M.T.H. premier shay User manual

Compatibility
This engine is available in 2-rail and
3-rail versions and will operate on any
traditional O-72 Gauge track system (3-rail)
or any 44” radius track system (2-rail).
It is also compatible with most standard
AC transformers and DC Power Packs.
(See page 21 for a complete list of compatible
transformers and wiring instructions.)
Premier Shay
Steam Engine
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
PLEASE READ BEFORE USE AND SAVE
Freight Yard Sound
July 2005

Table of Contents
Configuring Locomotive for 2-Rail or 3-Rail Operation 3
Installing/Removing Pickup Rollers 3
Configuring for 2-rail or 3-rail power input 3
Ensuring Proper Power to Track Polarity 4
Changing Track Polarity Inside Locomotive 4
Locomotive Coupler Options 5
Set Up Checklist 6
Lubrication and Greasing 6
Priming The Smoke Unit 6
Placing the Engine on the Track 7
Checking The Battery 7
Basic Operation 8
Throttle 8
Operating Buttons 8
Manual Volume Control 8
Proto-Sound 2.0 Operating Instructions 9
Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features 9
PSA/FYS 10
Proto-Coupler® Operation 11
Speed Control 12
Locking Locomotive Into ADirection 12
Reset To Factory Default 13
Automatic Sound Effects 13
Maintenance 13
Lubrication and Greasing Instructions 14
Cleaning the Wheels, Tires and Track 15
Locomotive Traction Tire Replacement 15
ProtoSmoke® Unit Operation 16
Locomotive Light Bulb Replacement 17
Self-Charging Battery Back-Up 18
Troubleshooting 19
Transformer Compatibility Chart 21
Recommended DC Power Supplies System 22
Additional Features with DCS Remote Control System 23
Service and Warranty Information 24
Authorized Service Centers 25
CAUTION: ELECTRICALLY OPERATED PRODUCT:
Not recommended for children under 10 years of age. M.T.H. recommends adult supervision with children ages 10 - 16.
As with all electric products, precautions should be observed during handling and use to reduce the risk of electric shock.
WARNING:When usingelectricalproducts, basicsafetyprecautionsshould be observed, including the following:
Readthis manual thoroughly before using this device.
M.T.H. recommends that all users and persons supervising use examine the hobby transformer and other electronic equipment
periodically for conditions that may result in the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons, such as damage to the primary
cord, plug blades, housing, output jacks or other parts. In the event such conditions exist, the train set should not be used until
properlyrepaired.
Donot operate your layout unattended. Obstructed accessories or stalled trainsmayoverheat,resultingindamagetoyourlayout.
Thistrain set is intended for indoor use. Do not useifwaterispresent. Seriousinjuryorfatalitymayresult.
Donot operate the hobby transformer with damaged cord, plug,switches,buttonsorcase.
•
•
•
•

Premier Shay Steam Locomotive 3
Configuring Locomotive for
2-Rail or 3-Rail Operation
Installing/Removing 3-Rail Pickup Rollers
Both 2-Rail and 3-Rail versions of
this locomotive can be configured
to operate on either 2-rail or 3-rail
track by removing or adding the
center rail pickups. 3-rail track
operation requires the pickups, 2-
rail track operation does not. The
pickups are factory installed on 3-
rail versions and packaged
separately in the locomotive box
for 2-rail versions. Each pickup
roller installs with a single phillips
screw seen in Figure 1. When
installing the pickup rollers, the
black metal spacer plate must be
removed. When the pickup rollers
are removed, replace the black
spacer plates.
Once you have configured the
engine for 2-rail or 3-rail operation,
you must manually select the
power input switch located under
the tender to 2-rail or 3-rail
operation as seen in figure 2.
Configuring for 2-Rail or 3-Rail Power Input
Figure 1: 3-Rail Pickups installed with a single Phillips Screw
Figure 2: Selecting 2-rail or 3-rail power input setting
2-Rail/3-Rail Switch
Accessing Controls
The controls and switches for the 2-rail/3-rail operation, DCS polarity, smoke unit,
and sound volume are located under the removable tender deck. To gain access tot
he controls, remove the top by grasping the reverse light shell and pulling up.
When replacing the cover make sure the reverse light bulb is properly inserted into
the reverse light shell.
