Trains are haunted - Proto 3 Upgrade Head Scratcher

Not that big of a deal. When they did the upgrade, it appears the firmware code (AKA chain files) you got one that has this bug of when you add an engine to DCS, for some reason that firmware then locks out conventional.

So yes, they added to DCS to change chuffs per rev setting, and without knowing, conventional got locked out at the same time. So then they test conventional and it won't run. So then they reset to factory defaults- removing it from DCS but also reverting the chuff.

The fix likely is 2 things- flashing newer chain files to get rid of the bug, and more so- editing the sound file using ADPCM to correct the gear ratio and counts of the tach to achieve your engines 4 chuffs rev.

Note I suspect this entire problem is due to the high gear ratio of your gearbox in that engine. So a mechanical thing as part of the upgrade, using an MTH sound file for an engine with a lower gear ratio, combined with a rare but posble firmware glitch that locks out conventional operation.

ADPCM http://www.silogic.com/trains/ADPCM.html

Also, this post https://ogrforum.com/...e-for-another-engine

and last the latest chain files sources for stacker boards used in PS3 steam upgrade kits https://mthtrains.com/chainfiles

@Vernon Barry posted:

Not that big of a deal. When they did the upgrade, it appears the firmware code (AKA chain files) you got one that has this bug of when you add an engine to DCS, for some reason that firmware then locks out conventional.

So yes, they added to DCS to change chuffs per rev setting, and without knowing, conventional got locked out at the same time. So then they test conventional and it won't run. So then they reset to factory defaults- removing it from DCS but also reverting the chuff.

The fix likely is 2 things- flashing newer chain files to get rid of the bug, and more so- editing the sound file using ADPCM to correct the gear ratio and counts of the tach to achieve your engines 4 chuffs rev.

Note I suspect this entire problem is due to the high gear ratio of your gearbox in that engine. So a mechanical thing as part of the upgrade, using an MTH sound file for an engine with a lower gear ratio, combined with a rare but posble firmware glitch that locks out conventional operation.

Vernon, I had an engine that did something similar. When you added it to DCS it locked in forward for conventional operation. I simply used the conventional whistle/bell command (one horn press followed by three bell presses) to unlock the direction and everything was happy again. SHould that solve his problem also?

@H1000 posted:

Vernon, I had an engine that did something similar. When you added it to DCS it locked in forward for conventional operation. I simply used the conventional whistle/bell command (one horn press followed by three bell presses) to unlock the direction and everything was happy again. SHould that solve his problem also?

Sure, worth a shot.

Thanks for all the info! I did try the conventional factory Bell-Whistel reset but still got same 1 chuff per rev. The difference in gearbox ration is probably the issue. Again, Much Appreciation!

If the issue is a high gear ratio, why not just create a custom tach tape with 1/4 the number of stripes?  I've done this for a number of older PS/2 upgrades in the past.  FWIW, a really radically different gear ratio than the PS/2 or PS/3 engine that you're using the sound file from will also throw the scale MPH speeds way off.  That's another issue you can fix with a custom tach tape.

If this is a PS-32 Steam upgrade, there is no firmware issue as the PS-32 flash codes have been the same for quite a while.  Also I still have not run into a PS-32 that is "locked out" of conventional.  Which means dead no sounds or lights.

I agree with John, if this ratio is way off, custom tape to get speed control and chuff right. Especially if your a conventional operator.  G

The K-Line Crusader doesn't have an especially high gear ratio.  IIRC, it's geared 18:1 to the rear 1.375" drivers.  That's very close to the 17:1 found in similarly sized RailKing Hudsons and Pacifics.  At least that was true until about 2015, when MTH changed the ratio to 28:1.  As an aside, I'm not sure that the RailKing gear ratio and/or worm gear changes I speak of are reflected in the MTH parts documentation.  I asked Rich Foster about it at York, and he seemed to be unaware that they had ever changed!  I mention it here because using a 28:1 sound/personality file in an 18:1 loco will definitely mess up your chuff rate.

You might be able to correct the chuffing with a custom tach tape.  It's just as likely that you could correct it in the software by choosing a different sound and "personality" file.  The electronics experts will have to weigh in on which sound files are compatible with your board stack.