MTH Steam Engine trouble

[LL675]

thanks for the info Lee. I'll be getting one of those.

[phillyreading]

Just got the new MTH catalog and the part number for the charger is; 50-1019 for $14.95.  You should be able to order one from either MTH website or Ready To Roll Trains, www.readytorolltrains.com, in north Miami FL.

Lee F.

[LL675]

yeah, the batt charger sounds like a good idea. I've got between 6-7 hours charging thru track power like the owners manuel says, and about an hour running time. runs oK once I get the direction set. thanks all for the help. I'll let you know

[phillyreading]

To recharge the MTH battery in your locomotive the best thing to do is to buy the battery charging unit from MTH for about $20.00 and charge your battery for at leats 12 hours to refresh a rechargeable battery or 30 hours if a new rechargeable battery.  Anything less and you will not get a fully charged battery to work with.

YOUR BEST BET is to buy the MTH charger!!

Let us know what happens.

Lee F.

[LL675]

when I try to change direction from netural, it shuts off, and powers back up. the only way I can get it to move, it to barely shut the power off and turn it back up. before this, I could just normally turn the power off and on, or just use the 167 controller.

[iguanaman3]

"when I push the direction button on my 167, or turn the transformer off and on, it goes back to netural"

You mean it stays in neutral. Do the sounds turn of when you push the button? You should check the battery connector and wires...make sure they haven't come loose.  If it doesn't work with the good 9V, it is not getting power from the battery.

 

Neil

 

[sir james I]

Sorry trying the 9v. didn't help. My MTH engines have done what you disscribe many times and it has always been a low battery.I guess I've been lucky but very annoyed.A happier ending would have been nice.Thanks for the update and hope you find the problem.

                                                                                               Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LL675]

tried the regulat 9volt, no difference. The trouble I'm having is when i try to go from netural to any direction. when I turn the track power on, the sounds start up just fine. when I push the direction button on my 167, or turn the transformer off and on, it goes back to netural. I even unhooked the 167, no change. I'm giving it a couple more hours on charge, hoping for the best.

 Thanks!

[Anonymous]

No, they will remain in neutral because the battery can't supply the power that is necesary to keep the processor running during the power interuption used to cycle directions.

[sir james I]

Thats good info to know.But they wont come out of start up will they?

[Anonymous]

sir james I,

                Running a PS2 loco with a dead battery, or no battery at all, will not do any harm to the boards like it would in PS1 locos. 

[sir james I]

I told you to try a 9v. batt to see if your engine ran ok. IF it DID then you would know you need to recharge the new batt.I did not tell you to use reg. batts. instead of your rechargeable one.

[LL675]

once I get it moving, the sounds are OK. track is clean. I tried it on another track, that is controlled by a different Type V, with the same results.

[kblester]

LL675,

If your sounds are distorted across all power settings, and only in different parts of the layout, I would clean the track, wheels, and rollers. I had many problems with sound distortion and found this solved all the trouble. The black coated center rail of my MTH Realtrax was the major cause of sound problems. I polished it down to bare metal. Just a thought.

Ken

[LL675]

I just double checked the owners manuel, and it says you can use a regular 9 volt, but since it won't recaher, it won't last.

[Anonymous]

What a second... I thought MTH didn't use regular 9volt batteries in their engines, aren't the 8.4volts or something along those lines?  I know I've read about this and a normal 9volt battery can cause damage?

Correct me if I am wrong...

[sir james I]

Well it SOUNDS like the battery so try a reg 9v. Don't keep trying to run it,if it is a batt. problem you COULD blow the board.$100.00+.

[LL675]

it will run, but it is taking some finesse to get it to switch from netural to forward. when I try to change direction, it shuts off and goes back to netural.

[sir james I]

Most batterys need 12-14 hrs to fully charge.But that should have been enough to run the engine.Try a regular alk. 9 volt batt. if your engine runs then your new batt. needs a longer charge.Sorry but I can not help about other causes.You would need the electronic guys.

[LL675]

I have a MTH RK PRR M1a steam engine with Proto 2.0. I have had it a little over two years, and bought itt used. I run it with a Prewar Type V , and have had no problems.I use a 167 whistle controller. Lately, it started acting up. The sounds are a little distorted at times, and when I try to change direction, either by the whistle controller, or with the transformer, it will shut off. I have to almost shut the power off to get it to move. So I bought a new Radio Shack Ni Cad battery last night. I don't have a chrger, so per the MTH owens manuel, i shut the smoke unit off, and left track power on between 12-15 volts. They said 6-7 hours, I tried it after 5 hours, and it is still acting like it was before. HELP!! Do I need to charge the battery longer, or do i have bigger problems?

 Thanks!