Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

MTH F-3 A fault

1165 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    August 2016
  • 30 posts
Posted by Porkster on Friday, January 6, 2017 8:56 PM

Having recently retired, I have only just become involved with this hobby. I have constructed a layout of approx 65m which took me quite a while to get running smoothly but it is all good now. I initially purchased a couple of Hornby loco's before discovering American models which are oh so much better. I have 1 Athern diesel, 2 MTH diesels, 1 MTH steam and my latest a Broadway steam. I love them all but like a good wine some are better than others,lol. I do like the steam and the models that smoke but think I will now be going with Broadway in future. I live in New Zealand.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, January 6, 2017 8:48 PM

 The manual that came with the loco should list what DCC Dvs it actually responds to. I don't think they do use the start-mid-top of CV2-6-5. Some things that are supported don't use the standard NMRA CV for the option.

 The only thing I don;t like about my FAs is that when power is lost they start up silent. And starting them up isn;t a toggle, the function has to be on - and what usually happens is one goes quiet and the other stays on, so if I hit the F key to turn on the other one - the second one shuts off. SUPER annoying.

                     --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, January 6, 2017 4:20 PM

Porkster
My NCE manual tells me that I can alter the speeds through CV's 2,5 and 6. But this does not seem to work.

Those are some of the CVs used to "speed-match" locomotives in DCC.  I have no idea if DCS has followed that standard, but I would suspect not.

I have a lot of Walthers/Proto engines and I'm very happy with them.  Bachmann Spectrum has greatly improved over the years, and their contributions to the hobby are also worth looking at.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, January 6, 2017 4:02 PM

Porkster

Thanks for your reply .Rich, yes, I have to admit I am a little disappointed in MTH. Who in your opinion make the best loco's.

 

For steam, I really think that BLI makes the best locomotives.

For diesel, particularly motive power like the F3AB, Walthers Proto would be very high on my list along with Athearn Genesis.

What road names are you running?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    August 2016
  • 30 posts
Posted by Porkster on Friday, January 6, 2017 3:11 PM

Scale is ho . I have a wireless NCE 5amp system. The problem is not that the loco speeds up and down, but rather, the sound speeds up and down. It continually hunts. Further,  when I place both A and B units on the track but not connected, they move and different speeds when on the same speed setting. My NCE manual tells me that I can alter the speeds through CV's 2,5 and 6.  But this does not seem to work.

  • Member since
    August 2016
  • 30 posts
Posted by Porkster on Friday, January 6, 2017 3:03 PM

Thanks for your reply .Rich, yes, I have to admit I am a little disappointed in MTH. Who in your opinion make the best loco's.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, January 6, 2017 11:59 AM

 MTH locos use a sensor on the motor shaft to sync speeds - the unit that hunts up and down in speed probably has a failed or misaligned sensor. You shouldn;t have to play with any CVs to make 2 MTH locos run together, nor should they change speed as they run. The hunting could be a setting for the BEMF being wrong, although I don't think any of those settings are exposed to DCC, you'd need DCS to adjust it, A reset might fix it.

                           --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, January 6, 2017 10:06 AM

Sorry to hear of your problems.  I'm not an MTH user, but a bit more information might help.  Are you in O or HO scale?  Probably more important, what control system are you using - DCC or DCS, and if it's DCC, which manufacturer?

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, January 6, 2017 6:55 AM

LOL

You may not appreciate this comment, but it sounds to me like the locos are working just fine, like all other MTH locos. Sorry, that borders on cruel.

I hope someone can help address your problems. I will follow this thread with interest. MTH locos seem to cause no end of problems, and I have heard of issues like this before.

Good luck.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    August 2016
  • 30 posts
MTH F-3 A fault
Posted by Porkster on Thursday, January 5, 2017 4:07 AM

i have very recently purchased an MTH F-3 A and B diesel loco set. It performed perfectly for the first 15 to 20 minutes of running. It then stopped abruptly at a point. The A unit now does not run at all and there is no sound. I have tried resetting CV55 to 55 but that does not seem to have made any difference. The B unit still runs and sounds as new. To add to my problem, I purchased a second A unit which has just arrived, however I am experiencing two issues. 1. The new A unit now "hunts" as it moves, with the sound reving up then down, up and down, very annoying and secondly I cannot match the speed of the A and B units. I have played with CV's 2,5 and 6 but altering the values makes absolutely no difference. Any comments greatly appreciated. Puzzled Kiwi.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!