Pickup Roller Locations

4
Ensuring Proper Power to Track Polarity
Figure 3: Proper 2-Rail polarity wiring and locomotive orientation
Changing Track Polarity Inside the Locomotive
Figure 4: Changing the polarity with the
locomotive polarity switch
For 2-rail DCS operation, it is important that the polarity from the transformer to the
engine is properly configured. Correct polarity can be accomplished by ensuring that
the wiring from the TIU to the track and orientation of the locomotive when sitting on
the track follows the illustration in Figure 3.
To TIU Black Terminal
To TIU Red Terminal
DCS Polarity Switch
Failing to properly configure the
polarity for 2-rail operations will
result in the locomotive starting in
reverse instead of forward or not
receiving the DCS signal. Should
this occur, it is not necessary to
swap the wires from the
transformer to the track or reverse
the locomotive’s orientation on the
track itself. Instead, simply slide
the polarity switch on the bottom
of the Tender as seen in Figure 4.
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5
Locomotive Coupler Options
Figure 6: 3-Rail Proto-Coupler and Connection
Figure 5: Pre-drilled Kadee® Coupler mounting holes
All 2-rail Shay models do not come
with couplers since many 2-rail
enthusiasts may utilize different
coupler types on their 2-rail
locomotives and cars. Each engine
and tender does have pre-drilled
holes for use when installing a
Kadee® scale coupler as seen in
Figure 5. Follow the individual
coupler installation instructions
when installing another
manufacturer’s coupler system.
Owners of 2-rail models who intend to run this locomotive on a 3-rail layout will
find M.T.H. Proto-couplers packed in the styrofoam box so that they may enjoy
remote uncoupling action anywhere on a layout. Simply remove the Kadee®
Coupler Brackets. Attach the Proto-couplers to the trucks with the supplied
connectors and connect the Proto-coupler wire inside the tender and the boiler.
Coupler
Connecter
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6
•Lubricate the locomotive
•Prime the smoke unit
•Check to see whether the battery needs to be charged for full sound effects
•Apply power to run as described in the Basic Operating Section of this manual
Set Up Checklist
Lubrication
You should lubricate the engine to prevent it from squeaking. Use light
household oil and follow the lubrication points marked “L” in Fig. 7. Do
not over-oil. Use only a drop or two on each pivot point.
Lubricate Wheel Axles (L)
Lubricate Wheel Axles (L)
Figure 7: Lubrication Points on the Locomotive
Priming the Smoke Unit
When preparing to run this engine, add
15-20 drops of smoke fluid through the
smokestack. We recommend M.T.H.
ProtoSmoke, Seuthe, LGB, or LVTS
fluids. Do not overfill the unit or the
fluid may leak out and coat the interior
engine components.
If you choose not to add the fluid (or
have already added the fluid but choose
to run smoke-free), turn off the smoke
unit switch located on top of the tender
(see Fig. 8). Failure either to add fluid
to the unit or to turn it off may
damage the smoke unit heating
element and/or wicking material.
Figure 8: Smoke Unit Switch Location
(Inside Tender Hatches)
Smoke Switch
Premier Shay Steam Locomotive
Lubricate Pick Up Rollers (L)

7
The engine and tender are semi-permanently connected by a drawbar. The engine and
tender must be lifted and handled together.
Use caution. Do not bend the drawbar.
Place the locomotive on the track make sure the reverse unit plug that extends out of
the engine coal bunker is securely plugged into the receptacle in the water tender.
WARNING: DO NOT CONNECT THIS ENGINE TOTENDER FROM
ANOTHER ENGINE; IT MAY CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE.
At this point, you are ready to begin running your engine.
Placing The Engine On The Track
Figure 9
Insert reverse unit
into the front of the tender.
Checking the Battery
You may find, if your locomotive was built several months before you set it up, that the
rechargeable battery has run down and needs to be charged before operating. If you
notice that the sounds are garbled, test and charge the engine as described in the "Self-
Charging Battery Back-Up" on page 18.
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Basic Operation
Throttle
Throttle up the power to your track. Give enough power so that the engine’s headlight
shines brightly. Then put the engine in to motion by either firmly pressing the
Direction button on your transformer or remote once or dropping and advancing to
throttle to put the engine in forward.
