybe a loose plug on board.

Sounds like a tether issue.  Check that all wires connected to tether are intact.

Paul, Opposite here.  Will run on DCS without battery, but not conventional.  Reason is you always have track power in DCS even when changing directions.  G

Chris,  That switch is the smoke switch on and off.  The other Pot is the volume control.

 

You may have a problem with smoke unit or wiring and that is why when you turn on the smoke you have engine taking off.  Probably with the smoke fan.

 

Or as RJR stated, there is an issue with the tether.

 

Unplug the engine and just place tender on track and power up with switch on.  Do you have control of the tender features, if not, turn switch off and you need to have the board inspected.  If so, look at tether and engine smoke unit.

 

Hopefully it is a simple tether.  G

I got all the way to the bottom of this post and never saw a 'cab' number or an MTH number! Did I miss something?

What are we working with?

 

Picture of box has number.

 

One thing that happened when I first switched over that tender switch was that the headlight would increase brightness as I thumbwheeled speed up.  of course engine did not move, but headlight got really bright.  Then, I shut down engine, re start and headlight never came back on. 

 

im packing this thing up and mailing back for a refund. 

 

thanks for all your help guys.  I dont want to get into messing too much with this thing and spend alot to get it running.  I would be better off spending on a premier Proto 1 and convert it to 2

Not true unless a fault, which I suspect.  The available power to the bulb I only limited by you transformer.  The board keeps it constant around 6v.  Sounds like fet failure, and burned out bulb.  G

I have the same engine (30-1170-1) and the switch under the tender is for turning the smoke unit off in conventional mode.

Well. I sent it back. They said it worked!  No issues!  Wow.  were they using a remote commander and I used my tiu version 4.1.   No issues with me.  I ran tests on other engines and fine.   But since it was unplugged and mailed back.  I wonder why they had no issues and I did?

 

Does it work now?