Hello, and MTH DCC help needed


Hi, have MTH, loco, which has protosound 3, and sound works fine. As does it, running on DC. However, it refuses to move on DCC. Help. john
A: how old is it, because there were 2 "phases" of Ps3.
B: Have you selected the road number on your DCC control cab and pressed enter to have that number appear in your cab's display. Supposedly all DCC capable MTH Ps3 locos had the address preset from the factory but sometimes they had to be manually installed, a sometimes longish process.
 
Hi, thanks. Starting works. Loco sounds come on, all sounds work, but it r efuses to move on DCC. Did when i first had it, but tried to change from 03, as have another, bigger loco, on 03. I use Hornby Elite for control. which will be unknown to you, but it has ability to program on main. It runs perfectly on DC. I think i have to find a way back to factory settings, that the prob
 
Hi, thanks. Starting works. Loco sounds come on, all sounds work, but it r efuses to move on DCC. Did when i first had it, but tried to change from 03, as have another, bigger loco, on 03. I use Hornby Elite for control. which will be unknown to you, but it has ability to program on main. It runs perfectly on DC. I think i have to find a way back to factory settings, that the prob
To reset:
Dial up address 55
Ops mode on main
CV55
set to 55
Remove from track power for five seconds.
Some of the older PS3 decoders would not "take" DCC programming, and would have to have either the decoder or the capacitors replaced.
 
To reset:
Dial up address 55
Ops mode on main
CV55
set to 55
Remove from track power for five seconds.
Some of the older PS3 decoders would not "take" DCC programming, and would have to have either the decoder or the capacitors replaced.
Interesting. A fellow clubber had me try to set up his Little Joe for him, a ProtoSound 3 just like mine. His, however wouldn't take a new DCC address despite being otherwise responsive to commands. Even CV55 didn't help me.

Hi, thanks. Starting works. Loco sounds come on, all sounds work, but it r efuses to move on DCC. Did when i first had it, but tried to change from 03, as have another, bigger loco, on 03. I use Hornby Elite for control. which will be unknown to you, but it has ability to program on main. It runs perfectly on DC. I think i have to find a way back to factory settings, that the prob
As was said, programming CV55 to a value of 55 is sort of a blunt force way to go back to factory settings. I've encountered an MTH locomotive that refused all programming until I did this, and since then it runs just fine. You'll come to learn that MTH stuff requires you to be as stubborn as it is.
 
Some of the older PS3 decoders would not "take" DCC programming, and would have to have either the decoder or the capacitors replaced.
That was the reason I asked if it was an early or late PS3 I have one in the line to have a Tsunami2 decoder installed, but this requires ripping out all of the old DCS/DCC/DC decoder. It also has dud Capacitors and won't hold a long address in the decoder because of that, only the default "3" address all DCC decoders come with factory installed. What you need to know about addresses, is, as I just said, is that you can either use that one all the time' IF it will be the only DCC loco on the layout. Otherwise you must choose another individual number for each one. These small numbers are called "short" addresses and of a limited number available. If your DCC controller has the capability, you can also choose long or otherwise called extended addressing. Normally the road number displayed on the locos cabside or numberboards is used so that you have visual reminder when choosing the loco to control. As I previosly said, MTH programs the loco to that "long" number ex factory. Before I go any further, because MTH require a more complicated method to install or change that pre installed address, try entering that long address into your controller and see if it will move on that. If it doesn't, then it's been messed with and will need resetting and reprogrammingIf yu run it on the short address and you have others (you mentioned a Little Joe) then it will need it's default 3, changed to another default number. Generally speaking, running on default addresses is not advised as they are what you want available to return to if something goes wrong when programming some other feature and the engine becomes completely unresponsive. So use the long ones if you can. If, also as mentioned, you find when running that after say, a short circuit (derailment etc.an engine won't respond again to the control until the address is re-programmed, it has dud capacitors too.
 
Thanks guys. I am 77, and disabled. I tried once before to return to factory settings, without success, so may in error have changed loco number, from 03. When i follow your instructions, it asks for loco no, eg, 003. I have tried again, inserting 55, in cv55, to no avail. Is there a way i can either check what number loco is, or avoid this step, as i think that this may be why i dont succeed. My Controller, will not read cvs on the main, and when i put on prog track, everything is 255. MYH do sat in some cases you need a booster on your prog track, which i do not have. All sounds remain fine, and loco starts with double click on function 3. I live in the middle of Rural France, with no model shops, within 200 miles. Surely there must be a way to find out what number the loco is, EG 003, or whatever. Sorry to be a pain, but feel sure, one of you, will have a clever solution. thanks. john
 
