# MTH Epic Fail!!!



## Zero Cool (Dec 4, 2013)

I recently purchased an HO scale MTH Allgheny and I must say I have become quite disappointed in a few ways with this engine. I saw it back in February at a show in Columbus Ohio as MTH, BLI and few others were there with booths setup. I saw this engine running with the headlight and classification lights on and I was immediately hooked and had to have one. 

Since I work part time in a hobby shop I was able to get this at dealer cost and made the purchase in August (I know I said I saw it in February but I'm also saving some $ since my daughter will be starting college soon, hence the second job). When I got it home I was impressed with the details on this piece and how fluid the motion is.

Now, on to the disappointment. When I turned on the sound, it sounded like the speaker was blown. It was, for lack of a better term, very crackly and just did not sound good at all. I also noticed that you could here the fan for the smoke unit running from the boiler.

When I sent it back to MTH they were very apologetic and even sent me a label to get it shipped back. They informed me that it would take 4-5 weeks to get this fixed. If I was the owner (Mike Wolf) I would have just sent out another brand new unit as this shouldn't have had the problems it had out of the box. None the less I patiently waited for just over two months and made a phone call. The girl @ MTH informed me that they were waiting for a part from overseas and that they had no idea when it would get there. As far as the speaker was concerned they said that they couldn't hear anything wrong with it and that I just needed to turn the volume down. Seriously?:smilie_daumenneg::smilie_daumenneg: This will sound great when I take it to the show in a few weeks and you can barely hear it over all the people looking at our club layout (NOT!). After waiting another month or so I fianlly got my engine back.

So, after getting it back out of the box I now notice that there is a small tab broke off that holds a small metal detail piece in place and it sounds worse than it did before. I even turned down the volume as instructed and to no avail it stills sounds like crap!!! I have made the determination that it's either a bad speaker or a bad sound file. I'm leaning towards the speaker as it crackles with the bell, the whistle and when it's running under steam. 

Very seriously considering installing another decoder and speaker and fixing it myself. I believe this will be my last MTH engine purchase. I may buy some rolling stock in the future, but then again maybe I wont.

Ken


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's certainly disappointing. I'd try sky-wiring a speaker outside the unit to see if the speaker is the issue.


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

Also check that there isn't some small piece of metal such as a track nail stuck to the speaker. Some speakers nowadays are powerful enough that they can pull the track nails right out of your layout and into the speaker. I had that problem with my BLI A class. I spoke to a BLI rep at the 2014 NMRA convention, he mentioned that and suggested that I check that, and lo and behold he was right, there was a track nail in the speaker grille in the tender chassis. I pulled it out, the sound improved markedly, and the speaker seemed otherwise undamaged.

I also have two of the MTH Alleghenies and am quite happy with the way they sound. What road number is yours, out of curiosity? And that detail part that was broken off, was it the little deck plate between the cab and the tender?

Too bad you live all the way down in Dayton. I live up in Cleveland, and there's an MTH authorized dealer/repair center not far from where I live. I've had to take two of my engines there (only one was for a manufacturing defect), and their tech was able to repair both of them, and since then, all three have ticked along like metronomes. the two Alleghenies are two of my best engines (look good, sound good and are outrageously strong haulers), and the only thing I'd change on them is to make the whistle more responsive. I did however have problems with the rear drive wheels on both engines binding up when I first got them. I eventually traced the problem to the rearmost driver pair on the rear engine, specifically the bushings it rides in. There was enough play in these bushings and the slots they ride in that the wheel pair was twisting forward and backward, causing the drive gear to misalign with the next gear up and bind up. I added a little plastic shim into the slot for each bushing on both locomotives, and they both were right as rain afterwards. Did you have any problems like this?

I looked for MTH authorized service centers near Dayton on their website and they list two:

DIXIE UNION STATION.
110 W. MAIN STREET
MASON, OH 45040.
United States

KIT - N - CABOOSE.
5200 MILITIA LANE
COLUMBUS, OH 43230.
United States

You might have luck with one of them, but if you decide to go to one of them, call them first and make sure they have the equipment to work on MTH HO locomotives. Me, personally, I would take the engine to one of them (if they can work on it) and have the speakers and decoder (if you want) replaced with factory replacement parts. One thing to bear in mind is that Lima-built Super-Power locomotives like the Allegheny had a very distinct sound to their exhausts, in that they made a very sharp, shotgun-blast-like chuff sound when the engine was working hard. I've only heard MTH, QSI, BLI, and Soundtraxx sounds, but of these only the MTH DCS decoders seem to accurately capture the sharp, cracking sound of the Lima engines' stack talk.

[/rambling] I hope some of this helps.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

That's very disappointing. The trouble is you're now stuck with it as you can't sell it on with a clear conscience due to the problem. Try another speaker and see if that fixes it. You don't want to put a new decoder in it if you can possibly avoid it. You could check the sound by listening to the sound files on the Soundtraxx website. As for getting it fixed by a MTH service centre that would would involve you in more cost which MTH may not want to reimburse you with. If after you have tried a different speaker and it's still not right I would write a strongly worded letter to them stating your lack of satisfaction and berating them. It does sound like they have cloth ears!


