Glad to hear you got the train to work
When all else fails read the instructions Most of us electronic types seem to read as a last resort. I could not figure out why my MTH OSU train was not playing all of the sound bytes then in desperation I read the instructions and all was well after that.
VERY glad to hear it! Good luck in the future, and again, welcome to the forum.
IT WORKS! finally! the manual said to reset the train and it works perfeclty!
Thank you all so much!!!
Oh come on..give the guy a break
I for one am interested on the outcome of this situation. It also shows me the folly of MTH products..
Sorry, but was anyone else tickled by this juxtaposition?
Amtrak How to get train to move?
The problem with your engine is probably that you start it up at a too high voltage. A proto-1 engine (and I guess it is one) needs to be fired up under 8 volts. Otherwise you'll be in reset mode.
Try a different transformer or just slightly tip the voltage lever into the operation area and wait 3 seconds. You should hear 1 bell and then the diesel starts to idle. After it has idled for a few seconds bring the voltage lever back to zero and gently power it up again. Don't hurry with that, proto 1 engines need a bit time for the relais to kick in.
I had exactly the same problem using my märklin transformers and they give 8-16 volts AC. The voltage when starting up was too high and I ended in reset mode. After installing a few rectifiers for the horn/bell to operate and a lighted lockon the problems where over.
Amtrak,Anything else on this?Have you tried contacting your local LHS? There is one here that is very good with MTH stuff, but they like for you to bring in the item and set it on their test track. I have taken a number of my postwar Lionel stuff in for serving. Waiting to hear back from them as to when I can go pick up my Trolley, 2020 and 681...
If you have a good MTH dealer near you I would suggest taking the engine there and seeing if they can help you. They may even do the 9-volt replacement for you while you wait/watch.
I Charged it but that dident work the manual really help though I have to try it we i get home
Sorry fellas just wait a little longer.
Thanks
Hey Amtrak..
Did you get your train to finally work? Give us an update on the status..I'm dying to know what happened. Did you let it charge up for a couple hours? Replace the battery??
ben10ben wrote:A question for you guys who know MTH products.Could the problems which Amtrak describes by chance be caused by a battery that has run down? I know that dead batteries don't cause catastrophic failure in PS-2 engines, but it seems like I have heard of ones that refuse to run until the battery has sufficient charge. Amtrak, if that is indeed the case, you'll need to set up a stretch of track big enough for the engine, and just turn the power on and leave it for several hours. This will recharge the battery and should restore normal operation.
A question for you guys who know MTH products.
Could the problems which Amtrak describes by chance be caused by a battery that has run down? I know that dead batteries don't cause catastrophic failure in PS-2 engines, but it seems like I have heard of ones that refuse to run until the battery has sufficient charge. Amtrak, if that is indeed the case, you'll need to set up a stretch of track big enough for the engine, and just turn the power on and leave it for several hours. This will recharge the battery and should restore normal operation.
DITTO. I leave it on a track at full power for about one hour. Then cut power to the track and try to restart.
Jim H
Welcome Amtrak,
If you have the box or boxes that it came in, either as a set or an individual item, there will be item specific information. If it was a set this info will be on the side of the set box, if an individually purchased item it will be on the end flap of the box. Such as a desription, part #(30-xxxx-x), as well as the type of sound and/or control system. This part number will enable you to go to the MTH site and find the Owners Manual as stated earlier. In this manual it will tell you how to do a "Reset" using your MTH transformer if your loco has one of the protosound systems installed. If your part number ends in a -0 then your loco has what is called "Loco Sounds". I don't have any knowledge of the locosounds system. If you log on to the MTH site there is a link in the upper right hand corner of the screen, can't remember what it's labeled, but it will allow you to search by item number. Happy hunting.
