PS3 Upgrades - Will MTH do them?

Hi Marty,

MTH has said several times that they will offer PS3 upgrade kits. There will be one more batch of PS2 kits delivered in 2012. The next batch after that (late 2012 or 2013) will be PS3. By then MTH will have delivered a good number of factory PS3 engines, which will give us a variety of sound files to choose from.

I imagine they will offer the kits, but I doubt they will do the actual install (which I assume is what you are asking). They are simply not staffed for that kind of thing.

I'm very happy with the two PS3 engines I now have. LOVE not having a battery to worry about and LOVE seeing that distracting and unsightly tether disappear. All of my future MTH purchases will have to be PS3.

Has anyone out there in Forumland who has actually seen the PS3 units given any thought to whether they'd fit into an MTH Docksider?

quote:

Originally posted by Allan Miller:
I imagine they will offer the kits, but I doubt they will do the actual install (which I assume is what you are asking). They are simply not staffed for that kind of thing.

I'm very happy with the two PS3 engines I now have. LOVE not having a battery to worry about and LOVE seeing that distracting and unsightly tether disappear. All of my future MTH purchases will have to be PS3.

Alan,
I will do the install. I just want the kit. While my first PS2 upgrade is going slowly, I am confident I could do another. If the unit gets smaller and the battery goes away, I can see doing some Lionel Steam that I find a bit daunting with the current size kit.

Also, from what I think I see in PS3, it may not need a heat sink. IF that is true, diesel upgrades will be much easier. Imagine velcro taping the PS3 to the loco interior, I think the wiring would end up easier as you wont be pulling those pesky bulb wires each time you open the unit. Of course with no battery, hopefully you never open the unit.

Wait! PS3 doesn't need a tether? Do you mean it uses the drawbar circuit board, or do you mean steam speed control is in the boiler?

Thanks

quote:

Wait! PS3 doesn't need a tether? Do you mean it uses the combo coupler circuit board, or do you mean steam speed control is in the boiler?

I think the steam kits may fit into the boiler of the engine? Or rather... All PS/3 have the tether in the drawbar?

quote:

All PS/3 have the tether in the drawbar?

Yes, but there is no "tether," per se...just electrical connections that are incorporated into the drawbar. Makes a BIG difference from the standpoint of appearance.

Can a PS3 upgrade kit be installed in MTH engines prior to PS3 (i.e. Railking RS3 or 2-8-0 with Locosounds)? I'm concerned about the wireless tether not fitting the receptacle on the 2-8-0, the RS3 shouldn't be a problem.

I do think that MTH will have to do a modification of some sort for the drawbar. I only have seen one unit and the draw bar plugs under the tender. Diesels wouln't need a draw bar.

Allan, can you post a picture of the connection? G

Premier PS2 locos have been using a circuit board drawbar since at least 2007. Here are some pics. Maybe someonr can comment if PS3 is the same.





Note the hole in the bottom of the loco. This would make adding the drawbar to a loco a challenge beyond my ability.

Also. MTH sells drawbars in packs of 3 different lengths. I don't know if that is to accomodate different radii, or because they will fail. I don't think they wil fail, if you put them on the track and leave them, but I've had mine off the track repeatedly this Christmas.
You have to take care to really connect the tender. It's a bit of a chore getting your fingers in the right spot, at first. I didn't connect it well twice. The first time it ran a few feet, sparked and took out my rear marker lights. The second time it stalled as far under Mt Crumpett as you can go. No discernable damage, although I don't get any shutdown noises when I power down. I'm glad I raised the tunnel 2 more inches this year, or it would have been hours of dissasembly.

An odd aside. Note I have a 45 DRAWR. Per MTH that's a 45mm drawbar. This loco has a min radii of O54. O72 if I want to raise the plate you see above the drawbar. The MTH 3 pack contains a 30, 35 and 40 mm bar. Not sure what radii. or tender boiler design you would need to run with a 30 mm bar.

