MTHTrains RAILKING BLUE COMET User manual

RAILKING BLUE COMET

STEAM ENGINE

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

This RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine is produced in detailed Die-Cast Metal and

operates on O-31 track. This RailKing Steam 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 (see the compatibility chart on page 18), and is completely 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.

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Table of Contents

Set Up 3

Basic Operation 4

Throttle 4

Operation Buttons 4

Volume Control 4

Proto-Sound 2.0 Operation 5

Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features 5

Passenger Station Announcements (PSA) 6

Tips on Using PSA 7

Proto-Coupler®Operation 8

Speed Control 8

Lock into a Direction State 9

Reset to Factory Defaults 9

Automatic Sounds 9

Maintenance 10

Lubrication and Greasing Instructions 10

Cleaning the Wheels, Tires and Track 11

Locomotive Traction Tire Replacement 11

Smoke Unit Maintenance 12

Locomotive Light Bulb Replacement 13

Self-Charging Battery Back-Up 14

Troubleshooting 15

Compatibility 17

Transformer Compatibility Chart 18

Additional Features with DCS Remote Control System 19

Safety Precautions 21

Service and Warranty Information 24

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Set Up

There are a few simple steps you must take before operating this RailKing

steamer.

1. You should prime the operating smoke unit with smoke fluid before

operating. Add 15-20 drops of smoke fluid through the smokestack, then

gently blow into the stack to eliminate any air bubbles in the fluid. See Fig. 4.

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

located under the engine to the OFF position (Fig. 5). 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.

3. You should lubricate all side rods and linkage components and pickup

rollers to prevent them from squeaking. Lightly grease the outside idler and

drive gears (marked “G” in Fig. 3 on page 10) to prevent them from squeaking.

Use light household oil and follow the lubrication points marked “L” in Fig. 2

on p. 10. Do not over-oil. Use only a drop or two on each pivot point.

4. Put your engine on the track and insert the reverse unit plug that extends out

of the tender into the receptacle at the back of the engine. WARNING: DO

NOT CONNECT THIS ENGINE TO A 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.

5. Connect the draw bar between the engine and tender. Hole farthest from

tender is for operation on O-31 curves. Second hole is for operation on larger

curves.

At this point, you are ready to begin running your engine.

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

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 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, or 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 you turn it on until you press and release the button again to turn

it off.

Direction – Your train is programmed to start in neutral. The first direction

after neutral upon start-up is forward. Firmly press and release the Direction

button to allow the engine to move forward. Just as you must stop your

automobile 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 25 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

Volume Adjustment Knob

Figure 1. Adjusting the Proto-Sound 2.0 Volume Level

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

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:

Passenger Station Announcements

Fire the Rear Coupler

Speed Control On/Off

Lock into a Direction/Unlock

Reset to Factory Defaults

Button Code:

1 Bell, 2 Whistles

1 Bell, 3 Whistles

1 Whistle, 2 Bells (from Neutral only)

1 Whistle, 3 Bells

1 Whistle, 5 Bells (from Neutral only)

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Passenger Station Announcements (PSA):

Your engine is equipped with a sound package of freight yard sounds that you

can play when you pull into a yard. 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.

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

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

is moving.

2. Press the Direction button or drop and advance the throttle 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 Whistle and Bell buttons until the full PSA sequence is complete.

3. After waiting about 30 seconds for that sequence to run, press the Direction

button again to trigger the second sequence of PSA.

4. After about 30 seconds, press the Direction button again to trigger the third

PSA sequence.

5. 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.

You will know it is the final sequence when you hear the “All Aboard!” call.

The bell will begin to chime and within a few seconds, the engine 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 whistle buttons and can ring the

bell or blow the whistle as usual.

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Tips on Using PSA

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

track for 15 seconds.

• You do not have to be in Forward to use PSA. 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 even if you are double-heading with another

engine. If the second engine is not equipped with PSA at all, you

must remember not to leave the throttle at a high voltage level

once you have stopped the engine to run the PSA. Otherwise, the

engine without PSA will begin vibrating on the track as its motors

strain to move the train, since they cannot be automatically

disabled during the PSA cycle. If the second engine is an original

Proto-Sound engine equipped with PSA, you may choose to

disable it when used in double-heading operations, so you will not

experience competing PSA sounds. To disable PSA in an original

Proto-Sound engine, see the operating instructions for that engine.

• PSA can be triggered from Neutral. It will operate the same as if

triggered while in motion except that, at the conclusion of the

PSA, the engine will depart in the next direction of travel, as

opposed to the direction it was traveling before entering Neutral.

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Proto-Coupler®Operation

This locomotive is equipped with one coil-wound Proto-Coupler 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.

5) to fire the coupler.

Rear Coupler:

To fire the rear coupler, 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.

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 whistle 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.

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Lock into a Directional State:

You can lock your engine into a directional state (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 press

the Horn 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

horn, 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 whistle 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 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.

RailKing Blue Comet Steam Engine

Maintenance:

Lubrication and Greasing Instructions

The engine should be oiled and greased in order to run properly.

You should regularly lubricate all side rods and linkage components and

pickup rollers to prevent them from squeaking. Use light household oil and

follow the lubrication points marked “L” in Fig. 2. Do not over oil. Use only

a drop or two on each pivot point.

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, do the following:

1. Turn the engine upside down.

2. Remove the Phillips screw (marked “GREASE”) located behind the third set

of drivers (counting from the front of the engine).

3. Use a grease tube dispenser to put a small amount (approx. 1-2 ml.) of

lithium-based grease into the gearbox.

4. Replace the screw.

Lubricate Pick Up Rollers (L)

Lubricate Side Rods (L)

Figure 2. Lubrication Points on the Engine

Body Mount Screws

Grease Screw (G)

Figure 3. Greasing Points on the Engine and Body Mounting Screws

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