Does anyone here operate any MTH HO locomotives?

Only the larger diesels have the Smoke feature, not the SD70ACE..

Sam,

For a lot of the same reasons that you mentioned, I have recently started an HO layout using MTH locomotives.  I have an ALCO PA that smokes, but the F3 and F7's do not have smoke.

For that reason, I have been trying to stay with steam. I'm attaching a short video to give you an idea what they look like in action. 

Mark.

Should you decide to do anything I have two MTHHO steam engines and a DCS control unit I am going to up up for sale if I can dig them out and take pictures

Al

I fixed a couple of the SD70Ace engines, and boy are they fragile.  The railings break just by breathing on them, but you have to make them really small to be scale.

Jim

Thanks Mark. That is quite impressive. Sounds very familiar too!

Are these running on AC using the DCS system?

Wonder if the little remote commander will control them too?

My friend and fellow OGR Forum poster "taycotrains" has some MTH HO equipment. The F unit is of very solid construction. I've seen the G's in operation. They are very impressive. Overall, I'm impressed by MTH's effort in HO thus far. From a standpoint of accuracy, certain MTH HO models are superior to their O scale counterparts.

As seen on this site, it appears some of MTH's O gauge customers feel like jilted lovers because of MTH's efforts in HO. I think if these same people took a really good look at just how good some of the HO models are turning out, they'd have a total meltdown.

Bob

Sam,

If you use the TIU to controll MTH HO you need to use a DC power supply through the fixed channels. The TIU does not modulate the power like a DCC system. What you put into the TIU is what comes out. You can put a rectifier on the out put of the TIU if you want to use AC power (I haven't tried this but don't see why it wouldn't work). On my test bench I have a Crest power supply but I also have used the MRC Tech 4 260. If your only going to run one line that should do you for power.

I really like the HO from MTH they're great all around.

Ralph

Sam,

They run on DC only. AC will damage them. But, the TIU fixed channels will work with DC from a standard DC train transformer. I have been running my HO locos that way until just yesterday, when I switched to DCC using an NCE Powercab system. Very easy system to use.  

You can also use the MTH DCS Commander, which will supply DC to the track directly using either DC or AC as input power.  

Whatever you do, make sure you get the locomotives that are equipped with Protosound 3.0, as MTH also sells the locomotives in other non-DCS configurations.

Mark.

My wife has a MTH HO Steeler Starter Set. It has the F3 engine with PS3 which sounds good and is a nice runner especially at very slow speeds. We use the remote that came with the set and not my DCS system. The only thing that I don't like about the remote is that you have to point it directly at the receiving unit. Although she bought it, I run it more than she does. In fact I don't remember her ever running it but she likes the way it looks with the Steeler Hawthorne Village buildings that I bought her for Christmas a couple of years ago.

Ralph,  we have a decent MRC pack around here somewhere so I gather we could use that with the TIU then? What about the Remote Commander?

I'm planning to sell our DCS system in the near future after I do a factory reset on all of our few O gauge PS2 locomotives and plan to use the Remote commander on our bench,

Sam,

Mark what mark added is correct and good advice. I also have the NCE system to run them with as many of the guys around here run NCE. So I have to make sure they run with all the systems.

Ralph

From the little I have read, it appears that running them on DCC only limits the features available with PS3?

Mark you say you just switched to DCC and a NCE system...  Why would you do that?

Another thread regarding MTH HO which may have some information of use to you:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/d...12#11144471751634212

Bob

I don't own any MTH HO, but I know folks who do have it.  They have nothing but good things to say about the line.  If I was in HO (again..dabbled in it years ago), I definitely would be giving the MTH product a try.

MTH has opened all the functions for DCC. Guys can map the throttle curve and everything other DCC engines can do. So nothing is limited.

Ralph

Sam,

The main reason that I'm doing the switch to DCC is so that I can run the Broadway Limited Y6B's due out in the next month or so. They are DCC only.

Also, when I reverse the locomotives on the turntable under DCS, They get confused and won't go forward or backward until I restart them.  Not a deal breaker, but they work correctly under DCC in this instance.

The DCC system that I was referring too is not expensive and is a complete system with power supply and a nice throttle. MTH has done such a good job mapping the functions to DCC that I didn't lose any functionality in the switch. 

Mark.

I've got the Daylight PA set.

The Smoke on MTH HO diesels is weak, their Steam engines smoke good though - I have a GS4 and Cab Forward.

The MTH Daylight passenger cars with the constant voltage lighting are Brass quality or better.

Mark, great video. That MTH HO steam engine runs great just like their O gauge stuff. It makes me think about buying some HO stuff.

To the guys who said that they are thinking about going smaller to HO. Have you given a good look at S scale? If yes, why did you choose HO over S. I'm sure you all know that MTH will soon be making S scale locomotives. Just curious.

Sam:

Don't overlook sound equipped locomotives from the Atlas Gold Series, Walthers PROTO 2000, Bowser's Executive Line and Athearn Genesis. These models are remarkable. It's no wonder I'm spending more on HO and less on O these days.

Bob  

I have MTH- Love them  HO and O

I suggest you go to You Tube- put MTH in the search- scroll doewn to the MTH Channel- there you can sort out the MTH HO videos posted by the company.

Great look at them still AND running.

I replaced the couplers to Kadee's on my HO SD70ACE, the lobster claw that MTH has, is not good for switching.  I run it on NCE & Digitrax DCC system.