I'm keeping my MTH engines regardless as long as they run, but recently I pre orderd 5 engines from Scale Trains, 2 in BNSF Heritage colors and 2 in CN colors, the 5th engine is a SD39 museum quality Wisconsin Central. Luckly I can finally afford the cost of these quality engines after 30 years of model RR modeling, first starting out like many of us with with blue box Athearn's. My only concern is where is our hobby going in terms attracting newcomers when 1 mass produced engine from China can cost over $350? Rapido claims that if their engines were manufactured in Canada or the US the cost would $1500 or more for a single engine based on the technology involved and the amount of detailed parts many of which are hand applied, perhaps our hobby will eventually become an elllitist pastime that only few can enjoy, I hope that's not the case. BaywayTerminal
This was one of the down sides to MTH loco's. You either deal with them as-is or gut them and replace the electronics. At least that is finally coming ot an end with ScaleTrains taking over the MTH tooling and product line.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
rrinker I wonder if Scale Trains, oince they get around ro re-releasing the MTH locos under their own name, with (I expect) ESU decoders like the rest of the ScaleTrains lineup (and proper motors for HO scale models) would do conversion kits or sell a powered chassis. Would make life easier for sure, although I doubt it would be cheap. The appearance of my MTH Alcos is quite nice - it's the electronics that are not fully compatible with standard DCC. If ScaleTrains does the FA in Reading, with a different road number than the MTH ones - I'll buy more. --Randy
I wonder if Scale Trains, oince they get around ro re-releasing the MTH locos under their own name, with (I expect) ESU decoders like the rest of the ScaleTrains lineup (and proper motors for HO scale models) would do conversion kits or sell a powered chassis. Would make life easier for sure, although I doubt it would be cheap. The appearance of my MTH Alcos is quite nice - it's the electronics that are not fully compatible with standard DCC. If ScaleTrains does the FA in Reading, with a different road number than the MTH ones - I'll buy more.
--Randy
Interesting question I have exactly one MTH locomotive an NS GP 38-2 (First Responders) and have no plans to buy anymore I wonder if without conversion if that locomotive is now going to be an Orphan?
Joe Staten Island West
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have two MTH SD70's and only run the engines alone or together , they have run fairly well over the years but did have MTH replace both engine decorders some years back at no charge. after several attempts to speed match the MTH engines with other brand name engines i gave up, they run faster at lower speed steps and at some point I will replace the MTH factory decorders most likely with ESU , but in the interim I have ordered several new Scale Train & Rapido engines for my roster List. I also like running Athean Genesis 2 andBowser switchers with LOK Sound. Bayway Terminal NJ
The problem is, the MTH locos are DCS with a passing nod to DCC compatibility. Most DCC options aren't implemented. They are set up so that they run with eash speed step = 1smph, so at 1 they run 1 mph and at 126 (128 speed step mode has some reserved speed steps at 127 and 128) they ostensibly go 126 - makes no difference if the real loco could do that or not (part of MTH's tooy train mentality).
SO the best you can do is just run MTH locos together and not include others, or else replace the electronics with standard DCC sound decoders so they work the same as your other locos. I only have one MTH HO loco, first and last (now that ScaleTrains has tekn over the HO line, I'm expecting to see the same locos but with ScalTrains standard ESU decoders - though really the FA set I have is the only loco MTH made that fits my era and prototype), and those will be changed over to Loksound decoders at some point. I have enough other things to run right now so it's not a high priority. But a single FA-FB set that must always run together won't cut it.
I am running JRMI as well and most of the CVs do show up. but ya I change the value for cv67 and I can change the value to 1 or 100 and the locomotive doesn't notice the difference! unfortunately matching my other locomotives isn't much of an option either as the MTH has a higher top speed than some of my other locomotives (true I never run them at top speed) and I have other locomotives that cannot run as slow as the MTH so it really is frusterating. as far as the locomotive being DCC or DCS according to the manual it can run either way but the default is DCC (again according to the manual)
wolf10851 ok I am going a little crazy here. I am trying to speed match my MTH locomotives to my other existing trains but it appears that they have a mind of their own and they are ignoring the values in CV 67-94. I have CV 29 at 50 which should be no DC long address and 28 step speed table. in CV25 I have 0 and in CV52 I have 1 which SHOULD give me a user defined speed table yet that is not happening. what am I doing wrong? BTW the locomotive in question is an HO ES44AC
ok I am going a little crazy here. I am trying to speed match my MTH locomotives to my other existing trains but it appears that they have a mind of their own and they are ignoring the values in CV 67-94. I have CV 29 at 50 which should be no DC long address and 28 step speed table. in CV25 I have 0 and in CV52 I have 1 which SHOULD give me a user defined speed table yet that is not happening. what am I doing wrong? BTW the locomotive in question is an HO ES44AC
I have several MTH GP38-2 engines and while the run great on my DCC layout, they are DCS and are not really DCC at all. When you look at one on JMRI, most of the CV's are not visible. Very little is alterable. They run fine with each other but I have not found a way to get them to play nice with other brand locomotives. I model the Maryland Midland so it isn't like I have much choice. Eventually I will remove the decoders and put in TCS or ESU decoders. It is really a shame.
MTH doesn't have any of that stuff from standard DCC. Your only choices are to try and match the other locos to the MTH, which may or may not be possible, or gut the MTH and replace the decoder with normal DCC so that it works the same as the other locos.
wolf,
So does your MTH ES44AC have a DCS or DCC decoder installed into it? If DCS, I'm not sure how well you can speed match DCS with DCC locomotives.
If DCC, you might try skipping the speed tables (make CV29 = 34 rather than 50) and match your locomotive's starting and maximum voltages using CV2 (VMin) & CV 5 (VMax) and CV6 (VMid); only if your decoder supports it. Just make sure you make your fastest locomotive at start up your standard for CV2 and your slowest at max your standard for CV5.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.