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

Well, the one time when I shorted out and cooked the decoder in one of my Alleghenies, the service center I went to called it a warranty repair and didn't bill me for it. Full replacement of the decoder free of charge. Going to a service center yourself also saves you shipping, if the place is close by, and it gives you a real person to talk to face-to-face when you drop it off, when you pick it up, and when you want updates.

It also means you have someone you can personally demonstrate the locomotive and the problem to, although when I go to the center out in Elyria, I do have to take some pieces of EZ-Track and my cheapo Prodigy Express DCC control system, because they only have an analog-powered HO scale test track.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

fs2k4pilot said:


> It also means you have someone you can personally demonstrate the locomotive and the problem to, although when I go to the center out in Elyria, I do have to take some pieces of EZ-Track and my cheapo Prodigy Express DCC control system, because they only have an analog-powered HO scale test track.


I think I might be a bit worried if I took a DCC loco to a service centre that didn't have a test track! Most makers have a goof proof warranty on their decoders.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I'd be disappointed too. For what they charge for their locos, they should get it right the first time, or make it right pronto.


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## Zero Cool (Dec 4, 2013)

Guys first off I just want to say thanks for all the helpful tips and going the extra mile looking up licensed dealers in my area. I really appreciate that.

I checked the speaker under the tender and it looks all clear. The road number I have is 1601. I haven't had any mechanical issues with this piece yet. As for the part that was messed up when I received it back, I have attached a few pictures to show what I'm talking about. In the first one I moved the L shaped piece to show what I was talking about. In the second I moved it back to close to where it should be, and also captured the second set of drivers to show what its supposed to look like.

I was really looking forward to showing this piece off at the big show we have here once a year at Hara arena but I'm having second thoughts right now. I do have a few BLI pieces I'm planning on bringing with me, as when I have time to get my own layout started I will be modelling the PRR (both my grandfather and great grandfather worked for Pennsy). 

If I thought it would do any good I would write Mike Wolfe an email or even take the time to write out and mail him a letter, but I doubt it would do any good. And even if I got them to fix it again, it would take another 3 months. I know I sound like I'm whining here but I was always taught from my parents that you do it right the first time and when something goes wrong and it's something you had a hand in you make it right. Sad to say but I think this is a sign of the times.


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## davidone (Apr 20, 2015)

I have 9 MTH steam engines and only had one problem, a smoke unit stopped working. The others all run , sound and look great. 

Don't dispair, all mfgs have problems so give them a chance to make it right. Heck I have a brass challenger that has never ran right from when it was new and still don't . It just sits on the shelf and looks pretty. It has been apart at least 10 times by me and others trying to find the problem and still no luck.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

Zero Cool said:


> I know I sound like I'm whining here but I was always taught from my parents that you do it right the first time and when something goes wrong and it's something you had a hand in you make it right. Sad to say but I think this is a sign of the times.


It certainly seems so. I've observed before about quality control issues with these high dollar steamers. The manufacturers do tend to make it right eventually - and to be fair it's probably a small sampling compared to total production. 

Still, when you pay that much money for something - you expect it to be working right when it comes out of the box. Every time.


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

Ok spotted it,it's the linkage for the mechanical lubricator that's come loose. 
Was most likely held in place with a very fine plastic pin or rivet, possibly a very tiny screw would work to fix it.
Check the other side and see if there's a mechanical lubricator on that side to see what was used to hold the linkage in place.


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

Cycleops said:


> I think I might be a bit worried if I took a DCC loco to a service centre that didn't have a test track! Most makers have a goof proof warranty on their decoders.


This store ONLY carries MTH O scale products. They have the MTH DCS system, and an analog power pack, but that's it. And they do have a few pieces of HO scale track that they can use for testing, but they don't have a conventional DCC system to test engines with.


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## fs2k4pilot (Jan 5, 2013)

GN.2-6-8-0 said:


> Ok spotted it,it's the linkage for the mechanical lubricator that's come loose.
> Was most likely held in place with a very fine plastic pin or rivet, possibly a very tiny screw would work to fix it.
> Check the other side and see if there's a mechanical lubricator on that side to see what was used to hold the linkage in place.


Yup, as I recall the Allegheny had four mechanical lubricators. I don't remember if they're held with plastic pins or metal rivets, but in all reality, you could make a replacement pin with a small piece of styrene rod, a little glue, a hot screwdriver, and a little paint and no one would be any the wiser.

I wish OP and I could meet and I could hear this engine for myself. I live up in Cleveland, so it wouldn't be impossible, but it'd be a bit of a haul.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Just be interested to know what make decoder is on there. Did you try swapping out the speaker?


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## GN.2-6-8-0 (Jan 10, 2013)

MTH uses its own proprietary decoder.


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