Hi Guys, I'm old but new to this train hobby. I've been with Model "A" Fords for the last 40 years, but I'm getting a little to old to wrench anymore. I have had my boyhood trains--- American flyer 1947 and a used Lionel from 1940, I went back to my boyhood dreams. I'm making a 8'X16' layout, not that I really know what I'm doing, but I have plenty of time and my problem is I quickly turned to the MTH engines and I can't keep them running. I do read the manuals, but I don't understand, maybe because I can't hear what clicks they refer to. Does anyone sell a video like "MTH for Dummies"? I need to be able to run those beautiful MTH engines. Thanks Frank
I had a similar experience. My first MTH locomotive was a Rail King Big Boy. After a frustrating hour or so trying to get it to run, I did a computerectomy and replaced the innards with a Lionel e-unit and put a Lionel air whistle into the tender. When I later got a GTEL, I didn't hesitate to do the same operation. I was able to sell the removed organs to a fellow I met at a train show, I think for $50 each.
Bob Nelson
Thanks Bob, WHAT!!!! . I'm a 73 year old Italian Catholic. I can't perform a COMPUTERECTOMY!
Frank
P.S: I can bearly type this
I would take it in to your local MTH dealer, they should be able to give you a brief demonstration and tutorial on how to use your locomotive and help get you back on track.
Carter
I'm biting my lip to be nice here. Many MTH engines have battery issues. Start with a new or freshly charged battery and see if that helps. A good regular 9 volt battery could be used to see if the engine will run but do not leave it in long as it wil not charge.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Hi Sir James
Why are you biting your lip, am I missing something?
trains24 Hi Sir James Why are you biting your lip, am I missing something? Frank
Sir James, is one of us here who have had, shall we say, less than Favorable experiences with MTH locomtives. As I myself have stated in the past, I have many more Lionels, but I have many more problems with MTH.
I have had problems, even right out of the box brand new, with each manufacturer, but I have had I higher rate of trouble with MTH locomotives, than Lionel. Also, the troubles that I have had with Lionel, tend to be more sound system, or smoke related, whereas with MTH, it is more likely to be a problem with the locomotive not running.
Becareful about replacing the MTH battery with a standard 9 volt, I believe that the MTH battery is only around 3 volts, even though it looks just like a standard 9V, and uses the same power connections. A good rule of thumb with any MTH locomtive that uses a battery is to never let the battery get weak. SOME, but not all MTH locomotives have issues with the batteries getting weak, and there is no known rhyme or reason as to which ones will have issues, and which ones wont.
Doug
May your flanges always stay BETWEEN the rails
Bob Keller
If you could tell us what you bought we might be able to help you a little more. Don't panic, MTH is a good product and easy to operate.
Jon
So many roads, so little time.
My advice about the regular 9 volt battery was just to see if the engine would work. I clearly stated do not leave it in long.
The 9 volt and 3 volt batteries do NOT look alike and have different plugs so they could not be interchanged.
Stay away from MTH. Go with Lionel, Williams or Atlas.
jonadel If you could tell us what you bought we might be able to help you a little more. Don't panic, MTH is a good product and easy to operate.
I have basicly stayed away from MTH until recently. Mostly because I did not like their diesel and horn sounds. This is very much improved and MTH is making some very good engines. Since Lionel has not made many modern diesels [especially NS], the choice is limited to Atlas and MTH for command. I bought two new MTH NS diesels at York. They are outstanding. Had to charge the battery on both but no trouble since. This year, I have ordered a MTH diesel from the new catalog.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
My engine collection is 95% MTH. I suffered through the clinks and clanks of the Proto 1 era until I converted all of them to BCR battery replacements. Since then they are trouble free. I have not had any battery problems with Proto 2 but they have a newer type of battery and will not scramble a chip if they run down. I love the DCS system and MTH locos. Stick with it and get some help until you learn more about them. They make a good product.
Ray
SPMan
WOW! you fellows are really helpful, thanks a bunch, I'm sure glad I came on the forum, My first MTH I bought in Portland OR was a C&0 Allegheney 2-6-6-6, I took it home and it ran well. Put it away and two months later it wouldn't run. Took it to a repair man in CA. He told me yes it was a new train but old in years, I think 1997. Needed a new battery, I didn't know they had batteries. The repair man said he put in a lifetime battery and it now runs well. Next was a SP cabforward used from Trainz on Ebay, it runs really well. Next a older F-3A from Ebay, just bells. A new never run Blue Comet 4-6-2 from Ebay, runs OK weak whistle and horn. Then a gas turbine 3-piece diesel set brand new in box, went around the track a few times and now it just dings. I'm guessing that from my first one from the train shop they may be new but old in years, I'm guessing old batteries. I now live in Salem OR so I will go to the train shop in Portland and see if they can help me. I want to thank all you fellows again, you have been great with your information.
trains24, with all the problems you have listed, Why would you keep buying that brand. Change to another company(s) and you will get some engines that actually run. No battery needed.