Just to add to your MTH woes, The owner of that brand stopped manufacturing, and was not too hot when he was on parts availability etc. Last I read he was in negotiations with his ex employees to take it over, but have not seen anything else. Maybe someone else has?
Thanks guys. I am 77, and disabled. I tried once before to return to factory settings, without success, so may in error have changed loco number, from 03. When i follow your instructions, it asks for loco no, eg, 003. I have tried again, inserting 55, in cv55, to no avail. Is there a way i can either check what number loco is, or avoid this step, as i think that this may be why i dont succeed. My Controller, will not read cvs on the main, and when i put on prog track, everything is 255. MYH do sat in some cases you need a booster on your prog track, which i do not have. All sounds remain fine, and loco starts with double click on function 3. I live in the middle of Rural France, with no model shops, within 200 miles. Surely there must be a way to find out what number the loco is, EG 003, or whatever. Sorry to be a pain, but feel sure, one of you, will have a clever solution. thanks. john
What is the number on the side of the loco's cab or on it's number boards?
 
Lehigh Valley 530 Alco FA-1/FB1 (PS3) engineers guide Protosound 3.
OK, Set your loco on a live track (or turn it on after the loco is on it) power it up with F3. select loco and type in those numbers 530 (nothing else, no other zeros) and press enter. (it may be the other way around i.e. Select and enter first, then power up with F3). select direction of travel and advance the throttle. It should then move. Try that, let me know if it does. In the window of your controller it should say LOC: 530 on the top line.
 
Tootnkumin, hi, thank you. You obviously have a different control system to me. I have a DCS, Commander, which i could connect, but at present am using DCC, with a Hornby elite, which runs all my DCC locos, including my other MTH, loco, which is still on 003. In order to run my locos, i press loco, dial up its given number, 06, 07, 02, whatever, and then advance controller. There is no facility for the loco name, or number, to appear, only 06, etc. I will go upstairs and happily try your solution, and report back. I have, everything crossed, as the village children are coming here on friday, and i would like my 2 MTH, locos, to perform their chatter routine. I am extremely grateful for all advice received so far, and thank you all for taking the time to read my problems. By pressing function 3, the loco sound comes on, and the loco starts up.
 
Hi, have just tried, but, no success. Loco, happily starts up. What would be nice, if there was something like a fall back code, eg, 0000, when locos were not communicating. I dont know, whether cv is still 03, or 25, which is what i hoped i had changed it to, from memory, last time.. Why does it run happily, on DC. Presume this is just a case of finding a way to communicate with loco. If i re connected the DCS Commander, using is as a pass through, would/ could that help
 
Hi, have just tried, but, no success. Loco, happily starts up. What would be nice, if there was something like a fall back code, eg, 0000, when locos were not communicating. I dont know, whether cv is still 03, or 25, which is what i hoped i had changed it to, from memory, last time.. Why does it run happily, on DC. Presume this is just a case of finding a way to communicate with loco. If i re connected the DCS Commander, using is as a pass through, would/ could that help
There is, sort of.
Dial up address 55. That is the beginning of resetting. Do not use any other address or number, it will not work.
Then program on the main, cv55 to value of 55. IIRC, when you are successful, the horn on the engine will blow. After that, rock the engine off one rail to break contact, then dial up address 3, and see if it reset.
 
Hi, have just tried, but, no success. Loco, happily starts up. What would be nice, if there was something like a fall back code, eg, 0000, when locos were not communicating. I dont know, whether cv is still 03, or 25, which is what i hoped i had changed it to, from memory, last time.. Why does it run happily, on DC. Presume this is just a case of finding a way to communicate with loco. If i re connected the DCS Commander, using is as a pass through, would/ could that help
The number you are using is the default number that all DCC decoders use, programmed in at the factory that makes them, to be used as the "fall back" or "last resort" address when all others that have been programmed in have become inaccessible through something "going awry". It really is not meant to be used for general running control. DCS and DCC must never ever be applied to the track together with engines on it (or at any other time unless you want to screw the whole lot up) They're totally incompatible, neither is DC. They are 3 totally different current wave lengths. Don't ever do it. The fact that the decoder can detect the type it is being supplied with is a bit of "magic" inbuilt into them. The decoders in MTH locos have 3 separate capabilities is the easiest way to describe it. Your controller is, quite frankly, not really suitable for the technology you are using, but that's probably still not the cause of the problem. Sounds to me that it's more likely a failure in the decoder or those capacitators mounted on it, as Terry also mentioned. With the closure of the Brand, getting a new one might not be possible.
 
thank you. My son bought the DCS Commander, from MTH, directly, having spoken at length to their sales team. Its pass through mode is specifically designed to work with DCC, so that you can run DCS locos, on your layout. Not, of course at the same time as my non DCS locos. I agree about the 03 usage, but having paid some 400 plus dollars for loco, did not want to do, what i may have done to this one, by changing running number. My controller, is well qualified, being totally compliant, and fully accepted throughout Europe, but obviously, barely known or u
 



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