Operating Buttons
Use the operation buttons on your transformer as described below.
Horn/Whistle - To sound the whistle, firmly press the Horn/Whistle button. The
whistle will sound for as long as you continue to depress the button. It will stop when
you release the button. the whistle has four different endings, depending on whether
you hold the button for less than three seconds, three seconds, four seconds, five
seconds or longer.
Bell - To sound the bell, firmly press and release the Bell button.To turn the bell off,
press and release the Bell button again. The bell will continue to ring from the time
your turn it on until you press the release the button again to turn it off.
Direction - Your train is programmed to start in neutral. To put the engine into forward
and then to change the direction of the train or to put it into neutral, firmly press and
release the Direction button on your transformer. Just as you must stop your car
between forward and reverse, this engine will not go directly from forward to reverse;
it goes into neutral between directions. If the train has been moving forward, the first
press of the Direction button will put the train from forward into neutral, the second
press into reverse, the third press back into neutral, and the fourth back into forward.
To prevent accidental high-speed start-ups, this engine is programmed to restart in
neutral each time the track voltage is turned off or 10 seconds or more.
Manual Volume Control
To adjust the volume of all sounds
made by this engine, turn the master
volume control knob located under the
water hatch on the tender deck
clockwise to increase the volume and
counter-clockwise to decrease the
volume.
Proto-Sound 2.0 Volume Adjustment Knob
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Proto-Sound 2.0 Operating Instructions
This manual contains the operating instructions for Proto-Sound 2.0 in conventional
mode only. Instructions for accessing DCS command mode features accompany the
DCS Remote Control System equipment.
Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features
Proto-Sound 2.0 features are activated by sequences of Bell and Horn button pushes
described below. Please read the full descriptions of each feature before using it. To
use these buttons to activate features rather than to blow the horn or ring the bell, you
should tap the buttons very quickly with a ½-second pause between button presses.
You may need to practice your timing to make this work smoothly.
Timing Chart
Total Time Lapse: 1 Seconds½
Press
Horn
Short &
Firm
½ Sec.
Pause ½ Sec. Pause
Press
Bell
Short &
Firm
Press
Bell
Short &
Firm
Feature to Be Activated Button Code:
Freight Yard or Passenger Station Sounds
Fire the Rear Coupler
Fire the Front Coupler
Speed Control On/Off
Lock into a Direction
Reset to Factory Defaults
1 Bell, 2 Horn/Whistles
1 Bell, 3 Horn/Whistles
1 Bell, 4 Horn/Whistles
1 Horn/Whistle, 2 Bells (from Neutral only)
1 Horn/Whistle, 3 Bells
1 Horn/Whistle, 5 Bells (from Neutral only)
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Your engine is equipped with a sound package of passenger station announcements that
you can play when you pull into a station. Each sequence described below will play as
long as it is left on, randomly generating sounds, but be sure to allow approximately 30
seconds between the button pushes described below to allow the PSA/FYS sufficient
time to run through each sequence.
•To cue the sound system to play the PSA/FYS, quickly but firmly tap the Bell
button once followed by 2 quick taps of the Horn button while the engine is
moving. Tap the buttons quickly but allow approximately ½ second between
each press.
• Press the Direction button once to stop the engine. This will trigger the first
sequence of PSA/FYS. The reverse unit is temporarily disabled so that the train
will not move as you use the Direction button to trigger the sounds, and Proto-
Sound 2.0 has disabled operator control over the Horn and Bell buttons until
the full PSA/FYS. sequence is complete.
•After waiting about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the Direction
button again to trigger the second sequence of PSA/FYS.
•After about 30 seconds, press the Direction button again to trigger the third
PSA/FYS sequence.
•Again, after allowing about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the
Direction button one more time to trigger the fourth and final PSA/FYS
sequence. The PSA/FYS will continue, and within a few seconds, the engine
and bell will start and move out on its own at the current throttle setting, in the
same direction it was traveling when you began the sequence. Once the bell
turns off, the operator regains control of the transformer's bell and Horn
buttons and can ring the bell or blow the Horn as usual.
