Got an interesting problem. After having run just fine for quite a while, my Railking Wabash Hudson decided to start acting cranky. No matter what I do, the thing just sits there when I turn the power on and makes a clanking (coupler crash?) sound 3 times and then goes silent. I wouldn’t ask here, but I bought the thing off Ebay a couple of years ago and it came without box and instructions. I thought perhaps I might get a quicker response here than emailing MTH with the symptoms.
My older grandson (2 years old) is with us now and the rest of the grandkids will be showing up soon. If possible, I’d like to get the Hudson back up and running. Thomas looks kinda ridiculous pulling the “Wabash Cannonball”. OTOH, the little guy pulls a lot better than I thought he would.
I couldn’t figure out why #1 grandson referred to the Hudson as “Murdoch” until I remembered “Murdoch” has smoke deflectors
I thought I would bump this back to the top, and someone who really knows can help you. I do not have this engine but I believe you may need a new battery in the tender. I would not try to start it up again as you may cause damage to the circuit boards.(3 clanks of doom) I hope someone sees this soon. Merry Christmas. Ken
Thanks, ken. I suppose it is possible that there is a need for a new battery given that the engine is several years old and only gets run at Christmas. I’m into HO scale, but now that I have grandkids, I figured that some 3 rail O gauge stuff is in order.
I do have to say that the Wabash 4-6-4 is probably the nicest looking steamer that MTH has made in the Railking line. Whoever did the proportioning on it did it right.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you are getting the 3 clanks of doom, it is NOT a good sign. I had an MTH NW-2 diesel switcher doing the same thing even the LHS tried to get it to unlock from neutral, and it wouldn’t respond. It went back to MTH, and I didn’t see it again for about 7-9 months. With ANY MTH locomotive, with ANY sound system, DO NOT EVER let the battery get weak, it CAN/WILL give you all kinds of grief. my understanding is that a low battery will scramble the control chip’s programming. there is a reprogramming kit, that I believe is about $25.00? to fix this problem, but I have not used or bought it. There is a sequence to unlock a locomotive that is locked in neutral, but unfortunately, I have not been able to find it in any of my manuals yet, HOPEFULLY someone else out here knows it, and can tell you how to do it, but if it was caused by a low battery, that may not work, but is worth a try.
I haven’t been able to locate MTH’s service line phone#, but I would rather give them a phone call, than an email, you will get a MUCH FASTER response, all to often I hear people say they sent an email days or weeks ago and still haven’t gotten a reply ( not just with MTH, but businesses in general) email can be a very handy tool, but is not always the best option, sometimes old turn of the century technology is a better option.
Good Luck, MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR,
Doug
BTW, Very Nice looking set, I also like the RailKing/ Imperial series 0-6-0 Beautiful detail, and excellent slow speed performance
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you are getting the 3 clanks of doom, it is NOT a good sign. I had an MTH NW-2 diesel switcher doing the same thing even the LHS tried to get it to unlock from neutral, and it wouldn’t respond. It went back to MTH, and I didn’t see it again for about 7-9 months. With ANY MTH locomotive, with ANY sound system, DO NOT EVER let the battery get weak, it CAN/WILL give you all kinds of grief. my understanding is that a low battery will scramble the control chip’s programming. there is a reprogramming kit, that I believe is about $25.00? to fix this problem, but I have not used or bought it. There is a sequence to unlock a locomotive that is locked in neutral, but unfortunately, I have not been able to find it in any of my manuals yet, HOPEFULLY someone else out here knows it, and can tell you how to do it, but if it was caused by a low battery, that may not work, but is worth a try[/i].
Thanks, Doug. I wasn’t even aware the battery was weak, as the thing was operating just fine not 20 minutes before we got the “3 clanks of doom”. I’m going to pull the tender shell,see what kind of battery is in there and replace it. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll contact MTH to see about getting the thing unlocked.
Thanks, Doug. I wasn’t even aware the battery was weak, as the thing was operating just fine not 20 minutes before we got the “3 clanks of doom”. I’m going to pull the tender shell,see what kind of battery is in there and replace it. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll contact MTH to see about getting the thing unlocked.
So much for that idea. Now that the battery’s out, it’s obvious I need to get in touch with MTH anyway.
I have heard some say that the weak battery issue is just a Proto-Sound 1, thing and I have heard others say that it is a Proto-Sound 2 issue, well, I have had BOTH PS-1 & PS-2 locomotives give control problems like this (was just on another thread on this forum earlier today about this very issue, Hobby Shop Fun) I wont even promise on it, but I think that the only MTH sound system that is not susceptible to this problem is the Loco-sounds, sound system, which I believe is sound only and does not have any control functions, but I could be wrong.
Too bad you are not closer, I would loan you a locomotive so the Grand Kids wouldn’t be disappointed, You’re in CA, & ME I’m in OR. I don’t have any Wabash Locomotives, but the Wabash could Borrow a little Union Pacific power, Right?[swg] I have a pretty full roundhouse.
That wouldn’t be PORTLAND, Maine would it, I’m in PORTLAND, Oregon, the only problem in sending you a little loaner Power is that the two Portland’s are only about 3000 miles apart.
Well, it will just be a story for your Grandchildren to tell in the future about how “Thomas saved Christmas”, right?[(-D]
Hope it’s a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS for You and Your Loved ones,
When we’re in ME, we’re about 100 miles from Portland. I’m actually a little closer to Portland,OR, now (Sierra foothills about 45 miles from the Kirkwood ski resort - at least 60 miles from the nearest [censored] hobby shop.
I finally found in a manual for my RailKing 0-6-0 which is PS-2 equipped the sequence for locking/unlocking the E-Unit Here directly from the owners manual:
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 in neutral, run it at a very low 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 whistle 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 has been kept without power for extended periods of time.
RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULTS
To override the settings that 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.
It seems a bit complicated, again turn of the century technology (A simple slide switch) would accomplish the same E-Unit function Much more easily, economically and RELIABILY.
Andre, I HOPE that either one of these methods will help return your locomotive back to service, I am afraid it wont, but either one are worth a try. I would try the unlocking method first, and if No Luck there, then I would try the restore factory defaults procedure next, I am rather convinced that it is likely a scrambled control chip (Sorry Friend) but You have nothing to lose by trying and may get the “CANNONBALL” running again, but that Hogger is going to have that throttle WIDE OPEN trying to get that train back on schedule.
