Problem with PS2 on new MTH E3 AA unit 30-2968-1

[kgstones]

 I just purchased a new MTH E3 AA unit 30-2968-1 with Proto-Sound 2.0.  I power it with a MTH Z-4000 in conventional mode.  I have the red terminal connected to the center rail and am using 027 tubular track.

 I'm using lionel 042 tubular switches.  Some have been modified so they are NOT powered from the track.  Some are powered directly from the track.

When the engine goes over any of the switches that are powered so the nonderailing mechanism is powered it frequently stops and goes into neutral.  This doesn't happen every time but often enough to be quit annoying.  This does not occur on any switch when the nonderailing mechanism is not powered.

I locked the engine into forward to see if that would make a difference.  The same thing happens (the engine stops and goes into neutral) plus the engine changes back to the default mode F/N/R which should not happen.

 Has anyone had similar problems and found a solution?  I don't think the switches are faulty as I have 15 on the current layout (about half have been rewired and half still are factory wired) and all 3 other conventional engines I'm running work just fine going over them. I'm thinking this is a software/hardware problem.  Somehow when the first wheels of the powered A unit hit the switch rails the momentary change in current seems to affect the PS system.  No other car going over the switches however causes this to happen even when I put a couple cars out in front of the engine.  This happens even when I run the engine in reverse.  I plan to call MTH to see what they say about this but I thought I'd ask for help from this forum as many of you have been really helpful in the past.

Thanks all,
Mickey

 

[kgstones]

 Maybe I should ask if any of you have an MTH engine with PS2 powered in conventional mode, perhaps a diesel model, that runs through nonderailing lionel 042 switches without suddenly changing from forward or reverse to neutral.  If you have an engine that runs well through that type of switch I'd appreciate knowing as I'm sending mine back for a replacement.  I'd sure like to know whether this is a one of a kind problem or not.  This engine is the only PS2 engine I own at present.

Thanks again,
Mickey

[dbaker48]

 Mickey,

I don't think it is your engine.  I believe you are experiencing a "interupt" in the power when it crosses the switch, causing it to change direction.

[kgstones]

 I think you might be right.  However, I can't believe I'm the only one to experience this.  If so, then other MTH engines with PS2 running in conventional mode should also experience this problem.  Maybe the only answer is to run with DCS.  I would think MTH would be aware of this and have made adjustments to their systems.  What a disappointment!

Thanks,
Mickey

[dbaker48]

 Mickey,

Attach one or two freight cars or passenger cars and see if your problem goes away.

[kgstones]

Don,

Thanks for your reply.

I've tried everything I can think of.  I've run the A unit all by itself forward and backwards over switches.  I've tried pushing one to two cars ahead of it so the switch is activated by one of the cars instead of the lead truck on the engine.  I've tried pulling different number of cars with it.  In every case the engine acts the same.  It will switch to neutral about half the time and it does it only when the first truck of the engine hits the insulated rail on the switch.  Any other car running over the switch will not cause the engine to switch to neutral whether it's out in front or being pulled.

So, it seems that the circuit board in the engine is super sensitive to the change in voltage but only when that change is generated by the engine trucks.  And it doesn't matter if the switch is already thrown in the right direction, it will do it either way - just the fact that the engine trucks are completing the circuit between the two rails of the switch.  I may have mentioned this already but the speed doesn't make any difference, it does it through the whole range, slow to fast.

I'm hoping the problem is with this engine only and not all the MTH engines.  I'm hoping this circuit board is faulty in some manner or the wiring is wrong or something is wrong with this particular engine. I don't have DCS yet so I can't try the engine in that mode to see if that would make a difference.  I'm  not convinced one way or the other how it would work in DCS mode.  I have other engines I'd like to run on the layout with this engine so I'd really like it to operate properly in conventional mode.

There must be someone out there that operates a similar MTH engine in conventional mode over these same types of Lionel 042 remote switches.  If that person has never had this problem then the problem most likely is unique to the engine I have.  My wiring scheme is typical and simple, nothing fancy.

I called MTH technical support and they weren't much help.  They never heard of such a problem before but I wasn't convince the person I talked to understood what I was trying to explain.

Mickey

 

[lionelsoni]

Does your locomotive have traction tires?  On which wheels?

[kgstones]

 Bob,

The powered A unit has 2 trucks with 3 wheels on each one.  The wheels on the far ends are metal, then traction wheels in the middle of each truck, then plastic wheels without flanges closest to the middle of the engine.  Each truck has a power pickup on the end that is closest to the middle of the engine.  Each truck is powered by a separate motor.

Thanks,
Mickey

[ChiefEagles]

Check for arching when going through the switch.  I run in command.  I have MTH Realtrax switches and some engines arched, when moving slow, they went through.  They would trip the fast acting breaker and stop.  I fixed it with some black electrical tape.  Buckeye fixed it with a small thin strip of styrene.  The back wheels on the truck were bridging across the outside to center rail due to "slop" in the switches.