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MTH PS2 Engine with Lionel Transformer

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MTH PS2 Engine with Lionel Transformer
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 4, 2005 6:15 PM
I've been out of trains for a while and starting to get back into them. I just picked up a MTH Steam engine with PS2 very cheap. My question is how well will it operate using a regular lionel MW transformer? Will the engine run? Will any of the functions such as whistle work? It may seem like a silly question, but I haven't messed with trains since the late 80's and I'm trying to get up to speed on the tmcc and dcs systems. Thanks in advance for your help.
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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Friday, November 4, 2005 6:27 PM
[#welcome]
You have come to the right place. Unfortunately I'm not the one who is going to help you, but I did want to welcome you to the CTT forum.

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

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Posted by Roger Bielen on Friday, November 4, 2005 6:33 PM
Like Buckeye, I'd like to welcome you to the forum. I'm using TMCC myself but if my understanding is correct, in conventional control any good AC transformer is satisfactory. There are others well versed in MTH's DCS that will give you the correct answer. If you don't get one in the next day try going over to the coffee pot, there are usually a few DCS users hanging out there.
Roger B.
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Posted by csxt30 on Friday, November 4, 2005 6:34 PM
[#welcome] Hydrasports205 ! I only have 1 new PS2 engine & it works just fine on my ZW transformer, & even better on my TMCC, in conventional. I'm not familiar with the MW transformer , but I think it will work, & you may only have the whistle or horn, & have to purchase a seperate button to operate the bell, if it has one. I would look into the MTH DCS system down the road. There will be a lot more features you can use then, like opening the rear couple from the remote, & operating your smoke system from the remote. Well, welcome a gain & hope this helps a little.
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Posted by spankybird on Friday, November 4, 2005 9:46 PM
HI Hydrasports205, Welcome to the CTT forum.

The Lionel MW transformer is OK with PS2 engines. MTH recommands that the Center rail is connected to 'outside track terminal' and the Outside rail is connected to 'Inside Track terminal'

good luck
tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by boxcar2217 on Saturday, November 5, 2005 2:45 PM
try asking on this forum you will get the help you need.
http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/groupee/forums
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Posted by csxt30 on Saturday, November 5, 2005 7:11 PM
Originally posted by boxcar1717

try asking on this forum you will get the help you need.

Well, In my opinion, YOU ought to stay over there .
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Posted by spankybird on Saturday, November 5, 2005 8:13 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by boxcar1717

try asking on this forum you will get the help you need.
http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/groupee/forums


I believe I gave him the answer he need. [^][;)] Even quoted part from MTH. [:D]What else did he need that was not provided [?]

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by SchemerBob on Saturday, November 5, 2005 8:19 PM
[#welcome]
Welcome to the forum!

I have a MTH PS1 locomotive and all the features work with my small Lionel 80-watt transformer, the CW-80 with FasTrack, and even a 40-watt transformer I got in my first set! I don't know about PS2 but if it works basically in the same way as PS1, it will probably work on your transformer.
Long live the BNSF .... AND its paint scheme. SchemerBob
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Posted by boxcar2217 on Saturday, November 5, 2005 8:22 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by boxcar1717

try asking on this forum you will get the help you need.
http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/groupee/forums


I believe I gave him the answer he need. Even quoted part from MTH. What else did he need that was not provided

Just giving him information to look around to help him make his own choice.
I use both site and get alot of good information from them both.
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Posted by tmcc man on Saturday, November 5, 2005 9:35 PM
I have tmcc, and it worked well with my PS2 engine. I did not run the PS2 engine as much as I should have, and the board went. Other than that it was perfect with the TMCC system. All functions worked well, bell, coupler fire, whistle etc. Oh, [#welcome] to the forum.
Colin from prr.railfan.net
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Posted by tmcc man on Saturday, November 5, 2005 9:37 PM
I forgot to add that before I had TMCC, I used an MRC O27 Power transformer. It worked well, and I suggest that you get a newer transformer.
Colin from prr.railfan.net
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Posted by spankybird on Sunday, November 6, 2005 5:00 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by tmcc man

I have tmcc, and it worked well with my PS2 engine. I did not run the PS2 engine as much as I should have, and the board went. Other than that it was perfect with the TMCC system. All functions worked well, bell, coupler fire, whistle etc. Oh, [#welcome] to the forum.


OK Colin, I have to ask, how did not running your PS2 engine have anything to do with the board going bad [?]

The PS2 engines do not have any of the problems or designs that caused some of the early PS1 engines from scrambling chips.

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by tmcc man on Sunday, November 6, 2005 7:01 AM
The repair shop said that the battery was not fully charged, and it drained the board?? Just what I heard. Were they lying to me?
Colin from prr.railfan.net
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Posted by spankybird on Sunday, November 6, 2005 8:22 AM
sounds like it. Replace the battery with a fully charged one and see what it does.

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by tmcc man on Sunday, November 6, 2005 9:01 AM
I already got rid of the engine. I put an e unit in it, and sold it. I put a new battery in it, and it still did not work. Well, it is gone now.
Colin from prr.railfan.net
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Posted by spankybird on Sunday, November 6, 2005 9:05 AM
Are you sure it was a PS2 engine with Full Command DCS [?] Do you remember the Item number of it [?]

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by tmcc man on Sunday, November 6, 2005 9:40 AM
It was full DCS commad control. The set is the 686 bantam passenger set, PRR, cannot find the number, though, it is not on the operation manual, but it is compatable with dcs
Colin from prr.railfan.net
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 7, 2005 4:06 PM
A question for tmcc man where did you get the cool smily face eating pop-corn??????[bow][:P][banghead][{(-_-)}][#welcome]...>>>>>glennbob
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Posted by tmcc man on Monday, November 7, 2005 4:23 PM
glennbob, I got it from chad thomas, just right click on it, then click on properties. Write down the URL, and put it between the froum code img, and /img, remember to put the [ ] on each one.
Colin from prr.railfan.net
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 10, 2005 9:59 PM
Thanks to everyone for their responses. Just got the engine on the layout tonight and it's got to be the coolest thing I've ever had. I've seen PS2 demos at the train shop before, but it's different when it's at home. I do have a question though, can you increase the volume of the whistle? The chuff drowns out the whistle pretty bad.
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 10, 2005 10:41 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Hydrasports205

Thanks to everyone for their responses. Just got the engine on the layout tonight and it's got to be the coolest thing I've ever had. I've seen PS2 demos at the train shop before, but it's different when it's at home. I do have a question though, can you increase the volume of the whistle? The chuff drowns out the whistle pretty bad.


I think you can only change the individual sounds and other settings like chuff rate acceleration and deceleration with a DCS system through the remote. You could take it to a layout with the system and “tweak” it there to your liking.

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