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You can look at this manual for an Amtrak F-40PH engine. It might not be the one you have, but on page 23 (the first section at the top, carried over from page 22) they give instructions on how to remedy these kinds of problems with any proto 1 engine, so it should work for yours too. Look through it and get a feel for the normal operation tips too.
http://extranet.mth-railking.com/pdfapp/pdfs/instruction/20DL11807I.pdf
Demon09 wrote: What you could also try, if it is in fact a PS-1 loco, they will run with a standard alkaline 9volt battery in them, if you feel comfortable opening it up and swapping it out (the sound boards and the expensive electronics cover the battery, so it is somewhat challenging, but not too bad if you are careful). That way you will not have to wait for it to charge for 18 hours as per reccomendation, but the battery will not be chargable in that case. You would need to get a different battery for it, but the new rechargables they offer charge in just seconds or minutes as opposed to hours or days. The same thing happened to me a few months ago. I bought a used Proto-1 engine and when I got it home it wouldn't move no matter what I did, and the sound kept going off when I tried to start it. The battery was in fact dead, and wouldn't work until i charged it for about 3 hours or more at 16 volts. The battery sounds like it might be no good anymore. Even after I charged mine, it could not hold a charge. Right now I am using the 9 volt until I can get myself out to the hobby shop again to buy the BCR. By the way, welcome to the forum, Amtrak, and Happy New Year, everyone!
What you could also try, if it is in fact a PS-1 loco, they will run with a standard alkaline 9volt battery in them, if you feel comfortable opening it up and swapping it out (the sound boards and the expensive electronics cover the battery, so it is somewhat challenging, but not too bad if you are careful). That way you will not have to wait for it to charge for 18 hours as per reccomendation, but the battery will not be chargable in that case. You would need to get a different battery for it, but the new rechargables they offer charge in just seconds or minutes as opposed to hours or days.
The same thing happened to me a few months ago. I bought a used Proto-1 engine and when I got it home it wouldn't move no matter what I did, and the sound kept going off when I tried to start it. The battery was in fact dead, and wouldn't work until i charged it for about 3 hours or more at 16 volts. The battery sounds like it might be no good anymore. Even after I charged mine, it could not hold a charge. Right now I am using the 9 volt until I can get myself out to the hobby shop again to buy the BCR.
By the way, welcome to the forum, Amtrak, and Happy New Year, everyone!
Ok, try charging the battery like Demon09 says above or try installing a new 9volt battery in the tender. But if this doesn't work, you' can also check MTH's web-site for help. Did you get this at a local hobby shop ? If not try finding one next week, is about all I know right now. Sorry to hear it still won't run, but there still may be some one come along with more help.
Thanks, John
The charge could take a few hours. If the battery itself is bad, it will not take the charge, and you might need to replace it before you get any results. If you are really concerned, you could try taking off the plastic shell and putting in the alkaline 9 volt, but again with that you need to be careful not to move any wires or break the boards. I am fairly new to the hobby myself, and I did this just last week to my engine. It works fine now with the 9 volt, but as I said earlier, this is only a temporary fix.
Also, if you can find a product number for that item, you can enter it into a product search on the MTH website, and you will usually be able to find the user manual available as a PDF that you can look through to get instructions and trouble shooting info specific to your model.
With the manual, there is also a way to restore the electronic settings to factory condition, and the manual says how to do this. There is a possibility that the engine was somehow locked into neutral, meaning that no matter what you do it will not go forward until you unlock it. Resetting it to factory condition will do this automatically, changing it back to the F-N-R-N setting.
If you cannot find the manual, please let us know, because I know the manual for my model is online, and I think the proto 1 software settings are the same for all engines, so I can give you the link to those instructions later if need be.
Thank you very much i let it charge now i will see is it works. Now tell me what i need to press too get it going?
Yes !! Are you letting it sit on the track to charge now ? !! I think that's where we are now, & it should charge for at least a half hour or more, before you try it ! I hope this works !!
Thank you Ben i will try that and see if it works thanks!
Happy New Year to you too Paul !! Glad you're helping me here, & thanks !!
Ok, if the box says it has a lighted lock-on, I think you will have to try & find it or get one at the hobby shop, or you may just try to solder a bulb in between one of the wires. I think it has to be a 14 or 18 volt bulb. The train may not run without that, but maybe someone else will know what to do.
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