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MTH Christmas Train question

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  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Adel, Iowa
  • 2,292 posts
MTH Christmas Train question
Posted by jonadel on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 5:12 PM

A little over a year ago I ordered the MTH Christmas 4-6-0 Steam Passenger R-T-R Trains set w/Proto-Sounds 3.0  30-4218-1 for our youngest grandson.  When it arrived I lubed it up and ran it on our big layout downstairs and it ran like a champ, boxed it up and gave it to our grandson for Christmas.   His Dad (our son) just returned it to me and said it just wouldn't work right so he wondered if I could take a look at it.

I took it downstairs and it just runs perfectly.  I brought it back upstairs and tried it with the included remote and track and the only thing I get is cab chatter, no movement, no horn, etc.  I tried a factory reset downstairs and deleting it and then brought it back up, same thing.  What am I doing wrong?  Fresh batteries, good connections every where and I've even tried going to DCC and DCS switch on the bottom of the tender, still no movement but I am getting cab chatter.

Any suggestions?  They were just here this weekend and the little cheapo Thomas set (which has now survived three grandkids) runs flawlessly.  Kinda like my old Marx set I had as a kid and it still runs and believe me, it demolished many a Lincoln Log set up ......... don't tell the grandkids.

All suggestions appreciated.

Jon

So many roads, so little time. 

 

  • Member since
    August 2010
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 8,955 posts
Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 7:21 PM

Maybe there's a problem with the remote?  I can't think of any other reason if it works perfectly with your downstairs layout but the problem arises when you try it upstairs.

Are you running conventional downstairs, and then on the remote upstairs? 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Sandy Eggo
  • 5,608 posts
Posted by dougdagrump on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 7:36 PM

Jon,

Will it run in conventional, no remote commander hooked up to the loop of track ?

If it runs in conventional on the loop upstairs and on "Gramps" layout with DCS, I am inclined to agree that it sounds as if either the IR transmitter or the receiver may be the problem.

With the receiver connected to the track does the green light come on when the track is powered up ?

If the green light comes on when track is powered up does it go on/off in response to commands(button pushing) from the hand held ?

The green light should go on/off in response to the hand held commands.

Good luck !

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  • Member since
    September 2004
  • 194 posts
Posted by riverrailfan on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 11:30 PM

The way you describe it is if it needed a factory reset. After you program the engine to your DCS downstairs, it will not run on the remote comander unless you do a factory reset to reset the dcs ID #. It should run conventional. If it works down stairs I would say the engine is operating properly. Try another factory reset and  immediately remove the locomotive from the tracks and try with the remote commander. It is possible the remote commander is at fault. Usually when the DCS ID# is not correct, the engine does nothing

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Adel, Iowa
  • 2,292 posts
Posted by jonadel on Thursday, September 25, 2014 7:13 AM

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'll give these ideas a try this afternoon when I have time.  Too many irons in the fire this morning.

Jon

So many roads, so little time. 

 

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