PS-3 Diesel Upgrade Supplement

George great job , I will be starting my first upgrade soon, would you recommend a ps2 3 volt kit first or the ps3 kit with ps2 directions .

50-1901 or 50-1911, I'm only doing steam engine first and they are both proto 1 engines preferably 4-8-8-4 big boys engines I want one of each PS 3 NEW KIT AND PS 2 older kits!

thanks, got any ideas George I have the color schematic of the internal wiring in color from an old ps2 kit wiring off of this forum!

Alan

I am amazed at all the wiring that go's to make everything work. I would really like to learn how to do this my self. GGG when you are installing and repairing do use or need any kind of tools form MTH trains> I once have seen a item made from mth i think it was for trouble shooting it had all sorts of places you could plug in your engine electronics and test for lights sound ect. ect.

Either for steam.   G

No special tools, but having the board tester allows you to make sure the board works and what the lighting scheme is without the engine.

Frankly, the most important tool after the solder iron, is the 3mm tap.  G

No special tools, but having the board tester allows you to make sure the board works and what the lighting scheme is without the engine.

So you're talking the $400.00 PS3 Test Fixture??

Casey, I've upgraded over a dozen of my own locos to PS2, and have had no need for the board tester.

[Edited to add the word "tester."  Very hard to do an upgrade without a board.]

You are the man!  No need for the test set when your on watch.  G

I'm trying to find the PS3 upgrade kits on the MTH website, spent a half hour searching, trying the product #, description and all I get is: "no results...." How are you guys finding them and ordering them; don't know why they make it so difficult.

thanks,

Mike

You are the man!  No need for the test set when your on watch.

Flattery will get you nowhere GGG.  But seriously, nothing, no nothing, beats being D&L-----dumb & lucky.  Haven't hit any situations yet where there were issues the cure for which wasn't apparent.  Of course, I haven't tackled any of the unusual locos or failures that come across your workbench.

Didn't want Casey to have the idea that one shouldn't tackle an upgrade without the tester that is only sold to MTH techs.  Do you disagree with that view?

Mike, call MTH.  At the main menu select MTH Railroad Club.  Place order.  If not a Club member, join and you'll save the membership fee on your first upgrade kit.

GGG, will this reply earn me another needle?

RJR, Casey is an MTH Tech. So your not telling him anything he doesn't know.

I was only answering Billy's question.  Never stated that it is a must have for upgrades.

It is a very useful tool for troubleshooting an engine, and if I already have it, why wouldn't I use it to load sound files in a simple manner with no track required.   Is that a needle?   G

How do I know Casey's status?  He asked a question that Is read as inquiring whether a $400 tester is required for an upgrade.  I said I never needed one.  Then you sent a needle.  Has nothing to do with usefulness of the tester;  certaimly there are many tools that are useful and helpful, but not absolutely needed to do a job.

So G, my experience with PS2 kits involves installing sound files. Will the consumer loader also do Flash Codes and are they found along with the sound files for the various engines?

Pete

Pete, Yes with some caveats.

For the Diesel PS-3 you will load a PS-3 file so you will be using newer engine PS-3 files.  The latest consumer loader has a separate icon for flash loading, and one for sound file loading.  These are 2 separate functions.  Can do in either order.

But, occasionally a PS-3 file only has the sound file not flash (zip file) in it and sometimes they are not listed so you have to search engine by engine type.

In my case I searched on GP38-2, then screened by Premier, then screened by year choosing 2014 to fine a file.  I checked the feature page and saw it had lights types required (most PS-3 have everything) and used it.

PS-32 for Steam is different since it is meant to use PS-2 Sound files.   So just loading the sound file is the same as a PS-2 engine.

(Edit)  Steam does come with correct Flash code pre installed.

Otherwise just 2 separate loads into the board.   Flash takes a few minutes (4-6), and a large PS-3 can take 10-20mins.  G

Well you could start by reading my profile for one 

The PS3 test fixture is handy as GGG states for loading soundfiles and figuring out lighting...as in which ports are doing what. When considering the PS3 board uses a 2x20 row plug for lights then figuring out lighting via the old PS2 way of "dumb luck" may not be the best idea...or it may be very time consuming.

Personally I'm exiting the proprietary DCS world and venturing into the world of open source DCC  

Casey, when I see a simple question, as I took your post, I don't read a profile.  Just try to help the poster and move on.  I note that many techs list that fact at the end of their posts.

Your point about the PS3 wiring is well-taken.  I never claimed to have done a PS3, only PS2.  I agree a board would be handy to sort out 40 wires if one does many upgrades.  Handy, but not necessary.

George,

I was not aware that these kits were available to the public yet.

Dave

I had them on order and one showed up.  I assumed they were shipping now.  The harness was the only hold I thought.

I did talk to service and they are adding MARS 2 and Beacon wiring.   G

I got one too.  It said BETA on the box