SJ--
There's nothing wrong with the MTH brand, one only needs to do a little looking to see what's out there and consider what fit's best your application. That's why this forum is the best, ask a question and you will most likely get a good answer, or some times a tainted answer--it is about choices and that's a good thing. What you like or I like is simply subjective--neither right nor wrong. It is a subjective hobby and that's OK What trips your trigger may be different than what trips my trigger but I'll never pass judgment on what you like or prefer.
If I had that much trouble with any brand of anything, I would have stopped buying that brand a long time ago....................Which is what I did.
SJ--What problems did you have with MTH? And, how did you try and rectify those issues? Just curious.
Jon, I have seven that have BCRs,two more with just sound.those two have been trouble free.
Five of the seven would not keep a battery charged longer than two weeks. teather problems with two, the senser that reads the RPM on one. A TM that would only start with a freshly charged battery, next day battery still charged but not enough to start engine. A bad speaker but MTH didn't make them of course. The BCRs work great, I like the engines but no more until the battery is gone although the newer 3 volt system is much better and more reliable.
It's not the company, it's the battery....S.J.
Hi Bob,
The Three Clangs of Doom, may have just been a PS1 issue, but PS2 locomotives can also have issues of not operating when the battery is weak, though it usually doesn't scramble the control chip, like what can happen with PS1 locos. Right now, I have a PS1 2-6-0 and a PS2 2-8-0 both out of service for reasons that I haven't spent the time to trouble shoot yet, but both are completely unresponsive. With all of my Lionel locomotives, the battery is simply there to carry the sound system during short power interuptions, such as when cycling an E-unit when running in conventional mode. I do not know of any Lionel locomotive that would be completely disabled simply because the battery is weak.
I do have, and like many MTH locomotives, the Railking F-3 Passenger set (in Armor Yellow and Harbor Mist Grey) was my second 3Rail set, and impressed me Very Much. There are some things such as the AeroTrain, that MTH is my only choice. I also really like the Bantam Daylight Passenger set. It may be no where near scale in size, and many of the contours are completely wrong, but living in Portland, OR, the 4449's Hometown, it was still a "Must Have" set. I liked it so well, I gave each of my sisters a set(my Nephews and Brother-in-Laws couldn't have ALL the Fun)
I have had a higher failure rate with MTH, than Lionel. When I got started in the 3 Rail side of the Hobby, I did not come into it with any preconcieved biases towards or against any particular manufacturers. I felt if they all produce Great trains, then Great, I have more to choose from. While I will buy MTH products, MY experiences have lead me to favor Lionel, as my prefered manufacturer, that has just been my experiences, as they say, your mileage may vary.
I don't have any "Family Photos" of my Diesel or MTH rosters yet, but is the majority of my Lionel Steam roster.
Scale Sized Steam
Semi-Scale and Traditional Size Steam.
BTW, the little Hudson jr. Top Center, earned that place of Honor by being THE very locomotive that got me hooked on 3 Rail O-Gauge, I had formerly been an HO modeler, and would have Laughed at anyone who would have suggested that I would ever be this involved in 3Rail. "Just ONE Lionel for the Christmas Tree" Famous last words, and proof that there is Hope for those still on the "Dark Side" with the Tiny Trains.
My Nephews, who I have Spoiled Shamelessly
Always Promoting the Hobby
The Christmas Tree sub-division of the Christmas Tree, Carpet & Western (CTC&W)
Why do folks fail to admit that PS-1 is crap and that MTH ignored the people who spent money for that crap?
MTH got my money 3 times. Never again!!!!!!!!!
Your right Bob. I am sorry.
I have three MTH engines with PS-2 and they run great. One thing I have learned about MTH's PS-2 system is to read their(MTH's) manual and see what transformer to use or not to use, as this is the biggest issue with MTH(at least from my perspective).
Where I work people don't read the instruction manual or toss it in the trash as soon as they get the thing(Sunpass device, similar to Easy Pass or I Pass) out of the packaging, then they hollar at us when the device don't work because they fail to use it according to instructions. With any NEW train item YOU(the operater) must read the complete instructions first, case in point; voltage needed for Lionel's new switches..
Lee F.
BINGO!
Thanks Lee for your insight and perspective.
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