I am watching to bid on a MTH engine with PS 2.0 and have a few questions. I run conventional with a CW-80 or MRC PURE POWER transformer. I currently run MTH Loco Sounds with no problems. Will I be able to run a MTH 2.0 with either transformer in conventional mode or am I asking for trouble? They offered the engine in the Loco Sounds version but I have not seen it on the market for a while. thanks in advance Mark
You will be fine with the MRC, but the CW80, well not so fine.
I have 3 PS2’s, none of which will run w/CW80.
Also 3 PS1’s, 1 will but 2 won’t.
???
The CW-80 is NOT compatable with MTH PS-2, you would be better off with an MTH Z-750 or Z-1000. I have one PS-2 engine that I tried with a friend’s CW-80 and it acted crazy!! Put the PS-2 engine back with an MTH transformer and it worked great.
Don’t know about MRC transformers, but I would suggest using an MTH transformer for any PS-2 engines.
Lee F.
PS-2 locomotives are very inconsistent in how they respond to the Phase Control output of the CW-80 transformer. I have yet to find any that will operate the remote coupler(s) with a CW-80. Some will blow the Whistle/horn near continuously. So far all of them that I have had will operate in conventional control with a CW-80, with the above noted exceptions, but they will still run fine, some are just noisy and no coupler control.
To the BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, the phase control output of the CW-80 will not harm them, it just confuses the electronics. The MRC Pure Power transformers are supposed to put out a pure sine wave current that should give you access to all the PS-2 functions, the NEW ZW from Lionel is also a Pure Sine wave transformer, and will operate all of my PS-2 locomotives without trouble.
Doug
Heed the advice given here and do not try the CW-80 with a PS-2 engine. I tried my PS-2 engine with a new, late model CW-80 and it quickly fouled everything up to the point where I had to take my PS-2 engine back to the dealer to have it reset. The MRC transformer will probably be ok.
Roger