Running MTH HO RTR engines with a TIU

Just a shot in the dark here but:

When you Power the TIU up, it sends the watchdog signal to the engines to put them in Command mode.

You stated the TIU stays on all the time. This leaves the engines in Conventional Mode at power up of the track / Engines and they do not respond to the Remote.

Try powering the track, then the TIU or both at once.

I'll try that Russell, but why is the trouble only happening with these RTR engines and not my other HO engines. Also, does hitting the read button send out the watch dog signal?

Gregg,

Sounds to me like the battery is dead and the engine is not retaining  it's ID number and dropping back to it's old ID number created when it had a good battery.

 

Fix.. replace or charge battery in engine and re-add.

That's not it. All MTH HO engines are PS3 - no battery.  

However, it could be a defective Supercapacitor, the battery replacement. There were cases  of such defects reported several months ago. The new set could be older stock.

Barry, does this mean that any engine with a super cap won't retain its address as long as a battery equiped engine? Don't the caps drain there power shortly after power is cut to the tracks? 

Dave,

does this mean that any engine with a super cap won't retain its address as long as a battery equiped engine?

Not at all. The Supercap does the same thing in a PS3 engine as does the battery in a PS2 engine. Among other things, it provides power for the engine to save any settings that were changed during an operating session.

Don't the caps drain there power shortly after power is cut to the tracks? 

The difference between a battery and a Supercap is that the battery takes a long time to charge and holds its charge for months, while a Supercap charges in 30 seconds or so and only holds its charge for a few hours after power to the engine is turned off. Regardless, it only takes a few seconds to save any changed settings.

+1 on the super caps

I bought two of these ready to run train sets, so that I can lash up a AA unit. Before I send this engine back to MTH, I need to unpack the other and see if it is doing the same thing. The NYC HO steamer I bought off you Dave M., is running flawlessly. By the way Dave M., I met another drummer who has a train shop in Warren Ohio. Andrews Shopping Center.www.andrewsshoppingcenter.com

HI Dave,

There can be another issue with the memory besides the Supercap. There is a really small resistor on the diesel boards that if it goes bad it afects the memory and has to be taken off and jumped. I have had to do this a couple of times. There are a few things that can be tested to find this out. If you have an MTH tech near you and they have recently gone for PS3 training it will be in their HO tech book.

If you don't have a tech near you send it back to MTH and let them take care of it since it's under warranty.

Ralph

Thanks Ralph,

     I don't mind working on O gauge, but tearing into an HO engine could be a bit challenging. I wish the techs at MTH would let us know how they repaired the problem when we get our trains back.