Passenger StationAnnouncements (PSA)/
Freight Yard Sounds (FYS)
+
Sound System Cued to Play
Freight Yard or Passenger
Station Sounds (FYS)/(PSA)
Horn/
Whistle
Bell
Direction
1st
Sequence
FYS/PSA
+
Direction
2nd
Sequence
FYS/PSA
+
Direction
3rd
Sequence
FYS/PSA
+
Direction
4th
Sequence
FYS/PSA
=Operator
Controls
When Bell
Turns Off
Horn/
Whistle
Horn/
Whistle
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Tips on Using PSA/FYS
•You can terminate PSA/FYS at any time by turning off power to the track for 15
seconds.
•You do not have to be in Forward to use PSA/FYS.At the conclusion of the full
sequence, the train will pull away from the station in whatever direction you were
going when you activated the feature.
•You can use PSA/FYS even if you are double-heading with another engine. If the
second engine is not equipped with Proto-Sound 2.0, you must remember not to leave
the throttle at a high voltage level once you have stopped the engine to run the
PSA/FYS. Otherwise, the engine without PSA/FYS will begin vibrating on the track
as its motors strain to move the train, since they cannot be automatically disabled
during the PSA cycle (or if an original Proto-Sound engine, PSA/FYS are triggered
differently and that engine's motor-disable feature will not be active when you run
PSA/FYS in Proto-Sound 2.0).
•PSA/FYS can be triggered from Neutral. It will operate the same as if triggered while
in motion except that, at the conclusion of the PSA/FYS, the engine will depart in the
next direction of travel, as opposed to the direction it was traveling before entering
Neutral.
Proto-Coupler® Operation
This locomotive is equipped with one or more coil-wound Proto-Couplers for remote
uncoupling action. Because Proto-Couplers are controlled through the Proto-Sound 2.0
microprocessor, they do not require an uncoupling track section or modification to your
layout to function. You can fire a coupler from neutral or while in motion. Use the
code shown below (and in the chart on p. 7) to fire the coupler(s).
Rear Coupler:
To fire the rear coupler, quickly tap the Bell button once followed by three quick taps of
the Horn button, allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button
press. The sound of the liftbar and air line depletion will play, and the knuckle will be
released.
Front Coupler:
To fire the front coupler (if your engine has one), quickly tap the Bell button once
followed by four quick taps of the Horn button, allowing approximately ½ second to
lapse between each quick button press. The sound of the liftbar and air line depletion
will play, and the knuckle will be released.
Horn Horn
Fire
Rear
Coupler
=
Horn
Bell
Horn Horn
Fire
Front
Coupler
=
Horn Horn
Bell
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M.T.H. engines equipped with Proto-Sound 2.0 have speed control capabilities that
allow the engine to maintain a constant speed up and down grades and around curves,
much like an automobile cruise control. You can add or drop cars on the run, and the
engine will maintain the speed you set.
While the engine is programmed to start with the speed control feature activated, you
can opt to turn it off. This means the engine's speed will fall as it labors up a hill and
increase as it travels downward. It is also affected by the addition or releasing of cars
while on the run. Because the engine will run more slowly at a given throttle voltage
when speed control is on than when it is off, you should adjust the throttle to a lower
power level for operation with speed control off to avoid high-speed derailments.
When speed control is off, the volume will drop to allow for better low voltage
operation.
To turn speed control on and off, put the engine in neutral, then quickly tap the
transformer's Horn button one time then quickly tap the Bell button two times,
allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button press. Two horn
blasts will indicate that the engine has made the change. Repeat the 1 horn, 2 bells
code to return it to the other condition. You will want to do this during the initial
neutral upon start-up if you ever couple this engine to another engine that is not
equipped with speed control to avoid damaging the motors in either engine. Each time
you shut down the engine completely, it will automatically turn speed control on.
Speed Control
Horn
Place
Engine into
Neutral
Bell Bell
=
Speed Control
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal Condition
Locking Locomotive Into ADirection
You can lock your engine into a direction (forward, neutral, or reverse) so that it will not change
directions. To do this, put the engine into the direction you want (or into neutral to lock it into
neutral), run it at a very slow crawl (as slowly as it will move without halting), and quickly but
firmly tap the Horn button once followed by three quick taps of the Bell button, allowing
approximately ½ second to lapse between each quick button press. Two horn blasts will indicate
that the engine has made the change. The engine will not change direction (including going into
neutral) until you repeat the 1 horn, 3 bells code to return the engine to its normal condition, even
if the engine is kept without power for extended periods of time.
