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PS-3 in a Fine Art Models T1 locomotive


rbrown7713
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Installing PS-3 into a FAM T1. I am installing everything into the coal car because I never want to take the loco apart again, a nightmare.  The only thing that will go into the engine is the speaker and lights.  The explorer unit fits well because the switches are in the correct spot for the doors in the tender.  Also there is a door for the charge plug. I will show you the topside of the tender tomorrow where I will be installing the sound card and the light aux. card. Bob.

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Yes the flywheel was already installed. I don't like working on brass models, everything is in the way.  They went to extra lengths for detail. They place parts that you can't see for the sake of detail. They even modelled the auger for coal movement in the coal car that is out of sight under a shroud. I wouldn't even known it was there if I hadn't had to remove it to install some of the electronics.  One thing that was interesting. The tender's floor was made of two pieces and soldered  in the middle and the solder failed, duh.  It was if they ran out of a full sheet of brass and made it in two pieces. They butt soldered the pieces together and  was doomed to failure and I had to make a repair and reinforce it.  I did find out one thing, super glue works on brass.  I might remove one of the motors since it is battery powered and don't want the higher  current draw of two motors. These motors are so overkill that it won't know the difference. I am going to compare the amps with either one or two motors and make my decision then.  These brass engines are not made for everyday running, parts are easily bent and have to be straightened and then eventually break off.  Buyers of these brass engines usually don't even take it out of the box and place them on the shelf hoping that the price will go up, well that hasn't happened.  It will be interesting as to what the current draw is on these two behemoth motors. One other interesting thing was the how they picked up the pulses for the chuff sounds.  It was designed with two independent four lobes on two different axles.  The motors are not joined at the shaft, so the electronics picks up two separate pulse generations for the chuff cycles of each motor. It would have provided a more realistic chuff sound especially of one set of drive wheels slipped as it did in real life.  Bob.   

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Thanks Sean. I will be installing volt-amp meters in the engine so that I can better assess what's happening with the current draw, if I can figure out how to wire them, plenty of examples on YouTube. I have even thought of putting a switch in the tender so that I can run both motors or just one, but it depends on how much drag that would produce with only one running, we shall see. Well I be wiring all day today, if I can figure out where all of the wires go. Bob.

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I had always wished for continued refinement of the MTH PS3 sounds and boards. They did some pretty good updating. Then it seemed to stall to me. Of course, now we know why.

I had hoped for better drifting and labored automatic sounds. Better articulated sounds than just the random chuffing ones used. Of course, looking forward to the board set that would have eliminated the tach, that never came.

Smaller user installed board sets that could be utilized into smaller engines like from the S scale line-up. Etc.

Now I just hope for continued long term support in some form.

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I am using the explorer for two reasons, one is I don't have to drag a TIU car around, and the other, I wanted to install everything in the tender so that if anything should happen to the sound card, I wouldn't have to tear the loco apart, too much work. It is easy to opern up the tender, six screws. Bob.

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On 3/15/2021 at 10:51 AM, enginear joe said:

I had always wished for continued refinement of the MTH PS3 sounds and boards. They did some pretty good updating. Then it seemed to stall to me. Of course, now we know why.

I had hoped for better drifting and labored automatic sounds. Better articulated sounds than just the random chuffing ones used. Of course, looking forward to the board set that would have eliminated the tach, that never came.

Smaller user installed board sets that could be utilized into smaller engines like from the S scale line-up. Etc.

Now I just hope for continued long term support in some form.

 

Quote

Of course, now we know why.

 

Why??

Andy Edleman V.P. Marketing MTH has announced on various live stream videos over this winter the following. A new DCS company is being formed by Mike Wolf & David Krebiehl. Both names appear on the DCS patent. A new website is being developed. Mike's not about to let his million $$$ baby go away. Remember back when DCS was being developed Tony Lash lent MTH one million $$$ for r&d.

 

Mike Wolf, Ryan Eisemann & Mark Sheff (sp?) are forming a new company to take over the parts business. A new website is being developed. Mike said he will be making high moving replacement parts and may continue making rolling stock...we see this happening now in both the o gauge & one-gauge world.

 

Andy also stated that MTH has to be out of the current building by May 1st. They are now looking for another building to lease mainly for shipping purposes.

 

The new DC WIFI TIU is on it's way. I'm sure that redesign to make all 4 channels operated via DC and convert to WIFI ate up a bunch of R&D resources. 

 

Too me all that looks very promising and I ignore all the doom & gloom a-holes over on the o gauge forums.

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Well, just like the prototype T1, this FAM is no different. This model is a replica of the prototype and is not made for 10' radii. So, the lead and trailing truck won't make the tight turns as designed. I had to mill the pivot holes in both the lead and trailing trucks laterally so that they were a little sloppy and able to make the turns.  The lead truck is done and I'm working on the trailing truck, this brass is a little tougher than plastic. I will let you know when I get it running around the curves. Bob.

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Disaster has struck.  There is no way that this T1 will negotiate these curves.  So, I have to shave some drive wheel flanges. The question is, do I make this engine a shelf queen?, or do I alter it to be able to use it on the layout. I am starting out with one set of wheel flanges and if need be, I might have to shave two sets of wheel flanges, I will know more later today.  Bob.

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Yes it is difficult to find much useful info. about these engines, especially about running them because most end up on the shelf. Probably, it would be OK on a 20 ft. radius, but not ten.  I will keep grinding until it makes it around my layout if there is enough left to run. Bob.

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