MTHTrains Dash 9 Diesel Engine User Manual
Compatibilty
This diesel engine will operate on any traditional O-31 Gauge track
system, including M.T.H.’s RealTrax® or ScaleTrax™ or traditional
tubular track. It is also compatible with most standard AC transformers.
(See page 17 for a complete list of compatible transformers and wiring instructions.)
M.T.H. ELECTRIC TRAINS
Dash 9 Diesel Engine
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
Set Up ................................................................................................................3
Basic Operation ............................................................................................4
Throttle ....................................................................................................4
Operation Buttons ..................................................................................4
Manual Volume Control............................................................................4
Proto-Sound 2.0 Operation......................................................................5
Activating Proto-Sound 2.0 Conventional Mode Features ......................5
Freight Yard Sounds ................................................................................5
Tips on Using FYS ....................................................................................6
Proto-Coupler®Operation ......................................................................7
Speed Control ........................................................................................7
Lock into a Direction State ......................................................................7
Reset to Factory Defaults ........................................................................8
Automatic Sounds....................................................................................8
Maintenance....................................................................................................8
Lubrication and Greasing ........................................................................8
Cleaning the Wheels, and Track ..............................................................10
Traction Tire Replacement......................................................................10
Proto-Smoke Unit Operation ................................................................11
Light Bulb Replacement ........................................................................12
Self-Charging Battery Back-Up................................................................13
Troubleshooting..........................................................................................14
Campatibility................................................................................................16
Transformer Compatibility Chart ........................................................17
Additional Features with DCS Remote Control System..............18
Safety Precautions......................................................................................19
Service and Warranty Information......................................................20
Authorized Service Centers....................................................................21
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
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. 5 on page 11)
2. 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. 6 on page 11) Running
the enging without a primed smoke unit may cause damage. See the “ProtoSmoke
Unit Operation” section of this book for more informantion on smoke unit
maintenance.
3. You should lubricate the wheel axles and pickup rollers to prevent them from
squeaking. Use light household oil and follow the lunrication points marked “L” in
Fig. 2 on page 8. Do not over oil. Use only a drop or two on each pivot point.
4. You may find, if your engine was built several months before you set it
up, that the rechargeable battery has run down and needs to be charged before
operation. If you notice that the sounds are garbled, test and charge the engine
as described in the “Self Charging Battery Back-Up” section on page 13.
At this point, you are ready to begin running your engine.
SET UP
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
Throttle up the power to your track. Give 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 to throttle to put
the engine in forward.
BASIC OPERATION
Use the operation buttons on your transformer as described below.
Horn/Whistle - To sound the horn/whistle, firmly press the Horn/Whistle button. The
horn/whistle will sound for as long as you continue to depress the button. It will stop when
you release the button. The horn/whistle has four different endings, depending on whether
you hold the button for less than three sconds, three seconds, four seconds, 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 your turn it
on until you press and release the button again to turn it off.
Direction - Your engine is programmed to start in neutral. To put the engine into forward
and then to change the direction of the engine 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 engine has been moving forward, the first press of the
Direction button will put the engine 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.
OPERATION BUTTONS
MANUAL VOLUME CONTROL
To adjust the volume of all sounds made
by this engine, turn the master volume
control knob, located on the underside
of the engine, clockwise to increase the
volume and counter-clockwise to
decrease the volume. (see Figure 1)
Figure 1 - Proto-Sound 2.0 Volume Adjustment Knob
THROTTLE
Volume Adjustment Knob
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
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 reseach
and development team, it operates differently from the origanal 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 origanl Proto-Sound. Although the
new system is easier to operate than origanl 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.
PROTO-SOUND 2.0
OPERATION
Freight Yard Sounds (FYS): 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 in the
following 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 FYS
sufficient time to run through each sequence.
1. To cue the sound system to play the FYS, quickly, but firmly press the Bell button once
followed by 2 quick presses of the Whistle button while the engine is moving.