Thanks for the photos Marty!

Looks like it might be a chore, but nothing a Dremel can't handle.

What about sound files? How many PS3 sound files will be available when the kits come out? Can/will MTH offer PS3 (and possibly PS2) kits with the files (maybe even a generic file for a steamer or diesel) already loaded?

Has the availability of the PS2 or PS3 recently changed for the better? I realize a few have been recently released, but the kits have been generally unavailable since early 2010.

In fact, I waited over 18 months for a diesel kit before finally cancelling my order and requesting my deposit back from MTH.

The PS3 steam requires a tender board and a boiler board.

quote:

Originally posted by RJR:
Has anyone out there in Forumland who has actually seen the PS3 units given any thought to whether they'd fit into an MTH Docksider?

I had a bad starter set in the shop this Christmas and we ended up parting out the contents while the PS3 engine is in repair. When it comes back, I am going to try stuffing the board into a Rich Yoder GE 44 toner.

I will post the results here on the forum.

Dave

It looks the same. So if there is a draw bar in place the mod might be easier. If the older unit has a tether, a PS-3 mod will be much more involved.

PS-2 3V and PS-3 are available. So are PS-2 3v with 5Volt connectors to make a back fit to a PS-2 5V unit easier.

PS-2 Kits were on hold to ensure sufficent parts for production engines and repairs.

I think it will be a while before PS-3 kits would be out, if even needed. I think the PS-2 3V mod is easier to deal with for engines without PS-2 at all. To many upgrade options wouldn't make a lot of business sense, at least not to me. G

Not me, put me down for 20 PS3 kits as the board is easier to install, no battery or charge port to deal with and that way cool Rule 17 lighting! Oh and no more polarity issues which us 2 railers will really enjoy

quote:

Originally posted by GGG:
It looks the same. So if there is a draw bar in place the mod might be easier. If the older unit has a tether, a PS-3 mod will be much more involved.

PS-2 3V and PS-3 are available. So are PS-2 3v with 5Volt connectors to make a back fit to a PS-2 5V unit easier.

PS-2 Kits were on hold to ensure sufficent parts for production engines and repairs.

I think it will be a while before PS-3 kits would be out, if even needed. I think the PS-2 3V mod is easier to deal with for engines without PS-2 at all. To many upgrade options wouldn't make a lot of business sense, at least not to me. G

I see your point, but since PS3 is a drect replacement for PS2, you could discontinue producing PS2 kits and go with the lastest technology. That,I think will make good business sence, for them.

Also, if a dremel will cut through the base of a lionel or mth boiler, I'd buy a few kits with the drawbar coupler. If the Christmas set with PS3 pics I saw were accurate, they have the old wire tether... Please tell me MTH is moving to all drawbar tethers..

quote:

I imagine they will offer the kits, but I doubt they will do the actual install (which I assume is what you are asking). They are simply not staffed for that kind of thing.

Where did you come to that conclussion. When I was there for the PS-3 Class in September I did PS-2 upgrade for them before I left.

On another note, A PS2 Steam upgrade or Mod to using the "B" unit diesel tether makes the tether look like a Stoker tube. Did it on one of my Imperial Big Boys, Looks great.
You do have to cut a slot in the front of the tender for the tether to slide side to side in for the corners. width of slot depends on radius and I would not recommend it for O-31.
Again, It looks GREAT. A Stoker tube was pretty good diameter so the tether becomes the missing tube.
That's right, all you rivet counters, I've never seen a post mention the lack, but they are all missing the stoker tube (except the General's and possibly early consolidations, I don't think they have stokers).

 

Edit for spelling

quote:

If the Christmas set with PS3 pics I saw were accurate, they have the old wire tether...

I recently purchased both the RailKing and Lionel Corporation Tinplate Christmas sets. Neither locomotive has the old-style tether. Both have the drawbar connection and no battery. The method of connecting the drawbar is different on each of these two engines, but thus far I have had no problems with either one.