# Cab Forward MTH



## nosmoking (Nov 13, 2017)

I have a MTH with Proto sound 3 and would like to operate this loco with a MRC Prodigy Wireless DCC. I get the loco to run but no lights or sounds are possible, is using the MRC with the MTH not possible.
Thank you for any help one could give me. Rich


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

nosmoking said:


> I have a MTH with Proto sound 3 and would like to operate this loco with a MRC Prodigy Wireless DCC. I get the loco to run but no lights or sounds are possible, is using the MRC with the MTH not possible.
> Thank you for any help one could give me. Rich


MTH claims that their devices are totally compatible with DCC, but experiences like yours continue to dictate otherwise. 

For my money, unless you intend to run MTH products exclusively, I'd stick with the MRC rather than investing in MTH's proprietary DCS system.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

You'll have to phone MTH and speak with them. Modern DCS decoders are supposed to have a fair bit of function with DCC systems, as the gentleman above has stated. But.....not full function; you need their proprietary DCS system for that.

This persistent problem is why so few of us in the hobby recommend anyone gets MTH decodered engines if they are already substantially invested in DCC. If you simply must have their engine of that type, and are willing to live with 70% functionality, or less, then...it's your nickel. Or, start with MTH and invest in their system from the outset. It's not like they make junk. It's just that they entered the hobby announcing they didn't need to play nice because...well...they didn't.

Of course, it could just be a defective decoder. You say there are no sounds or lights. Does it at least move?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

It's pretty hard for me to believe that a new MTH PS/3 model can't be made to run properly with DCC, I'd check with MTH before you go condemning them.

It would help a lot to know the exact model of the locomotive.


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## nosmoking (Nov 13, 2017)

*MTH Cab Forward*

The serial # is 80--3181-1 as mention I can get it to run which does move very smoothly however no lights ,sounds etc.
I have looked at MTH web site which makes no sense to me at all descriptions of the various keys suggested are not on my MRC Prodigy wireless DCC


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

nosmoking said:


> ...
> descriptions of the various keys suggested are not on my MRC Prodigy wireless DCC


Once again, DCC is NOT DCS. The MTH literature is probably discussing DCS interface, and not the much more common DCC that EVERYONE ELSE manages to use.

Your decoder may be muted, and the light function may be off. Even in DCC we have to press F8 for lights to come on. Mute is F7. If you can see a list for 'functions' or something like that, there'll be functions covering mute and lighting.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That explains it. That is an early PS/3 locomotive, at that point MTH really didn't have their DCC act together. I believe that was the first year for their DCC compatible stuff.

HO Scale MTH HO 4-8-8-2 AC-6 Cab Forward Steam Engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0

*Delivery Status:* Delivered DEC. 2010


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## nosmoking (Nov 13, 2017)

Hi Any chance of getting our heads together? DCC is new to me need help
Rich


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Where would you like to start?

DCC is established and works a certain way with various DCC systems available commercially. It looks like your early MTH locomotive uses an older decoder that has very limited operability using DCC control systems. 

MTH was forced to accommodate more DCC interoperability about 2010 or so because their sales were not robust. By the time they joined the HO hobby, DCC had been in place and gaining popularity for nearly 10 years. But, they joined forcing fans of their products to use their proprietary DCS system. You can understand that it didn't sit well with many of us, and we stayed away in droves. Once MTH saw the light, they improved the interoperability to the point where today a DCC system gets about 50-60% of the functionality designed into their DCS decoders. It looks like your decoder pre-dates this newer relaxed approach by MTH.

Sorry. I still think you should contact MTH, in the absence of more authoritative responses here, and attempt to find a way to use your locomotive.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

MTH has as beautiful locomotives as anyone. And they are suppose to play with DCC better now. I still avoid them like the plague. They would have sold a ton more locos if
they had gone DCC compatible (like everyone else) from the start.

Would nosmoking do better replacing the MTH decoder with another decoder? He is running DCC. Is the DCS in their decoders?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I wonder if the existing board could be reprogrammed, or perhaps simply replaced with the current HO DCS/DCC board. That would be a bunch easier than replacing the decoder with an alternative brand.


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## nosmoking (Nov 13, 2017)

*MTH Cab Forward*

Frustration hardly covers it have no reply from MTH for over a week now with sending to requests. The manual which came with the loco states clearly it will operate on DCC and gives a lot of steps to convert from the MTH decoder to DCC, which of course just does not work. In case one is going to ask the question this is a new Loco built in 2010.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

In fairness, many companies shut their doors completely between Christmas and New Years, and Monday was a holiday. Plus, if they're on the East Coast, they may have a winter storm to deal with.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

In 2010, MTH was just getting into DCC, and your story is far from unique. There was a lot of frustration with MTH HO products over the lack of conformance to the DCC standards.


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