Horn
Place
Engine into
Desired
Direction
Horn
Bell Bell Bell
=
Direction Lock
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal Condition
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Automatic Sound Effects
Certain Proto-Sound 2.0 sound effects automatically play in programmed conventional
mode conditions:
Squealing Brakes: Play any time the engine's speed decreases rapidly.
Cab Chatter: Plays at random intervals when the engine idles in neutral.
Engine Start-up and Shut-down: Sounds play when the engine is initially
powered on or is powered off for five seconds or more.
Reset to Factory Default
To override the settings you currently have assigned to the engine and reset it to its
factory defaults, while in Neutral tap the Horn button quickly once, followed by five
quick taps of the Bell button, allowing approximately ½ second to lapse between each
quick button press. Two horn blasts will indicate that the engine has made the change.
Reset
Two Horn Blasts
(indicates change is made)
Repeat to Return
to Normal Condition
Horn
Place
Engine in
Neutral =
BellBellBellBellBell
Premier Shay Steam Locomotive
Maintenance
To remove the boiler shell, remove the three screws indicated in figure 11a. Then
carefully separate the telescoping drive shaft sections while separating the boiler and
the chassis.
To remove the tender shell remove the four screws shown in figure 11b.

14
This engine should be oiled and greased in order to run properly. The Shay
unlike conventional rod driven locomotives has many expose gears in the
drive train and on the wheels. You should apply a light coating of grease to
the exposed gears
You should regularly lubricate all gears, rods and linkage components and pick-up
rollers on the engine and tender toprevent them from squeaking. Use light house hold
oil and follow the lubrication points marked “L” in Figure 7. Do not over oil. Use only
a drop or two on each pivot.
Lubricating and Greasing Instructions
Figure 11: Removing the Body
The locomotive’s internal gearing was greased at the factory and should not need
additional grease until after 50 hours of operation or one year, whichever comes first.
To access the gear box and axles, do the following:
1. Unscrew the Grease screw as shown in Figure 12 and use an applicator to apply
grease into these screw holes.
Figure 12: Greasing points on the engine and location of body mount screws
Grease Screw (G) Body Mount Screws
Grease Side Gears (G)
Premier Shay Steam Locomotive
Pick up Rollers (L)
Wheel Axles (L) Wheel Axles (L)
Grease Side Gears (G)Grease Side Gears (G)

15
Periodically check the locomotive wheels and pickups
for dirt and buildup, which can cause poor electrical
contact and traction as well as prematurely wear out the
neoprene traction tires.
Wheels and tires can be cleaned using denatured (not
rubbing) alcohol applied with a cotton swab.
Tire Traction Replacement Instructions
Your Locomotive is equipped with 6 neoprene rubber traction tires. Two traction tires
are on the rear wheel sets of the front engine trucks and two traction tires are on the
front wheel set of the tender truck. While these tires are extremely durable, you may
need to replace them at some point.
1. Remove the Truck Sideframes. This will allow the wheel sets to be lifted out of the
truck. The screws can be accessed from the bottom of the trucks.
2. Make sure the old tire has been completely removed from the groove in the drive
wheel, using a razor blade or small flathead screwdriver to pry away any remains.
3. Slip the new tire onto the wheel. You may find it useful to use two small flathead
screwdrivers to stretch the tire over the wheel.
4. If you twist the tire while stretching it over the wheel, you will need to remove and
reinstall the tire. Otherwise your engine will wobble while operating.
5. Make sure the tires are fully seated inside the groove. Use a razor blade to trim away
any excess tire that doesn’t seat itself inside the groove properly.
6. Replace the wheel sets in the truck and re-install the truck side frames. When re-
installing the truck sideframes make sure the telescopic drive lives are re-connected.
One set of replacement tires is packaged with your model. Additional sets are
available directly from the M.T.H. Parts Department (phone: [phone];
e-mail: [email protected]; mail: 7020 Columbia Gateway Drive,
Columbia MD 21046-1532).
