PS3 and CW-80

You have to try it, but PS engines are designed to work on Pure SW.  So some chopped waves will be worst than others.  G

It might work if you use a different setting then DCS. The PS-3 have two or three settings that you can set the switch to, so it might work with a CW-80. I will not say that it won't as I don't have a CW-80 to use.

PS-3 should work with the new ZW-L.

The best person to tell you would be Barry Broskowitz.

Lee Fritz

As GGG stated, you just have to try it to find out.

The mode of operation (DCS, DCC or conventional) shouldn't make much, if any, difference. Either the CW-80 will interfere or it won't.

Keep in mind that MTH hasn't placed the CW-80 on it's "approved for use with DCS" list, and that no one recommends that it be used with PS2 or PS3 engines.

Well, I'm not about to buy one to try with a CW-80.  So unless I see/hear otherwise PS3 locomotives are also on my do not buy list next to PS2 locomotives.  Thanks.

Sinclair,

With all your negative feelings toward MTH PS2 & PS3,  just don't buy any. This controversy has a long history on this Forum.  We don't need more flamethrowers here!

Dave G.

There is no negative feelings towards PS2/3.  I'm not a flamethrower.  There were some nice locomotives in the new MTH catalog but any locomotive I buy has to run via a CW-80 since that's what I have, and I'd rather spend my money on the rolling stock, not the power brick.  I know that PS2 locomotives won't run with a CW-80, but I didn't know about PS3s.  I was hoping MTH had fixed that problem.  If they haven't then my statement wasn't to fan any flames, but to merely state a fact for me.

The problem is not with MTH engines, it is a problem of perception.

MTH controllers also chop the sine wave and the engines work fine with them.

There is something about the way the CW-80 does the chopping that upsets PS2 electronics.

Personally I expect you will change your tune when you run into the lack of power pulling a passenger consist.

A CW-80 is a rather small wattage unit.

I'm up to 200 watts on my layout and It's not done growing.

I know the CW-80 is on the weak side, but I do smallish carpet layouts and the only permanent layout currently in the house is on a 3.5x5 foot plywood board under my son's bed.  The CW-80 bolts to the board perfect.  I have run my PS1 Dreyfuss Hudson and 7 matching cars just fine as well with the CW-80.  I know full well it isn't the best overall, but it is the best for what I do currently.  Lionel's Legacy locomotives work fine with the CW-80, so it's something MTH is doing in their electronics that makes them not compatible.  I really want to add a Erie Triplex to my barn, but they never made a PS1 version, and Lionel isn't likely to ever make one.  So I'll have to wait until the day I can actually make a larger permanent layout and then I'll be using the GW-180.  That one will run PS2/3 locomotives, right?

With all the locomotive "name dropping that you're doing, replacing a CW-80 with a $75 Z1000 is a drop in the financial bucket.

I have a PS2 swticher that originally pitched a fit when I tried to run with a CW80 and then I read about the caboose trick. Either run with a lighted caboose or have one powered somewhere on the track. I tried it and it worked nicely. That said, it was only the one PS2 aaaannd, I run all my PS2's and 3's on a Z1000. I switch over to the CW80 to run my Williams engines, the one Lionel that I have and a non proto MTH switcher. These all run better at low speeds with the CW80 and without complaint. Personally I am a little suspicious of the whole chopped sine thing. Not sure what the benefit is but it seems -- from what I have read on this forum -- like all engines would rather run on pure sine. For value and reliability I strongly prefer the PS2's over anything else.  I have quite a few.

Not when I've gotten most of them off of ebay for between $150-200.  And it's usually one or two a year.  Like I said at top, I have a Z-1000, and my locomotives seem to run worse with it then they do the CW-80.  I've chosen the CW-80 as common factor for my locomotives because I've got 4 of them as they come with Lionel starter sets, the young kids I have around handle trains better with them, and they are an all in one package, so they work fantastic for mounting to small layouts.  I just don't want to buy a locomotive that'll be limited on where I can run it.  Thank you all for the information, I have learned what I needed to learn.