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I recently just acquired a Proto one MTH steam engine I’m completely unfamiliar with the first generation locomotives and was wondering other than just changing the battery what I should do to prep the engine to fire up for the first time. The engine looks in fantastic shape and I really can’t confirm that it’s ever been on the track that being said what should I do to prep the engine correctly so I don’t  run into any issues also .I have a test piece of track and a CW 80 for a transformer is that sufficient

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Well, I'd change the battery and make sure it's charged before trying to start the engine up.  Typically, if you buy a new NiMh 9V battery, they come charged, but I'd leave it 15-20 minutes on the track to make sure.

The CW-80 uniquely not suitable for running PS/1, I suggest you do NOT use that specific transformer.  It also, by no surprise, doesn't appear in the MTH Recommended Transformer List!

MTH PS1 Transformer Compatibility Chart

The CW-80 is most decidedly NOT a "pure sine wave" transformer, see below.

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  • MTH PS1 Transformer Compatibility Chart
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If you are new to PS-1 locomotives, I would not use a CW-80 transformer.  You can use the two together, but it takes some awareness. But for a 1st time user it'll just cause frustration.  And not all CW-80s are created equal.  I've got 4-5 of them (Don't remember off of the top of my head.) and one will run all my PS-1 locomotives just fine, and one will not run any but like 1-2 of them, and the rest are somewhere in the middle.  The main issues is due to not being a clean sine wave the horn/whistle on the locomotive will constantly sound, which can then lock the locomotive in neutral or a direction, or even keep it come leaving reset.  Having a lighted car on the track helps sometimes.  You track and locomotive wheels and pickup also have to be perfectly clean.  It's best to use a recommended transformer and go have fun playing trains instead.

@sinclair posted:

If you are new to PS-1 locomotives, I would not use a CW-80 transformer.  You can use the two together, but it takes some awareness. But for a 1st time user it'll just cause frustration.  And not all CW-80s are created equal.  I've got 4-5 of them (Don't remember off of the top of my head.) and one will run all my PS-1 locomotives just fine, and one will not run any but like 1-2 of them, and the rest are somewhere in the middle.  The main issues is due to not being a clean sine wave the horn/whistle on the locomotive will constantly sound,

has anyone tried using the little Lionel CW-40 40W transformer?

Is that transformer a pure sine wave? I do have a ZW and a KW to use so that is not a problem, but I might want to run some separate loops.

Good to know thanks guys. I was told by one of the shops I’ve been dealing with for the 3.0 boards that the diesels are being shipped out sometime this week and hopefully the steam conversions soon to follow so in the meantime I just want to make sure this engines working the way it should before I start to play around with it

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