MTHTrains Premier Santa Fe 4-6-4 Hudson Steam... User manual

Compatibility
This engine is available in 2-rail and 3-rail
versions an will operate on any traditional O-
42 Gauge track system(3-rail) or any 40”
radius 2-rail track system. It is also
compatible with most standard AC and DC
transformers. (See page 23 for a complete list
of compatible transformers and wiring
instructions.)
Premier
Santa Fe 4-6-4
Hudson Steam
Locomotive
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
PLEASE READ BEFORE USE AND SAVE

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............................................................................................. 6
Priming The Smoke Unit....................................................................... 6
Checking The Battery............................................................................ 7
Basic Operation.................................................................................................... 8
Activating Features................................................................................ 8
Proto-Sound 2.0 Operating Instructions........................................................... 9
Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features.................... 9
Passenger Station Announcements (PSA)............................................. 10
Proto-Coupler® Operation.................................................................... 11
Speed Control........................................................................................ 12
Locking Locomotive Into A Direction.................................................. 12
Reset To Factory Default....................................................................... 13
Automatic Sound Effects....................................................................... 13
Maintenance......................................................................................................... 14
Lubricating and Greasing Instructions................................................... 14
Cleaning The Wheels, Tires and Track.................................................. 15
Traction Tire Replacement Instructions................................................. 15
Headlight Replacement Instructions...................................................... 17
Self Charging Battery Back-Up............................................................. 18
ProtoSmoke® Unit Operation................................................................ 19
Troubleshooting Proto-Sound® 2.0 Problems....................................... 21
Transformer Compatibility and Wiring Chart....................................... 23
Additional Features Accessible Of DCS Remote Control System........ 24
Service & Warranty Information........................................................... 25
Limited One-Year Warranty.................................................................. 25

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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 opperate on either 2-rail or 3-rail
track by removing or adding the
center rail pickups. 3-rail rack
operation requires the pickups, 2-
ral track operation does not. The
pickups are factory installed on 3-
rail versions and packaged
seperately in the locomotive box
for 2-rail versions. Each pickup
roller installs with a single phillips
screw seen in Figure 1.
Once you have configured the
engine for 2-rail or 3-rail operation,
you must manually select the
power input switch located in the
first tender top hatch for 2 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

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Ensuring Proper Power to Track Polariy
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.
Failing to properly configure the
polarity 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 located in the second top
hatch on the tender as seen in
Figure 4.
To TIU Black Terminal
To TIU Red Terminal
DCS Polarity Switch
2-Rail / 3-Rail Switch
(The DCS Polarity Switch should be moved
toward the rail that is connected to the red
terminal of the TIU.)
DCS Polarity Switch

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Figure 6: 3-Rail Proto-Coupler
Changing Track Polarity Inside the Locomotive
Figure 5: Pre-drilled Kadee® Coupler mounting holes
All 2-rail locomotive models do
not come with a rear coupler since
many 2-rail enthusiasts may utilize
different coupler types on their 2-
rail locomotives and cars. Each
tender does not 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 may wish to purchase
a seperately sold M.T.H. Proto-
Coupler (M.T.H. Item Number DD-
0000033) and bracket so that they
may enjoy remote uncoupling
action anywhere on a layout. The
Proto-Couplers are vailable
directly from the M.T.H. Parts
Department (phone: 410-381-
2580l; email: parts@mth-
railking.com; mail: 7020
Columbia Gateway Drive,
Columbia Maryland 21046-1532).

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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. 1. Do
not over-oil. Use only a drop or two on each pivot point.
Lubricate Axle Bushings (L)
Lubricate Pick Up Rollers (L)
Lubricate Side Rods and Linkage (L) (Both Sides)
Drawbar Screw
Lubricate Axle Bushings (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

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Place the engine on the track, then insert the reverse unit plug that extends out of the
tender into the receptacle at the back of the boiler cab (Figure 9. WARNING: DO
NOT CONNECT THIS ENGINE TOA TENDER FROM ANOTHER ENGINE;
IT MAY CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE. Look at the bottom of the engine and tender
where each will have a color-coded stamp. If they match you may connect those two
pieces; if not, don’t.
Connect the draw bar between the engine and tender. The draw bar hole located
farthest from the tender is for applications such as display. The second hole is for
normal operation on the track.
At this point, you are ready to begin running your engine.
Placing The Engine On The Track
Figure 9
Plug Tender Plug into
Boiler Socket at back of cab.
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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The Throttle knob controls how fast your train will travel.
Turn the throttle knob up ½-way, until the engine and caboose lights shine bright.
Put the engine into motion by pressing the Direction button on your transformer once.
(hold it for approximately 1 second)
If the engine does not begin to move as soon as you firmly press the Direction button,
you may not have sent enough voltage to the track to make the train move. Turn the
throttle up a bit higher until the train begins to move.
Activating Features
Throttle - To increase or decrease track voltage, and therefore train speed, turn the
throttle control knob. Turning clockwise will increase voltage and speed, while turning
counterclockwise will decrease voltage and speed. The engine will maintain the speed
you set after you release the throttle until you turn it again to change the voltage and
speed.
Bell - To sound the bell, in an engine equipped with a 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 you turn it on until you press and release the button again
to turn it off.
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.
Direction - Your train is programmed to start in
neutral. The train will always cycle neutral-forward-
neutral-reverse with each press and release of the
direction button. The engine is programmed to restart
in neutral each time the track voltage is turned off for
25 seconds or more.
Basic Operation
Proto-Sound 2.0
Volume Adjustment
Knob
Manual Volume Control
To adjust the volume of all sounds
made by this engine, turn the master
volume control knob located under the
left water hatch on the tender deck
clockwise to increase the volume and
counter-clockwise to decrease the
volume.
Figure 10: Manually Adjusting the Volume
Cycle Phases
Neutral
Neutral
ForwardReverse

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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:
Passenger Station Announcements
Fire the Rear Coupler
Fire the Front Coupler
Speed Control On/Off
Lock into a Direction
Reset to Factory Defaults
1 Bell, 2 Horns
1 Bell, 3 Horns
1 Bell, 4 Horns
1 Horn, 2 Bells (from Neutral only)
1 Horn, 3 Bells
1 Horn, 5 Bells (from Neutral only)

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10
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 sufficient time to
run through each sequence.
•To cue the sound system to play the PSA, 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. 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 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.
•After about 30 seconds, press the Direction button again to trigger the third
PSA 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 sequence.
The PSA 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 Station Announcements (PSA)