MTH PS1 Problem

[ChiefEagles]

Rich, nothing wrong with your ZW.  One thing I have learned.  If shipped, remove shell and check the boards.  I usually press on them to insure they are plugged in good.  Found quite a few of mine "jared aloose" during shipping.  I had a SD70 PS1 that came with the engineer lying insde as the little plug of hot glue didn't hold him.  I epoxied him back in.  MTH will probably stand behind the damage.  I've found them to be real nice.  I have moved away from MTH in the diesel line and stay with Lionel and TMCC.  I've converted that SD70 to TMCC and Railsounds.  Keep us informed. 

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

Jim- You're not too far down 70 from me (Wyano), and your experience is exactly the attitude I got from these person.  Out of the box, I heard something rattling inside the shell.  I took the shell off to find the engineer with a bubble gum wad of hot glue on him that didn't do the trick.  Just another example of their "expert" repairs, if they say so themselves.  Then when I sent it back due to unresponsivness, and drawing 6 amps, and getting very hot to the touch, they (he) said it was because a Lionel ZW is crap, and I ruined the engine with the ZW.  Then he said I took the trucks off the engine and didn't put them back together properly.  When I told him I didn't touch the trucks or anything other then using the proper glue on the engineer, he laughed and basically called me a liar.  By that time I knew I'd been had.  My local MTH repair person, who does excellent, professional work, and is a great person said he would need authorization from these people to fix it.  They refused and said the engine was actually slightly used because someone bought it for- are you ready for this- one hour!

Fifedog- I joined the TCA a year ago, and am waiting to hear if there is room for me in the van this year with some of the local members.  My wife hates trains as much as I love them, so I won't put her through the York show.  Someone said drop her off at the mall, and don't let her see whats in the trunk! 

Chiefeagles- Thanks for the encouragement.  I feel better knowing there are good guys in like you in this hobby.

I will be calling MTH Tuesday, if for nothing else, just to let them know about scrupulous affiliates.

Thanks again,

Rich F.

 

[fifedog]

STACKER, if it's Proto 1 you like, join TCA (if you haven't already), and travel across PA to YORK on OCT 19-21.  I assure you, you will find all the Proto 1 engines you could ever want at rock bottom clearout prices.  I walked by tables of this stuff back in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Rich,

         If you purchased the engine new from an authorized MTH dealer, you have a one warranty from the date of purchase.  Call MTH and talk to a technician about the problem.  Just don't mention that you had the engine apart.  The phone number for customer service is: 410-381-2580.  If the engine is under warranty, I am sure MTH will be able to help.  I can understand your frustration.  I bought a Lionel 356 freight station from a parts guy in the Pittsburgh area.  On the phone, he told me it was clean and it worked well.  So I bought it without seeing it.  When I received it,  it was dirty, all the metal parts were rusted, and it didn't work.  I called the seller about it.  He became verbally abusive and said that it was clean and working when it left his shop, and that the damage was my fault.  So, I became verbally abusive.  Needless to say, I will never order anything from him again.  You'd expect better for spending $90 on a common item, that when in Excellent condition is worth $100.  Sorry this is so long, but I know how you feel. 

 

                                                                                    Jim

        

[ChiefEagles]

Sorry for your pain.  That is a poor thing to have happen.  Its OK to vent here.  We all do it.

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

Thanks for the responses.  I took the shell off yesterday to see if there was anything obviously amiss (anything burnt or disconnected) that I would be able to detect with my very basic knowledge of electronics.  What I saw made me sick!  First off let me proclaim the repair person from the store is a rank amateur- cold solder joints, missing screws, retapped screw holes to facilitate whatever screws they had laying around- and they did this to a new engine!  This whole ordeal has been the classic out of state mail order purchase from hell.  After the holiday, I intend to call MTH and report their affiliate, to which I'm sure the patented "buyer beware" bow out will apply.  I guess everyone sooner or later falls victim to these rip offs.  My wife said I got what I deserved buying "site unseen", but I don't think anyone deserves being robbed of their hard earned money.  There are worms, then there's the stuff worms craw on, that would be the person I dealt with from this establishment.  The engine is still on MTH's product locator.  It is a premier Southern Pacific SD-9, 20-2112-1.  I would just warn anyone from doing business with this establishment.  By the time I am finished, I will have $400 in a 10 year old PS1, that's what I call the hard way to get a Geep in the Black Widow paint scheme!

Sorry, I think I needed to vent.  Keep both eyes open- their out there!

Rich F.   

[ChiefEagles]

Good luck and hope your problem gets solved.  I take PS1 engines, pull the "guts" and install TMCC and Railsounds boards.  Solves the problem.  Digital Dynamics has an equalizer board that replaces the control board [uses the original sound board] and it will run as TMCC [or as a TMCC engine in DCS].  I replace them all.  The clank clank and the clink clink use to drive me crazy trying to program PS1.

[fifedog]

Hey STACKER, before you do anything, read your operation book on how to reset to factory settings.  It will involve multiple throttle ups, and the engine will "speak" back to you (dings & clanks) until you get to the original factory setting.

Also, check to make sure you actually got a new battery installed.  And learn to do this yourself, with a new battery from radio shack.  Even brand new, MTH engines are hit and miss with the battery reliability (probably from being in transit for an extended period of time).

Don't get down, get busy.  It's just a part of the hobby.

[chuck]

You might have a bad smoke unit switch or just a bad smoke unit.  It sounds like it may be partially shorting out and pulls so much power that it affects the PS-1 controller.   They may have  inadvertantly  done this while instally the BCR.  PS-1 electronics are  pretty  tight and on some engines changing the battery  is a major undertaking as you have to pull everything else out to get to it.

[Smoke Stack Lightnin']

Not too long ago I had purchased a new old stock MTH Premier PS1 engine that was released in 1996 via MTH's product search from an out of state store.  Knowing the original battery would most likely be shot, the store offered to include a BCR for an extra $10.  Upon receipt, the engine was non-responsive so I had to ship it back for repair although the store claims it ran great on their test run.  The repairman stated my Lionel ZW is the worst transformer ever made.  I think he was insinuating I blew up the engine by using a ZW ignoring my claim that all my other PS1 and conventional engines run fine with it (I use a MRC Pure Power for my PS2's).  The store updated the power supply board and shipped it back, but was pretty creepy about it.  The engine ran good, smoke unit worked, and the SD-9 pulled great.  After a short hiatus, I recently ran the engine again and quickly realized I had switched the smoke unit off during the previous run (which I commonly do with high output smoke units).  When I switched the smoke unit to on, the engine would not move, but I could hear the motors rev with the throttle, but I did get smoke.  When I switched the smoke unit back off, the engine ran fine, but no smoke.  So that's the way it is, smoke on- revs in neutral, smoke off- runs fine.  Before I make arrangements for repair, this time to my local repair shop even if I have to pay out of pocket, did anyone ever experience this from a PS1 and know the cause?

Thanks,

Rich F.