Runaway locomotive

Not sure if this will help but have you tried reversing the wires to the track? Otherwise your remote or power pack could be bad.

Lee Fritz

Thanks Lee, yes I tried that (mounted lock-in on the inside of the track rather than outside), but no change .

Do you have a regular transformer to use with the set? Try an MTH Z-1000 transformer or a post war transformer and see what happens, you may lose remote control but should have speed control at the transformer.

Lee Fritz

Lee, no I don't.  A few years ago, I had quite an HO setup, but with 3 kids I put most of that away.  This is the only O gauge that I have.  Thanks.

Seems to me your engine is starting up in conventional and you could get someone to reset with full dcs see if it helps and your mth reciever may be bad engine not getting watchdog signal.

Thanks Chessie.  I dont believe this is a DCS unit, it is older and cheaper.  To reset, I have to be able to put the locomotive in neutral, but the remote wont do that.

Another comment/question to anyone.  I have put just the caboose alone on the track and the lights are on.  If I decrease power using the remote until the lock-on's green light goes out, the lights stay on in the caboose.  Should decreasing voltage until the green light is out turn the lights off in the caboose, or is there still enough  voltage to continue to run the lights?

It's starting in conventional mode.  It could be the DCS-RC receiver or the actual locomotive.  Since you only have that set and no other equipment to test, I'd find a place that you could try it and see if you can isolate it to the locomotive or the the DCS-RC unit.

John,  this is an older unit, I don't believe it has digital control.  I live in a pretty rural area, there is no "train shop" within an hour.  I suppose I will just return.  Thanks though.

Well, the exact model number would help us help you.  There has been command control on many of MTH sets since 2000, so it would have to be a LOT older to not have at least the possibility of command control.

John, the product number is 30-4051-0 ("O Gauge RailKing 4-6-0 Steam R-T-R Train Set w/Loco-Sound").   Thanks, Don.

Donem do u have a manual for your set? 

Chessie, Yes. (see attached file)

Mth catalog says it was delivered in Aug. 2001. The features are shown to be:

- Die-Cast Boiler and Chassis - ABS Detailed Tender Body - Metal Wheels and Axles - Operating Metal Coupler - Track Voltage Operating Headlight - Precision Flywheel Equipped Motor - Operating ProtoSmoker System - LocoSound Sound With Chuffing, Whistle and Bell Sounds - Die-Cast Steam Locomotive - 3-Car Freight Consist - 31" x 31" 8-Piece RealTrax Circle - Z-750 Transformer With Wireless Remote - Infrared Track Lock-On - RailWare Interactive CD Rom With Track Layout Software - Intricately Detailed Durable ABS Bodies - Metal Wheels and Axles - Die-Cast 4 or 6-Wheel Trucks - Colorful, Attractive Paint Schemes - Fast-Angle Wheel Sets - Needle-Point Axles - Operating Die-Cast Metal Couplers - 75-watt Power Supply With Wireless Remote - AC/DC Cassette Player - 1/8" Mini-Jack Cable Unit Measures:loco: 19" x 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" cars: 10 3/4" x 2 5/16" x 3 1/8" Operates On O-31 Curves

(AC/DC Cassette player? Odd addition.) 

Breezeinup, yeah, that is odd.  I believe you can play recordings through lock-on and then through the coal tender speakers.  I suppose that would be festive playing holiday tunes while going around the Christmas tree.

OK, with Locosound, I'd suspect the tach encoder or the board for a runaway.  Locosound has speed control, and if the tach isn't functioning properly, it will take off.

OK, thanks John.  In your opinion, is that worth repair or should I return for refund?  I see that a tach board is $6-$10 so the cost is low.  I have 7 days left to return so if its not the tach, then the set is mine.  Thanks, Don.

Return it.  It could be simple, or it could be the logic board, a lot more expensive.  Best to get one that works without repair.  If I had it, I'd check to see what was wrong, but I have the tools and the knowledge to diagnose it.

Thanks John.  Thanks Chessie.  Thanks Breezeinup.  Thanks Lee.

Did you do the conventional function to turn speed control on?  Could be a simple as that.  G

http://mthtrains.com/sites/def...oded/30rtr10041e.pdf

here is the parts breakdown from mth web sight the mani board is $100.00 and can only be purchase from ascv tech's the tach board if i remember right is about $6.00 opr so plus shipping!

