PS3

No battery, possible better sound and some other things, but I forget all of them. Some have said upgrading PS2 to PS3 may not be worth the expense? I don't think PS3 is available for upgrades yet. I think it's only available factory installed in new equipment and possibly for repairs?

LED lighting which lasts longer and doesn't emit as much heat as the incandescent bulbs in the Proto Sound 2 locomotives.

Super capacitors in Proto Sound 3 engines which eliminate the need for rechargeable batteries found in Proto Sound 2 units. Battery Component Replacements can be used in place of NiCad batteries though and they charge off track power just like Proto Sound 3s.

I read your post as you asking if you should dump your PS2s and go for PS3s. I would strongly advise NO unless the PS2s need substantial repairs. 

PS3 offers a variety of upgrades such as LED Rule 17 lighting, better sound, smaller boards, no battery, etc. In addition, steamers get the wireless drawbar, which is not an upgrade in my book (more like a downgrade). Various other improvements and changes over PS2. 

As for upgrade kits, I haven't heard of them being available but I believe they are imminent. 

The biggest advantage is a built in capacitor, which negates the need for a battery, as stated previously. That in of itself is worth the price of admission. The sound improvements are debatable. Some of my PS2 locos sound better than the PS3's I've procured. However, I would not go out and replace all your ps2 locos with ps3. I recommend buying BCR's for your 5v and 3.3v ps2 locos and compliment your fleet with newer ps3 models. Good luck!

Have to agree with you on the PS3 sound. My experience has been about the same as yours. It's my understanding PS3 has better quality equipment to produce better sound, but the sound files have not all been upgraded or re-done or whatever they do to make them better for PS3. However, I do have a couple of newer (last few months) PS3 engines that do sound pretty darn good, so maybe things are improving in that area?

I forgot the LED's above, that is one I really liked too.

From a different perspective, I'm not as sold yet on the PS/3 movement.  There is very little that can be field repaired on the PS/3 boards, so when they die, you're buying a new $230 board.  The 3V PS/2 boards are split, and many of the common failures can be repaired at the component level.  For those failures that you can't repair, it usually only requires replacing one of the two boards.  My feeling is the cost of ownership for PS/3 may be more than for the 3V PS/2 models.  Since I'm going to be dragged into the PS/3 arena kicking and screaming, we'll see if my reservations prove to be true.

The biggest advantage is probably for the 2 rail guys with automatic pickup of the DCS signal from either rail and the DCC code.

The is no reason for a person who has PS-2 to think they need to replace that engine with a PS-3, but if you buy a new engine it will have PS-3 as that is the board MTH is using for new production.

Just to make the cost a little clearer.  For PS-3 engine repairs, the Diesel board is $220 MSRP.  The Steam is $60 Boiler and $160 Tender.  Steam use a 2 piece set up.

The replacement for PS-2 boards when MTH no longer can manufacture them due to obsolete parts is the PS-32 John mentions.  That MSRP is a little higher.

At this point, there is no reason to repair a PS-2 with the new PS-32 unless you want to.  PS-2 boards are still available.   G

I can see where the 2-rail guys will like the PS/3, no more polarity switch.   I've done a few 2-rail upgrades, so for those the PS/3 boards would be a bonus.

I may be a voice crying in the wilderness, but I don't see the battery as a problem.  To date, I find my PS2's to be more reliable than the PS3s.

RJR,

   I do not own a P3 engine yet, the P2 stuff functions great especially with a BCR.

I am not over whelmed with the P3 engines yet, my P2 stuff seems to be more reliable

at this point. 

PCRR/Dave

I only have one PS2 engine, and about a dozen or so PS3. All my PS3's run just fine, no problems with any of them. I believe some are now approaching three years of age. I won't be converting my PS2 to PS3 unless it breaks, as it is also still working quite well, although I think it is in need of a new smoke wick.

My only dis-appointment with PS3 has been with some (not all) of the sound. Some of the PS3's sound great, some not so much. I believe it was stated previously that they had not completely upgraded all the sound files yet. While some have had problems with PS3, as I am sure they have had with PS2 as well, overall I am quite happy with the PS3 equipment I have.

I have one B&O GP35 engine with PS3. I like the prime mover sounds and crew talk but the only thing i don't like is the horn and bell not very loud and my Chessie SD50 the horn is very loud and the bell not to bad and the prime mover sounds not to loud like it is on my PS3 engine.   

You could fiddle with the individual volume levels and then just jack up the master volume to the desired level.

Chessie, have you checked the individual volume settings under the Sound menu?

GMTA?

GRJ:  General Motors teases all?

Yep!

Yes i did all that its just the nature of it. 

I'd contact MTH and see if they have a corrected sound file.  They do fix stuff like that if it's a problem sometimes.