MTH PS2 Passenger Sounds

[Anonymous]

I have purchased a E8 passenger loco w/PS2. My question regards activating the passenger sounds. The manual says that you should , while the loco is moving, depress the bell button once and the horn/whistle button twice and one half second intervals. When the loco is then stopped and in neutral the sounds should activate and be controlled by the direction control, which at this point should be disabled for operatin movement while operating the passenger sounds. When I do this (using modern ZW with the 2 180W bricks) the train still starts moving and the sounds do not activate. This is being used in conventional mode only no DCS or command operation . Thanks for any advice you may have for me. Ralph[:)]

[spankybird]

HI Ralph,

This takes some practice to get the timing right. Each time you press the button, it should be for only about ½ second. First press the bell button for ½ second, then ½ space, then press the horn button for ½ second, then wait ½ second, then press the horn button again for ½ second. If you are successful, you will hear the bell start to ring.

Now if you stop the train via the directional button, it will start the station sounds.

If at any time that you are setting the bell / horn button, the horn blows, you have missed the ½ timing thing.

BTW – in DCS it is only one button to do this.

tom

[Anonymous]

Thanks , Tom, and you were correct I was not getting the timing correct. I now have got it operating although it does seem a little precise in it's time sequences. DCS may be down the road, I haven't decided yet on that. One question I still have is whether TMCC or DCS is what to go with (not to start a debate on this issue but not sure of the advantages and disadvantages of the two systems). Thanks again. Ralph.

[Anonymous]

How do you get the sounds if you do not have a bell - horn device but have DCS ?.
Thans
Rozy

[jimhaleyscomet]

Rozy,

Any PS2 engine will get a "direct" signal straight from the DCS. You will not need a separate bell - horn device to send "codes", just press the PFA (passenger freight announcement) button on the DCS remote. DCS also has bell and horn either for a particular engine (by selecting that engine) or for your conventional engines by selecting the track variable voltage.

As far as DCS vs TMCC you can check out this discussion.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=56759&REPLY_ID=636236#636236

Which one you purchase depends on what engines you want to purchase. TMCC is cheaper to start with but DCS has more features. PS2 engines are available cheaper in the Rail King line than TMCC engines usually are. I run both and enjoy having two remotes so I can command two trains simultaneously.

Jim H

[Anonymous]

Hello JIm Stupid question.Are the Dcs and Tncc on seperate loops on your layout.

[Anonymous]

Without the bell horn device, how do you activate speed control ?
Thanks
Rozy

[jefelectric]

You can operate DCS and TMCC on the same track. I usually run one of each on my main loop so I can control them with separate remotes.

[jimhaleyscomet]

DCS and TMCC play extremely well together. They may not be compatible in that they will not directly run each others trains..However they work just fine together. The DCS and TMCC signals are very different and do not interfere with each other at all.

Jim H

[jimhaleyscomet]

I definately run both DCS and TMCC on the same loop. Actually, I often run one conventional engine, one DCS engine, and one TMCC engine all at the same time. It is easy until I start switching and stopping one of the engines. Then I have to be careful to avoid collisions. I use a 1958 ZW (45 years old!) with external fuses for power. I use the ZW handle to control conventional engine speed and direction (track voltage) and whistle. The DCS and TMCC control speed, whistle, and other features on MTH and Lionel engines respectively. None of the engines can go faster than the amount of voltage that is supplied. However I find the newer command engines take less voltage than the conventional engines (especially if the conventional engine is loaded with cars) and so top speed is not severely impacted.

Jim H

[jimhaleyscomet]

Rozy

On DCS speed control is built in. You just set the loco to the speed you want using DCS remote. On TMCC the loco just keeps going at the speed you set (I think it can be turned off but do not remember how).

The key is that on DCS you will not need a separate bell/whistle button to access programable functions. Direct acting buttons are located right on the DCS remote.

Jim H