Smoke Fix for PS3 RTR Engines

Barry, is/was there a companion Advisory that adds Factory Reset capability to PS3 engines using the RTR DCSRC remote (not requiring a full TIU)?  I'd think this Smoke Fix Chain File would include the new Factory Reset feature?

That is using the 2014 Diesel engine code.  Whether that works for steam not sure.   I have some questions for MTH about specific chain file segment and there ability to be used in other engines.  G

Stan,

 I'd think this Smoke Fix Chain File would include the new Factory Reset feature?

I would think so , as well, however, you'll have to ask MTH or upgrade a 2-8-0 yourself to find out.

Thanks for posting this Barry.  This is another example of why the OGR forum is such a great resource!

I checked with MTH and the steam does have the Factory reset capability.  These files can be back loaded to earlier PS-3, but at this point 2-8-0 sets.  G

This thread raises an interesting issue.  Barry indicates this was a Technical Advisory, which presumably is a bulletin to techs.  But it is actually of greater interest to consumers, those who operate the trains.  MTH ought to have an advisory section of its website where such matters are posted for those who have the greatest interest and need, the operators who have the issue.

Sounds like a great idea to me.

Hi all,

Here's an update on this issue.  I'm happy to report that this fix worked very well for an MTH 30-4227-1E, PRR 2-8-0 steam locomotive.  The customer's complaint was that the SMOKE feature could NOT be turned off by rotating the pot under the tender fully counter clockwise.  I downloaded the corrected MTH sound file that Barry mentions above and used the DCS technician's loader to load ONLY the CHAIN FILE from within the downloaded ZIP file.  The CHAIN FILE is a small (81 Kb) ZIP file and the loader recognized and loaded it into the locomotive in just over 1 minute.

Once completed, I checked the locomotive's operation in CONVENTIONAL mode and now the loco spews forth smoke when its supposed to and emits absolutely nothing with the tender's rheostat fully CCW.  The loco still works as it did in DCS mode with smoke fully adjustable as it had been with the old, original CHAIN FILE.  The only difference is that smoke is controlable in Conventional Mode and therefore controlable when using the DCS Remote Commander.

Thanks Barry, thanks Marty Fitzhenry and thanks MTH - good job!

Best to all,

Dave

It's funny, I've skipped over this thread for the past 11 months without looking at it.  Suddenly, it's important to me.  I just bought a 30-4227-1 PRR Passenger Set as a gift to a family with no toy train experience.  I will give them a "heads-up" about this.  They don't plan on setting it up until Christmas Eve, so I won't know for a while if they are affected.  I have several questions.

1. This was identified as a 2014 RTR set problem.  Has it been corrected in the factory shipments of the 2015 RTR sets?
2. Is there anyway to tell if a set is left-over from 2014 or new for 2015?
3. If I interpret Dave Garman's post correctly, it sounds like this was a problem in conventional mode only, since Dave says the Pot operates as it should with the Remote Commander (DCS) using the original CHAIN FILE.  Am I right about this?
4. Or am I wrong about #3 above, and is it also a problem running with the supplied Remote Commander?  (If so, I'll get the engine from them after Christmas and load the fix)

If you reply, please be as specific as possible (suggest replying to each question by number), to avoid my mis-interpretation of your answer.

Thank you so much.

Hi bob,

Actually, the owner complained that his locomotive puts out TOO Much smoke - a complaint repair technicians rarely hear.  (What we do hear is "how can we get MORE smoke out of it")

I'm not sure if there IS a way to tell if the loco is from 2014 or 2015 other than putting 15 drops or so "down the hatch" and running it in Conventional mode with the rheostat under the tender fully clockwise and then fully counter clockwise to see if the smoke stops.  My bet is that they ALL came from the same production run and will ALL be so affected.  BUT... I've been know to be wrong and I'm sure someone here will correct me if that's the case!!!

In the locos that I've had with this issue, the smoke CANNOT be shut off in conventional mode and CANNOT be "toned down" enough when using the DCS Remote Commander hand-held controller.  Perhaps its just the fairer sexy complaining to their hubbies but it really is an issue that MTH corrected with the release of the updated SOUND FILE which; when downloaded, contains the CHAIN FILE.

The CHAIN FILE is all you really have to load into your loco to correct the issue and the original sound file can be left alone during this procedure.  If you load both the CHAIN FILE and the SOUND FILE, the procedure takes considerably longer.

Hope this helps...

My email address is in my profile should you have any additional questions Bob.

Best,

Dave

Thanks Dave, for the detailed answer.  I'll let them deal with it through Christmas, and then get it back so I can install the corrected file.  I'll caution them to keep fluid in it to protect the smoke mechanism until the fix is applied.

Regards,