Cleaning the Wheels, Tires and Track
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16
Proto-Smoke Unit Operation
This locomotive contains a smoke unit that outputs smoke through the smokestack on
the boiler of the engine. The smoke unit is essentially a small heating element and wick
that soaks up and then heats a mineral oil-based fluid that emits a harmless smoke. The
smoke is then forced out of the stack by a small electric fan. With a few easy
maintenance steps, you should enjoy trouble-free smoke unit operation for years.
When preparing to run this engine, add 15-20 drops of
smoke fluid through the smokestack (see figure ). We
recommend M.T.H. ProtoSmoke, Seuth, LGB, or LVTS
fluids (a small pipette of ProtoSmoke fluid is included).
Do not over fill the unit or the fluid may leak out and
coat the interior engine components.
If you choose not to add the fluid (or have already
added the fluid but choose to run smoke free), turn off
the smoke unit switch located under the tender body.
(see figure ) Failure to either add fluid to the unit or to
turn it off may damage the smoke unit heating
element and/or wicking material.
When the smoke output while running begins to
diminish, add another 10-15 drops of smoke fluid or
turn the smoke unit off.
When storing the unit for extended periods of time,
you may want to add about 15 drops of fluid to
prevent the wick from drying out.
After removing the engine from storage, add another
25 drops of fluid, letting the wick soak up the fluid for
15 minutes prior to operation.
If you experience poor or no smoke output when the
smoke unit is on and has fluid, check the wick to see
if it has become hard, blackened, and non-absorbent
around the heating element. Remove 2 end bracket
screws to gain access to the smoke unit. Remove the
smoke unit from the boiler. Remove the smoke unit
inspection cover from the smoke unit’s body. (see
figure ) After removing the chassis and inspection cover screws, lift the inspection plate
away and inspect the wick. If it is darkly discolored and hard, it should be replaced.
You can obtain replacement wicks and instructions from the M.T.H. Parts Department.
Add Smoke Fluid
Smoke Inspection Cover Screws
On/Off Smoke Switch
Figure 13: Add Smoke Fluid
Figure 14: Smoke Switch
Figure 15: Smoke Unit Inspection Cover
Premier Shay Steam Locomotive

Light Bulb Replacement
To replace the light bulb in the locomotive, follow these instructions and see the
diagrams below:
Remove the locomotive boiler from its chassis as shown in figure 4a on page 14.
Once the boiler has been removed from the chassis, remove the smoke unit from the
boiler to gain access to the headlight connector. Next separate the connector as shown
in figure 9. Carefully pull the bulb through the grommet in the bottom of the headlight
shell. The headlight shell can be removed from the boiler to make the removal and
replacement of the bulb easier as seen in figures and . Thread the wires and the light
bulb back through the hole in the boiler. Last, install the new bulb using the reverse
procedure.
You can obtain replacement bulbs directly from the M.T.H. Parts Department.
Light Bulb
Figure 16: Replacing the Headlight Figure 17: Replacing the Headlight
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The special NiCad 2.4v self-charging battery recharges continuously during train
operation and should last for up to five years. The battery is a dry battery that should
not leak or cause any damage to your engine. Depending upon when your engine was
built, it may need to be charged right out of the box. If engine sounds seem distorted
or garbled at low voltages or become silent when power from the transformer is turned
off, test the battery to determine whether it should be recharged or replaced.
Test: Put the engine in neutral and leave the track voltage at 10-12 volts (high enough
for the lights to shine brightly) for 15 minutes.
Recharge: If the sounds are improved at the end of the 15-minute test charge, the
battery charge has run down and can be recharged. There are a number of ways you
can do this:
- Leave the engine in neutral with track voltage at 10-12 volts for 6-7 hours so
the battery can fully recharge (if your engine has a smoke unit, be sure it is
turned off).
-Use M.T.H.'s battery recharger (sold separately) that plugs into a wall outlet
and a special port under the engine to recharge the battery overnight without
leaving it on the track.
Replace: If the sounds are not improved at the end of the 15-minute test charge, it is
time to replace the battery. Available through M.T.H. Parts.
Self Charging Battery Backup
Figure 19: Replacing the Battery Figure 20: Battery Port
Battery Port
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Starting Up
Horn
Bell
Remedy
Remedy
Remedy
When I first turn the power on, the engine
will not begin to run.
The engine will not start after I press the
Direction button.
