Questions re MTH PS2 Subway on DCS

Upon checking  the MTH Website you have a #30-2727-1 Subway Set. You can download a operating manual from the website. I recently upgraded a subway set similar to yours with PS3. Read the instructions but basically to activate Transit Announcements when running forward press the bell button on the remote for 2 seconds, it will announce the next stop, press the direction button when you want it to stop, it will stop and start its sequence. As for it running too slow. Remove the body, 6 screws, disconnect the lighting wire from the chassis. manually turn each flywheel with your finger, they should turn freely, if not then remove the motor from the truck (screw under truck) reseat the motor in the truck and test again. I don't think the subways run fast. Try test running it with the body still removed to see if both motors/flywheels are running smoothly. You may want to add light weight oil to the axle bearings. I don't lubricate the gears as this sometimes gums up the mechanism. Hope this helps. MTH ASC 961364

@JTD posted:

Upon checking  the MTH Website you have a #30-2727-1 Subway Set. You can download a operating manual from the website. I recently upgraded a subway set similar to yours with PS3. Read the instructions but basically to activate Transit Announcements when running forward press the bell button on the remote for 2 seconds, it will announce the next stop, press the direction button when you want it to stop, it will stop and start its sequence. As for it running too slow. Remove the body, 6 screws, disconnect the lighting wire from the chassis. manually turn each flywheel with your finger, they should turn freely, if not then remove the motor from the truck (screw under truck) reseat the motor in the truck and test again. I don't think the subways run fast. Try test running it with the body still removed to see if both motors/flywheels are running smoothly. You may want to add light weight oil to the axle bearings. I don't lubricate the gears as this sometimes gums up the mechanism. Hope this helps. MTH ASC 961364

Thanks JTD

Get the subway running at your desired speed and press the PFA key.  Then press the MTC key (Trolley screen).  You are presented with a number of options.  You can then either program specific station stops or run one of the canned routines that hits all stops.

A very detailed description starts on page 106 of Barry's DCS O Gauge Companion 3rd Edition of all the trolley options and programming.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Get the subway running at your desired speed and press the PFA key.  Then press the MTC key (Trolley screen).  You are presented with a number of options.  You can then either program specific station stops or run one of the canned routines that hits all stops.

A very detailed description starts on page 106 of Barry's DCS O Gauge Companion 3rd Edition of all the trolley options and programming.

Thank you, GRJ.

Sounds like someone swapped boards and did not do a permanent file change for name.  Possible something is rubbing on the fly wheel.  Tight fit on subways.  When running do you have an amp meter to see current draw?  That would tell you if you have a problem.  G

Don't have an amp meter, G.  Will try a few things over the weekend. Thanks for your input.

Speed Control is enabled by default:

To turn speed control on and off, put the engine in neutral, then quickly tap the
transformer's Horn button one time then quickly tap the Bell button two times,
allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button press. Two horn
blasts will indicate that the engine has made the change. Repeat the 1 horn, 2 bells code
to return it to the other condition. You will want to do this during the initial neutral
upon start-up if you ever couple this engine to another engine that is not equipped with
speed control to avoid damaging the motors in either engine. Each time you shut down
the engine completely, it will automatically turn speed control on.
Horn
Place
Engine into
Neutral
Bell Bell =
Speed Control
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal

John

?? He is running on DCS why is that procedure helpful?  G

@GGG posted:

?? He is running on DCS why is that procedure helpful?  G

Sorry,  I don't have a DCS system so I don't know how to disable speed control with one, only with a transformer.  No one mentioned that speed control might be the problem so I was suggesting he disable it.  How do you do that with a DCS system?

John

@Arnold D. Cribari  I have a similar subway set and have no issues with it. I have to agree with GGG on the board or programming as being the most likely issue.  Unless you want to try loading the correct file, I would take it in to be re-programmed. To me that might be the most straightforward fix.

The engine being read is an Amtrak Diesel, so someone likely was messing with the files. If the gearing does not match the flywheel tape, you would get different speed readings for on layout speeds.  Speed is read from the tape speed (flywheel rpm).  I expect MTH software calculates scale speed by using this variable input and a known value for a particular engine. But the MTH service techs would know this way better than I do. I can think of a couple of other possibilities, but don't think those are likely due to required effort.