Hi All,
Over time I've heard a lot of buzz regarding the lack of true DCC compatibility of MTH's HO Locos. I'm trying to build a NS Heritage roster that fully compatible with my NCE DCC system, and have not bought any of the MTH product due to the rumors. At a show this past weekend, I was engaged on the subject and the guys I talked to thought that MTH was going to great lengths in recent advertising to infer their full compatibility....and in my colleague's opinion, stretching the truth.Does anyone on the forum have the straight scoop on this subject, or better yet, first hand experience using these loco with NCE DCC [or other] control?I'm looking for startup, rev up/down, fine motor control, horn, bell, etc... Most of my locos are Intermountain, or Athearn Genesis. I just don't want to buy any MTH locos that won't stand up to the performance of these models.
Thanks!
Dan
Replace the DCS stuff with a LokSound or Tsunami. 'Nuff said.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Thanks Rich..as I might have suspected...anyone else care to relate?
The regualar controls work fine - lights, bell, horn, startup. There is no control available in DCC for adjusting the motor drive, not sure ther really is in DCS, either - they are set so that the speed steps are scale speed. Forget speed matching them, but if you run only MTH units together they will all run the same with no adjustment. I think there is manual notching, not sure, I never use it - only Tsunami seems to really have a need, and I got rid of my only Tsunami because I don;t like the way they work. With Loksound I just set momentum in the decoder and I can simulate either a light engine move, engines moves with almost no revving of the prome mover, or starting a heavy train, where the prime mover really laods up just to get it moving. And I can throttle down to cut the porime mover for downhill.
Rest of the function are toys, station announcements, city sounds, train wreck sounds, barnyard sounds, etc. Grade crossing whistle for those too lazy to press the whistle button with the proper pattern. Front and rear couplers (which I swapped for the included regular kadees, the automatic ones need to be slammed too hard to close the knuckle). They will do consisting, but since you can;t speed match them, you'd have to tune any other loco to the MTH.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
With newer MTH diesels, there are most DCC functions (such as speed curve control, acceleration, braking, advanced consisting) available that are standard with other decoders. Diesels with the older firmware can be updated if you have a programmer or take it to an MTH dealer. Steamers cannot be updated, so some people elect to replace the decoders, which is not straightforward.
My dislikes still remaining are that 1. the engine sound dies with any power glitch, and the engine must be stopped before the sound can be turned back on; 2. there is no individual control over sound levels, no tonal balancing controls and no adjustable reverb, as with a Tsunami; 3. their decoders don't work on a programming track, and must be programmed on the main, giving you no way to read current CV values.
Hal
Thanks Hal,
I did talk to a MTH DCC engineer and am now satisfied that I'm going another way even if it does cost $50 more per engine. Too bad...MB Klein had the MTH NS Heritage units for $159.
The sound ones? Hmm, would be worth ordering and then swapping the electronics for a Loksound.
I thought of doing that Randy, but the Intermountain Heritage units with sound were priced at $199, so I went with w few of them. When you're roster building, every penny counts!
Thanks fellas!