I have acquired a few MTH engines over the past few years and now that the holidays approach I've placed track under the tree as the grandsons are older and would be able to enjoy. I am trying to get one of the engines to run and thus far have had no luck. All they do is set and make engine noises but no movement. I am using a Z-500 transformer and the DCS remote commander but to no avail. I have little train experience and no experience with the MTH products. In need of some help.
Sounds like you might have to disassemble and clean the drive train. Might have magnetically picked up the last time it was used. It's always a good thing to clean and lube locos after long storage anyway. I don't know this is a steam loco or not, but if it is you might also check and see if a screw is loose on the siderods and locked against it. Good luck and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Welcome to TrainBoard! This question might might have better response, if asked in our DCC & Electronics Forum.
Hope you get it solved. I am not a modeler, but want to welcome you to Trainboard, where I am sure you will get help. I see Bill has offered some good suggestions so far.
Hi, Welcome. I agree with careful disassembly, but only to the level where you can see and move (rotate) the motor shaft(s). If you cannot rotate the shaft(s) by finger tip, then carefully separate the motor shaft(s) from the gear tower(s) and rock the top gear back and forth to see which gear in the sequence is not moving. That probably will be the location of what is causing the jammed gear train. If the motor and gear train are free moving, then you probably have an electronic/electrical problem which will require hands-on trouble shooting with test equipment...unless a wire has broken, which should be easy to see and repair. Good luck. Wish I was closer to you, I'd be happy to help.
I have purchased these engines over time, and assuming all are used. They have never been powered by me until now. I have four engines, two steamers, two diesels. The John Deere Steamer is the only one that acts normal. The little 0-4-0 runs full throttle the entire time, regardless of power supply. The two diesels light up, make sound and have a diesel idle sound, both identical I'm attempting tom use a DCS remote commander to control them, small little hand held. Engines are; 0-4-0 Dockside Steam Locomotive Product Item Number: 30-1208-0 O Scale Premier FM Train Master Diesel Engine - With Proto Cab No 2573 Product Item Number: 20-2123-1 O Scale Premier GP38-2 Diesel Engine - With Proto Cab No 4806 Product Item Number: 20-2156-1 O Gauge RailKing 4-6-0 Steam Engine R-T-R Train Set w/Loco-Sound Product 30-4094-0
People should respond to your thread in the DCC section, because I'm pretty sure that's where the trouble lies. The Docksider running away indicates it runs just fine but is out of control, and if the diesels issue only idle sounds, they're probably sitting because they think that is what they're being told to do. A jammed driveline wouldn't keep them from sounding like they're working hard. So, you've got some programming to straighten out.
