MTH Z1000 Question

Well it appears that you have the transformer set up correctly.  You are getting voltage to the track and varied as you mentioned the activity of the cars.

Something would seem amiss with the engine.  We need more info.

The engine product number off the box.  Is it new to you and have you run it before?

New to me, but seller said he tested it and it ran great. Item # on box is 30-4208-0E. This also happens with my Lionchief America Proud GP38 which is brand new from the starter set I got.

Well both your engines are newer....the Railking is PS 2  3 volt from 2010 it appears.  A good choice.

And of course the Lionchief is new.

The fact that the cars light up on the track and respond with light intensity when you throttle the controller means you are set up okay.

The engines should respond in some way.

They just sit dark and silent?

Any way you can post a short video?

I somehow got it working. I think my coal tender wasn't plugged into the loco correctly. Seems to run fine now. Although whistle sounds a bit flat. Chuffed sound is awesome!

https://youtu.be/zSP7IMPsSMo

She seems to be working great now!

However, I agree, that whistle does sound odd.  Not sure what to say about that.

Someone else may chime in.

https://mthtrains.com/30-4208-1

MTH's web site shows this engine, a video and a short audio clip of sounds.

Your horn sound does not compare with what they show.

I'm reading the manual online and if it mentions the sound being garbled or distorted that I need to let the PS2 battery charge as it's low on juice.

I purchased an MTH NOS engine recently and when I first applied track power it had no engine sounds (horn & bell worked fine).  In place of engine sounds, it would only emit a piercing whistle.  I went through the start-up/shut down procedure a few times and it eventually ironed out.  All of that to say, I think letting the battery charge is a good idea.

Hi,

Since you have a UP 2-8-0 #607 you do not have a 30-4208.   The 30-4208-x (0= LocoSound or 1 = PS2) is a PRR 4-6-0.  I would guess a previous owner placed the engine in the wrong or an available box.

Watched your video and is sure sounds like a LocoSound engine...(nice, you don't have to worry about a battery and you still have cruise!!)

Welcome to the hobby!

S/F Mike

I've been thinking that as well, that it may be LocoSound. I looked under the tender and sure enough it says LocoSound. At speed the whistle sounds great, I'm actually liking it alot and it's already growing on me.

Just finished an operating session and was amazed at how well it ran. I looked at my UP GP38 and said "man you're cool but you got nothin on this steam locomotive."

Just a heads up I figured out why the locomotive wouldn't move when I gave it throttle. Last night it happened again and I found that it was in gear lock mode, so even if I switched gears it was still locked in neutral. The LocoSound locos have this function. I had to press the horn once and bell 3 times and the lock was removed and train ran again.