MTHTrains PREMIER DC-3 User manual

PREMIER DC-3 RAIL

INSPECTION CAR

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

This Union Pacific DC-3 Track Inspection Car features a detailed ABS body, die-cast

trucks and runs on O-72 curves. This Premier Diesel Engine contains state-of-the-art

electronics with many built-in automatic features for incredibly realistic operation.

Despite these advanced features, the locomotive is easy to operate with any compatible

standard AC transformer that is equipped with whistle and bell buttons (see the

compatibility chart on page 19), and is compatible with most other 3-rail locomotives,

rolling stock, and accessories.

This locomotive is equipped with Proto-Sound 2.0 with Digital Command System

(DCS). This new system will allow you to operate your locomotive in Command mode

(when used with the DCS Remote Control System, sold separately) or Conventional

mode. Conventional operating features are described in the following pages, while the

DCS operating features are covered in the set of operating instructions that

accompanies the DCS equipment. Conventional Mode operation of this locomotive is

much simpler than operation of original Proto-Sound engines. For your own safety and

that of your equipment, please read the instructions before you operate this engine.

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Table of Contents

Set Up 3

Basic Operation 4

Operation Buttons 4

Throttle 4

Volume Control 4

Proto-Sound 2.0 Operation 5

Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features 5

Track Inspection Sounds (TIS) 6

Tips on Using TIS 7

Proto-Coupler®Operation 8

Speed Control 8

Lock into a Direction State 9

Reset to Factory Defaults 9

Automatic Sounds 9

Maintenance 10

ProtoSmoke Unit Operation 10

Lubrication and Greasing Instructions 12

Locomotive Traction Tire Replacement 13

Locomotive Light Bulb Replacement 14

Self-Charging Battery Back-Up 15

Troubleshooting 16

Compatibility 18

TransformerCompatibilityChart 19

Additional Features with DCS Remote Control System 20

SafetyPrecautions 22

Service and Warranty Information 24

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Set Up

There are a couple of simple steps you must take before operating this Premier

diesel.

1. Although the engine was lubricated at the factory, it is important that you

lubricate the chassis before operation. Lightly grease the outside idler and

drive gears (marked “G” in Fig. 7 on pg. 13) with lithium-based grease to

prevent them from squeaking. Use light household oil and follow the

lubrication points (marked “L” in Fig. 5 on pg. 12). Do not over-oil. Use only

a drop or two on each pivot point.

2. Prime the operating smoke unit with smoke fluid before operating. Add

15-20 drops of smoke fluid through the smokestack (see Fig. 2 on pg. 10), then

gently blow into the stack to eliminate any air bubbles in the fluid.

3. If you choose not to prime the unit with fluid, turn the smoke unit switch

located under the engine to the OFF position (see Fig. 3 on pg. 10). Running

the engine without a primed smoke unit may cause damage. See the

“ProtoSmoke Unit Operation” section of this book for more information on

smoke unit maintenance.

At this point, you are ready to put your engine on the track and begin running

it.

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Basic Operation

Throttle –Throttle up the power to your track. Give about 10-12 volts or

enough power so that the engine’s headlight shines brightly. Then put the

engine into motion by either firmly pressing the Direction button on your

transformer or remote once or dropping and advancing the throttle to put the

engine in forward.

Operation Buttons

Use the operation buttons on your transformer or remote as described below.

Horn/Whistle - To sound the horn, firmly press the Horn/Whistle button. The

horn will sound for as long as you continue to depress the button. It will stop

when you release the button.

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 and 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 for 10 seconds or more.

Volume Control – To adjust the volume of all sounds made by this engine,

turn the master volume control knob located under the engine clockwise to

increase the volume and counter-clockwise to decrease the volume (see Fig. 1).

Proto-Sound 2.0

VolumeAdjustmentKnob

Figure 1. Adjusting the Proto-Sound 2.0 Volume

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

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.

Because Proto-Sound 2.0 is an all-new system developed by M.T.H.’s own

research and development team, it operates differently from original

Proto-Sound. Most Proto-Sound 2.0 features are automatically enabled, and the

reset state has been eliminated, so there is no need to program features as with

original Proto-Sound. Although the new system is easier to operate than

original Proto-Sound, you should read these instructions thoroughly before

using Proto-Sound 2.0 features in order to prevent harm to yourself or your

equipment.

Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features:

Proto-Sound 2.0 features are activated by sequences of Bell and Whistle 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 whistle or ring the bell, you should press the buttons for a shorter time (1/2

second); you may need to practice your timing to make this work smoothly.

Feature to Be Activated:

Track Inspection Sounds

FiretheRearCoupler

Fire the Front Coupler

Speed Control On/Off

Lock into a Directional State/Unlock

Reset to Factory Defaults

Button Code:

1 Bell, 2 Whistles

1 Bell, 3 Whistles

1 Bell, 4 Whistles

1 Whistle, 2 Bells

1 Whistle, 3 Bells

1 Whistle, 5 Bells (From Neutral Only)

(From Neutral Only)

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Track Inspection Sounds (TIS):

Your engine is equipped with a sound package of track inspection sounds that

you can play when you want to conduct an inspection.