My engine sounds are distorted and garbled.
I can't get the horn to blow when I press the
Horn button.
I can't get the bell to ring when I press the
bell button.
You may be pressing the button too quickly. Try
pressing the Horn button more slowly, taking
approximately one full second to fully depress the
button.
You may be pressing the button too quickly. Try
pressing the bell button more slowly, taking
approximately one full second to fully depress the
button.
This is normal behavior. To prevent accidental
high-speed start-ups, Proto-Sound 2.0 is
programmed to start up in neutral anytime track
power has been turned off for several seconds. See
the "Basic Operation" section for more details.
You may not be sending enough power to the track
to power the engine. Rotate throttle clockwise to
increase track power.
The battery may have run down, especially if the
engine has been in storage for some time. See the
"Self-Charging Battery Back-Up" section of this
operator’s manual for how to test, recharge, and (if
necessary) replace the battery.
Coupler Remedy
When I try to fire the coupler, FYS starts.
The Proto-Coupler won't let the engine
uncouple on the fly.
The coupler does not fire or stay coupled.
The rear coupler does not fire, but coupler
sounds play.
You are waiting too long between Horn button
presses. See the timing instructions located at the
beginning of the "Proto-Sound 2.0 Operating
Instructions" section.
Try lubricating the coupler knuckle and rivet with
a dry graphite lubricant.
The coupler needs to be cleaned. Wipe with
denatured alcohol (not rubbing alcohol) and let
dry.
Check position of Auxiliary Proto-Coupler
Control Switch. Switch Should be in the “OFF”
position for the rear coupler to fire.
Cab Chatter Remedy
Sometimes the Cab Chatter sounds don't
play. Cab Chatter plays only in neutral at random
intervals.
Although Proto-Sound 2.0 has been designed and engineered for ease of use, you may
have some questions during initial operation. The following table should answer most
questions. If your problem cannot be resolved with this table, contact M.T.H. for
assistance (telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; [email protected],
7020 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia MD 21046-1532).
Troubleshooting Proto-Sound® 2.0 Problems
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20
Volume Remedy
The sounds seem distorted, especially when
the Horn or bell is activated.
No Sound
Proto-Sound 2.0 volume is set too high. Turn the
volume control knob on the bottom of the chassis
counter-clockwise to reduce the volume.
Volume is set too low, adjust volume control knob
on the bottom of the chassis clockwise to increase
the volume or check connector to speaker.
Battery Remedy
The engine will not leave the initial neutral
setting.
I get no sounds when the engine shifts
between directions.
After I turn off my transformer, my engine
continues to make sounds before quitting.
Check to be sure the battery is installed and fully
charged. See the "Self-Charging Battery Back-
Up" section.
The battery may be dead or need to be charged.
See the "Self-Charging Battery Back-Up" section.
Proto-Sound 2.0 is designed to continue to sound
for a few seconds after power to the track has
been shut off to allow for a more realistic shut-
down.
Lock-out Remedy
I can't get the engine to run after I power up
the transformer. It sits still with the diesel
and compressor sounds running.
The engine won't lock into forward, neutral,
or reverse.
The engine maybe locked into the neutral
position. Follow the procedure in the "Lock into a
Direction" section to unlock the engine's direction.
Engine speed must be below 10 scale mph
(approx. 10 volts or less in conventional mode).
PSA Remedy
Once in PSA, the engine doesn’t go into
reverse.
When the PSA enters its last sequence the
bell automatically comes on
When PSA is enabled, pressing the whistle
and bell has no effect
I push the direction button but the next
sound clip in the sequence does not play or
the engine does not come out of PSA after
fourth press of the direction button.
So that PSA effects can be as realistic as
possible, Proto-Sound 2.0 disables the
reversing unit whenever PSA is enabled.
This way the engine remains still at its stop
as the operator cycles through the PSA
sequences.
PSA is programmed to start ringing the bell
at that point. After approximately 12
seconds, it will automatically turn off.
Because PSA must control various effects in
each sequence, Proto-Sound 2.0 takes
control of these sound effects until you exit
PSA
Each PSA clip must play for aprox. 30
seconds before PSA will advance to the next
step in the PSA cycle. Wait at least 30
seconds in each PSA sound clip before
pressing the direction button.
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