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the ps1 boards have a heat sink which is underneath the boards where the 8.4 volt battery if I remember correctly . you have tot urn the engine upside down when you remove the screw the board will come loose you will have to disconnect all the white red and yellow and maybe green wire plugs then you should be able to take the board out. there can be differences but you have to give us Engine item number if you want exact help! just curious but why do you want to take the boards out?

 

Thanks Guys - The idea here is to remove the boards and replace with a dallee e unit and just get them running again. 

The locomotive I currently have on the workbench is a Premier SD-9. MT-2110LP.

The reason to remove: It won't run. It powers up, it makes sounds (although there appears to be a speaker wire loose) I changed the battery to a fresh 8.4v rechargeable (which I also just put in 2 PS-1 steam locomotives which are working fine). I performed a reset 18 using my Z750 transformer (which I have done before with this transformer when I purchased this locomotive second hand). No change. I performed a chip reset with the reset kit - still nothing. I don't have access to a Z-4000 transformer. 

I am fully aware of BCR's and realize had I put one in I might not be in this boat...because apparently BCR's are the cure all to trains that don't run. (Sorry to sound salty on this - I'm just tired of hearing this as the cure all for seemingly every problem in the history of model railroading.)

So...my options are take it to a tech who wants about $40 to just look at it, and then who knows how much to fix it or I can just take the boards out and for $70 or so put an e-unit and some directional lighting in it and get it running (along with two other locos which have different PS-1 presenting problems). I have a very limited train budget, so PS-3 upgrades and such aren't really in the cards. I'd rather have them running and circle back around to sound in the future when hopefully I'll have a little more budget for such things.  

Thanks again for any help/advice. 

Hi, someone inquired to you about removing the proto 1 sound boards from a MTH locomotive, I am in the same boat I bought a used MTH steam with the proto1 sound it ran for an hour or so and now it doesn't run at all, it seems like it is locked into neutral or something like that, I took it apart and if I apply DC power to the motor it runs so the problem is not in the engine but in the tender with all the electronics, can you provide any advice on getting this running, I was thinking of possibly putting in a dalee E unit in it, any thoughts ?

 

-p

 

I had exactly the same problem with an MTH K4S, a (non-member) contact in Netherlands advised me from his experience, not to buy it unless I budgeted for a change-out... which I did. It’s currently with Chuck (on this forum) for a swap-out, I’ll report on that when available. 

It’s clear that there are certain issues which are regularly reported with these locos. 

Interesting.  I had several from Weaver upgrades to TMCC and EOB.  There was talk about the "three clangs of death".  I Posted this picture on the forum, someone wanted them. The piggy back boards, two high were sound, though the speakers were usually 16 ohm, TMCC used 8 ohm speakers.  Upgrade usually required new 18 volt lights, the world of model trains went from 12 volt max to 18 volts quickly.  

When I do an upgrade from PS/1, I pretty much just clean the deck and start wiring.  If the locomotive has a CV board running the lights, I'd leave that, solves the problem of powering the lights. 

The DALLEE E-Unit should fit in the locomotive, in which case you can dispense with the tether to the tender and swap out the electrocoupler for a standard one.

Interesting thread. I have a few MTH w/ locosounds that don't run well on my 027 switches. I've considered removing the boards but hadn't thought of a Dallee unit to power the engine. I like the engines and don't have a lot of money in them since I bought them used. I'm running all conventional anyway but if I do add DCS one day I would put new PS-3 boards in.

Will the Dallee board run the lights?

I like the "noise" , (good analogy) too John, but the loco's hesitate on my switches. I've cleaned and lubed  everything (track and trains), but nothing has improved the situation. I've read that new pick up rollers might help but have not bought new ones yet.

Here's a video of my PC SW-8/9 for an example. I bought this one from Trainz recently, even sent it back to them under warranty (theirs, not MTH), and they thought they had fixed the problem with an additional cleaning. I've checked every plug, wire, and screw I can find with very little improvement. In this video the engine goes over a 5122 027, and then a 5122 042. It run's fine on the 027 track, it's just on the switches that it hesitates. Other loco's run fine over the switches including two Lionel w/legacy in conventional.

This video I shot when I was testing the loco. This is on fastrack with an 036 manual turnout.

Attachments

Videos (2)
2020-02-29 07.10.47
2020-03-15 15.40.06

From the blinking lights in the caboose, I'd say that it's a general issue.  I'd start by really cleaning all the wheels and rollers, not to mention the track at that location.  Next, I use Deoxit-D5 to improve conductivity of the roller to axle continuity, helps a lot frequently.

If you can fit the double rollers into the truck, that's another place that will greatly change things.  Finally, don't forget the wheels.  On a switcher like that, you only have four wheels that are in contact with the track.  If you have one side of the track powered, suddenly, the wheels are as critical as the rollers.  When you traverse a switch, frequently there are dead spots that will affect one side.

The Trainz tech did mention a conductive grease but not what brand it was. Thanks for that info. I've cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I use regular CRC contact cleaner which does remove everything. I put a drop of light oil on the rollers too. I even thought of the common side and tried removing traction tires off the engine with no real improvement. Double pick ups might be an option if they will fit.

I'm not beat yet....to be continued.....

Didn't mean to hijack the thread but thanks for the tips John.

Bob

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