MTH PS1 Question

I would agree contact mth or a asc tech that might have the eprom you need and can mail to you ! mth charges if remember correctly  right about $30. 00 unless you can get a used one from ASC tech mth for less ! PS you need a email address sop a tech can help you unless you email them ! Asc tech

Alan

John,

Thank you immensely for posting the videos.  Not only are these helpful to analyzing your situation, but will also help with those of other folks who have a range of similar challenges with Protosound 1.

Your SD70MAC's chip is most likely not bad, just old.  The earliest Protosound units are very finicky with respect to startup and this locomotive appears to be one of them.  (What leads me to this conclusion is the fact that substituting the chip from a later Protosound 1 model, your T1, solves the problem.)

The sequence you must follow to get a good startup is much more precise with the earliest models.  This includes not only positioning of the throttle, and its movement, but the model of the transformer you use.

Follow this link for more detail, embedded within a previous poster's related question on Protosound 1:

   Rock island set MT-2127LP | Merlin

Be aware that there is also an alternative approach, which for whatever reason is quite different, that was published back in the day, apparently by MTH.  See this link:

   PS1 Cautionary Note | mort1345

Good luck, and let us know how things turn out.

Mike

Here's the list of affected locomotives.

---Click on graphic to enlarge---

Thank you for the responses. I will attempt the proceedures posted & respond tonight.

I did forget to say that I am using a MTH Z-4000 transformer which I borrowed from our club to try & reset this locomotive.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Here's the list of affected locomotives.

---Click on graphic to enlarge---

Hello John,

I own a few PS1 engines that is shown on this list.  Presently the engines run just fine as I've been careful with them.

What is your recommendation concerning engines found on this list?  Should they be upgraded and if so to what?

What would be the lowest cost option of the recommendation's?

Thanks!

As long as you keep a good battery in them, they should be fine.  Obviously, you can also go for a BCR.  Finally, you can order the replacement chip from MTH when they come back on-line, I believe it's around $30.

Thank you everyone, for the replies. Unfortunately, following the above procedures did not make any difference. The loco just sits there making engine sounds. I did see that a new MTH parts website will be online soon. I gusee I'll be looking for a replacement chip for this engine.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

As long as you keep a good battery in them, they should be fine.  Obviously, you can also go for a BCR.  Finally, you can order the replacement chip from MTH when they come back on-line, I believe it's around $30.

Thank you John for your recommendation.  I'll be looking for the replacement chip.  I presently do have BCR's in the engines.

Gunrunnerjohn,

Do you have a part number for the replacement chips? I checked the new MTH parts site, but didn't find this engine listed. Nor was I able to find replacement chips (other than the reset chip, which I don't think will help this situation)

@John1361 posted:

Thank you everyone, for the replies. Unfortunately, following the above procedures did not make any difference. The loco just sits there making engine sounds. I did see that a new MTH parts website will be online soon. I gusee I'll be looking for a replacement chip for this engine.

John,

There's one last method to try.  I alluded to it earlier but didn't provide any details.  You'll find them in this note, which was apparently published by MTH very early on.  It seems to contradict the methods that work for most of us and sometimes the contradiction is quite significant.

I think this is because it applies only to the very earliest PS1 systems.  Yours may be one of these.

Give it a try.

Thanks to @mort1345 providing this document in the thread I reference earlier called PS1 Cautionary Note | mort1345.

And good luck with your chip replacement if it comes to that.

Mike

Mellow Hudson Mike,

You provided a link to this in your earlier post. Thank you. I did try it, but had the same results. The engine starts up as normal (2 dings & diesel engine sounds) but will not do anything else. I also tried resetting the direction lock (just in case), but that didn't help either.