Note: Unlike M.T.H.’s usual PFAs, the DC-3 Rail Inspection Car does not

stop while PFAs are running. To allow for more prototypical operation,

the track inspection sound sequence runs while the engine is in motion.

You will have speed control but no direction control once TIS is triggered.

Each sequence described below will play as long as it is left on, randomly

generating sounds, but be sure to allow the TIS sufficient time to run

through each sequence.

1. To cue the sound system to play the TIS, quickly but firmly press the Bell

button once followed by 2 quick presses of the Whistle button while the engine

is moving. You will know you have successfully triggered the TIS when you

hear, “We’re coming up on the switch at 38.”

2. Once the track inspectors stop speaking and you hear the clickety-clack

sounds, press the Direction button or drop and advance the throttle once to

trigger the second sequence of TIS. The reverse unit is temporarily disabled so

that the car will not stop or change direction as you use the Direction button to

trigger the sounds, and Proto-Sound 2.0 has disabled operator control over the

Whistle and Bell buttons until the full TIS sequence is complete.

3. After you hear “Maybe that’s what everybody’s complaining about,” press

the Direction button again to trigger the third sequence of TIS.

4. After you hear “Will do,” press the Direction button again to trigger the TIS

sequence to conclude and return you to normal operation. Once the TIS

sequence ends, the operator regains control of the transformer’s bell and

whistle buttons and can ring the bell or blow the whistle and stop the car as

usual.

Note: You will press the Direction button only three times to cycle

through the TIS sequence.

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Tips on Using TIS

• You can terminate TIS at anytime by turning off power to the

track for 15 seconds.

• You do not have to be in Forward to use TIS. The DC-3 car will

continue to move in whatever direction is was moving when you

pressed the code to trigger TIS.

• Because the DC-3 car would not prototypically operate with

another engine, the TIS sequence operates differently from the

PFAs of other M.T.H. engines. Do not attempt to double-head the

DC-3 with another engine.

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Proto-Coupler® Operation

This locomotive is equipped with two coil-wound Proto-Couplers for remote

uncoupling action. Because the Proto-Coupler is controlled through the

Proto-Sound 2.0 microprocessor, it does not require an uncoupling track

section or modification to your layout to function. Use the codes listed below

to fire the coupler.

Rear Coupler:

To fire the rear coupler, quickly press the Bell button once followed

immediately by three pushes of the Whistle button. The sound of the liftbar

and air line depletion will play, and the knuckle will be released.

Front Coupler:

To fire the front coupler, quickly press the Bell button once followed

immediately by four pushes of the Whistle button. The sound of the liftbar and

air line depletion will play, and the knuckle will be released.

Speed Control:

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.

To turn speed control on and off, put the engine in neutral, then press the

transformer’s Whistle button one time then immediately press the Bell button

two times. Two horn blasts will indicate that the engine has made the change.

Repeat the 1 whistle, 2 bells code to return it to the other state. 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. Note: When speed

control is turned off, the Proto-Sound 2.0 system will limit the volume in

order to operate more smoothly at lower voltages. Full volume is restored

upon reactivating speed control.

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Lock into a Directional State:

You can lock your engine into a directional state (forward, neutral, or reverse)

to prevent it from changing 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

speed (< 10 scale mph), and quickly but firmly press your remote’s Whistle

button once followed immediately by three presses of the Bell button.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

whistle, 3 bells code to return the engine to its normal state, even if the engine

is kept without power for extended periods of time.

Reset to Factory Defaults:

To override the settings you currently have assigned to the engine and reset it

to its factory defaults, while in Neutral press the Whistle button once, followed

immediately by five quick pushes of the Bell button. Two horn blasts will

indicate that the engine has made the change.

Automatic Sounds:

Certain Proto-Sound 2.0 sound effects automatically play in programmed

conventional mode conditions:

Squealing Brakesplay when the engine’s speed is decreased rapidly.

Cab Chatter plays when the engine idles in neutral.

Engine Start-up and Shut-downsounds play when the engine is initially

powered on or is powered off for five seconds or more.

Premier DC-3 Rail Inspection Car

Maintenance

ProtoSmoke®

UnitOperation

This Premier diesel locomotive contains a self-powered smoke unit that outputs

smoke through the smokestack on the roof 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. Smoke volume is controlled by the

Proto-Sound 2.0 system.

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 Fig.2). 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 under the engine (see Fig. 3).

Failure either to 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 the

engine begins to diminish, add another

10-15 drops of smoke fluid or turn the

smoke unit off.

When storing the unit for long periods of time, you may want to add about 15

drops of fluid to prevent the wick from drying out.

Add Smoke Fluid

Through Smokestack

Figure 2. Add Smoke through the

Smokestack

Smoke Unit

ON/OFF Switch

Figure 3. Smoke Unit ON/OFF

Switch

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