Feature to be Activated Button Code
Freight Yard Sounds 1 Bell, 2 Whistles
Fire the Rear Coupler 1 Bell, 3 Whistles
Speed Control On/Off 1 Whistle, 2 Bells (from neutral only)
Lock into a Directional State/Unlock 1 Whistle, 3 Bells
Reset to Factory Defaults 1 Whistle, 5 Bells ( from neutral only)
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
2. Press the Direction button once to stop the engine. This will
trigger the first sequence of FYS. The reverse unit is temporarily
disabled so that the train will not move as you use the 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 FYS 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 FYS.
4. After waiting about 30 seconds, press the Direction button again to trigger the third
FYS 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 FYS sequence. The FYS will continue,
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.
Tips on Using FYS
You can terminate FYS at anytime by turning off power to the track for 15 seconds.
You do not have to be in Forward to use FYS. 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 FYS even if you are double-heading with another engine. If the second
is not eqiupped with FYS at all, you must remember not to leave the throttle at a high
voltage level once you have stopped the engine to run the FYS. Otherwise, the engine
without FYS will start vibrating on the track as its motors strain to move the train, since
they cannot be automatically disabled during the FSY cycle. If the second engine is an
original Proto-Sound engine equipped with FYS, you may choose to disable it when
used in double-heading operations, so you will not experience competing FYS sounds.
To disable FYS in an original Proto-Sound engine, see the operating instructions for
that engine.
FYS can be triggered from Neutral. It will operate the same as if triggered while in
motion except that, at the conclusion of the FYS, the engine will depart in the next
direction of travel, as opposed to the direction it was traveling before entering Neutral.
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
This engine is equipped with a coil-wound Proto-Coupler 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.
Rear Coupler: To fire the rear coupler, press the Bell button once followed immediately
by three pushes of the Horn/Whistle button. The sound of the lift bar and air line
depletion will play, and the knuckle will be released.
Front Coupler: To fire the front coupler, press the Bell button once followed
immediately by four pushes of the Horn/Whistle button. The sound of the lift bar and air
line depletion will play, and the knuckle will be released.
PROTO-COUPLER ®OPERATION
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 release of cars while on the
run. To maintain a constant speed when speed control is turned off, you need to adjust the
track voltage yourself. When speed control is off, the volume will drop to allow for better
low voltage operation. Full volume is restored upon reactivation of speed control.
To turn speed control on and off: First, put the engine in neutral, then press the
transformer’s Horn/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 Horn/Whistle, 2 bells code to return it to the other state. You will want to do this during
the initial neutral start-up if you ever couple this engine with another engine that is not
eqipped with speed control to avoid damaging the motors in either engine. Each time
you shut down the engine completely, it will automatically turn speed contol on.
SPEED CONTROL
You can lock your engine into a directional state (forward, neutral, reverse) to prevent
it from changing directions. To do this, put the engine into the direction you want or in
neutral, run it at a very low speed (<10 scale mph), and quickly but firmly press your
remote’s Horn/Whistle button once followed immediately by three presses of the Bell
LOCK INTO A DIRECTIONAL STATE
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DASH 9 DIESEL ENGINE
To override the settings you currently have assigned to the engine and reset it to its factory
defaults, while in neutral press the Horn/Whistle button once, followed immediated by five
quick presses of the Bell button. Two horn blasts will indicate that the engine has made the
change
RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULTS
Certain Proto-Sound 2.0 sound effects automatically play in programmed conventional
mode conditions:
Squealing Brakes: This sound plays anytime the engine’s speed decreases rapidly.
Cab Chatter: This sound play when the engine idles in neutral.
Engine Start-up and Shut-down: This sound plays when the engine is initially
powered on or is powered off for five seconds or more.
AUTOMATIC SOUNDS
MAINTENANCE
This engine should be oiled and greased in order to run properly.
You should regularly lubricate the engine to prevent them from squeaking. Use light
household oil and follow the lubrication points marked “L” in Figure 2. Do not over oil.
Use only a drop or two on each pivot.
LUBRICATION AND GREASING
Figure 2 - Lubrication Points on the Engine
Pick up Rollers (L)
Wheel Axles (L)
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/Whistle, 3 bells code to return
the engine to its normal state, even if the engine has been kept without power for extended periods of time.
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