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MTH Loco Motor Control Using A Secondary Decoder Journals/Blogs
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New member 7 posts Ken Schofield New member 7 posts
Ken Schofield

I have experience in DCC sound installations having completed approx two dozen locos using Tsunami decoders.

A problem I have is that my MTH SD70M-2 will not consist with these locos or others (QSI & Paragon 2) at my local Club.

I'm considering installing a Digitrax DZ123 (or equivalent) between the truck pick-ups and the motor; by passing the MTH board. By giving both decoders the same address; the MTH board would still control sound and lighting effects with the Digitrax board controlling only speed and direction. (Diesels are forgiving and I suspect that this wouldn't work with an MTH steam loco unless a sound cam was installed to control the chuff rate)

Has any body tried this idea on an MTH loco to overcome consisting issues?
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DKRickman Prolific poster 3,069 posts
DKRickman

Two decoders

I have not tried it specifically with an MTH decoder, but I do have a loco with two decoders installed.  See Bruce Petrarca's column this month for some ideas on how to do it.  If you just give them both the same address, you could have problems later when you try to program them.

Ken Rickman

Danville & Western HO modeler and web historian

http://southern-railway.railfan.net/dw/
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arthurhouston Prolific poster 1,154 posts
arthurhouston

Yes Stop Buying Them

Research the whole issue. Mike wanted to control every thing that did not work so DCV engines are now and will always be problem. All functions past 12 can not be controlled by the vast majority of DCC command stations. If you want MTH to change stop buying their none compatible equipment.
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Benny MRH Author 7,128 posts
Benny

...

Or do what I hear, strips out the electronics and start over...

--------------------------------------------------------

Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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Roundhouse Rick New member 1 post
Roundhouse Rick

MTH - Does It Surprise You?

MTH has a long history of being non-compatible with other systems.  They have always wanted you to love THEIR system, ONLY.  I'm actually a tinplater, and we have always fought with the battle between Lionel's command system and the MTH system.  They are uncompatible.  Oh, I can run Mike's engines on my Lionel system in a conventional mode, but I don't get to access all the MTH features unless I use Mike's system, so I just settle for listening to the prime mover sounds, horn and bell, and changing the direction.  The reason I buy MTH engines is that they offer models that Lionel doesn't.  So if you like specific MTH models, buy them, but understand you will have to live with some incompatibility. 
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