Alan

DonEM posted:

Good afternoon.  First, I apologize if I posted in the wrong forum.  Recently I purchased a used MTH RailKing "Christmas 4-6-0 Steam Freight Set".  I wanted an inexpensive train to run around the Christmas tree.  It is a beautiful set.  However, when hooked up, it goes and goes, it appears at full speed.  The remote does nothing, no change in speed, no emergency stop, no bells, etc.   Batteries were changed to brand new, no change.  I can decrease the throttle until the light is off on the remote lock-on, but again no change.  The light on the lock-on does blink when buttons are pushed on the remote.  The train has been running in the little circle for about half an hour.  The only way to stop, is to unplug.  No matter how long I wait, when I plug it back in, it takes off at full speed again.  I really like the looks of this little train and dont want to have to return it.  Any assistance would be appreciated.  Thanks, Don.

I missed a portion of what your saying. This can be a direction lock in fwd, speed control turned off.  Those can be corrected with a conventional transformer.  The other issue can be a pinched motor wire (white) causing it to run at power up.  Certainly the board can be bad also.   G

Everyone, thanks for all the help. I spoke with MTH and they believe it is either the cable from the locomotive to the tender or the tach board.  I will check the cabling tonight.  Again thanks for the help, you all are the best. 

This comment bothers me:

Another comment/question to anyone.  I have put just the caboose alone on the track and the lights are on.  If I decrease power using the remote until the lock-on's green light goes out, the lights stay on in the caboose.  Should decreasing voltage until the green light is out turn the lights off in the caboose, or is there still enough  voltage to continue to run the lights?

My experience with LOCO-SOUND engines is that the loco will start in forward as soon as power is applied to the track. I am interested in why the track is not losing power when being commanded to do so by the remote. This engine will never slow down or reverse direction if the power can't be adjusted or interrupted. The loco could be perfectly fine and the problem might be with your your remote lock-on unit.

Does the engine make chuff sounds?
How is the power attached to the track and how many buttons does your remote have?

The engine does not make puff sounds.  The remote has 4 buttons, yellow=bell, white=whistle/horn, black=emergency stop, and red=direction.  There is also a grey throttle control rocker switch. 

No puff sounds means it's not running right, I'd suspect the tach reader, wiring, or the board.

Most Likely GRJ is correct, but is it possible the volume is turned down? 

I've only had two loco-sound engines. The first didn't work at all which made a great parts engine and the second one was somewhat unreliable. The glimmer of hope comes from the fact that it will move, the parts unit of mine just sat in place and buzzed from the speaker. 

It really bothers me that he is unable to decreased the track voltage from the remote, that caboose should go dark. I wanted to make sure that he didn't have a DCS Remote Commander or have the brick plugged directly into the track somehow. 

I guess one way to test the directional control is to rapidly unplug the brick from the wall and plug it back in. This should cycle the power long enough for the loco to drop into neutral. 

Good points, I agree.  The real problem he is we could probably tell in a flash what was wrong if were were on scene, but doing it in ASCII with murky descriptions makes it difficult.

The volume was down, I increased it somewhat and now have a statically growl, not puff puff, more like a bad radio station.  I apologize, I don't believe I mentioned that I cannot add the locomotive with the transformer plugged in, it will spark and flip the circuit breaker.  This happens with the lock-on green light on or off.  I tried several times plugging and unplugging rapidly and slowly, no change.  I also plugged in the cassette player into the lock-on and turned the sound down on the tender.  It does play the music through the tender.

Interesting, if the board was bad, I would think the audio cast from the player wouldn't work all. 

I have had several of those IR lock-ons go bad to produce some very erratic result from any engine placed on the track. That Lock-on should be able to shut the power off to the track, and if it is producing "dirty" power to the track it can cause these erratic results. The one Loco-Sound engine of mine that works is very picky about its power source. It would make the same static sound you heard with the IR lock-on and then work perfectly from a known good transformer.

I would like to say the engine is okay, but GRJ spot on with our limitation of not being on site to test or having another transformer to test the loco with. I have seen too many of these IR lock-ons go bad to immediately vote for a bad board in the loco.

Thanks H1000.  I asked around work today, but nobody with an O gauge train that I could borrow a transformer.  I thought the power issue was a little wonky also. 

Again, I appreciate you all helping.

You really have me confused now.  You say it runs, but now you saying it causes sparks and high current?

I am going to restate you can turn off speed control and lock the engine in one direction.  That would cause what you describe in your first post.  You just need to unlock it and turn speed control back on.

As far as the lock on light, that could also be a part of all this.  It runs full speed because it has full track voltage all the time.

You need to either send it to a tech, or go return it and get another type.  Frankly if you get a PS-2 version you will be real happy with sounds, performance.  G