Proto-Sound 3.0 Upgrade Program To Replace Proto-Sound 2.0 Program

Dear Customers - M.T.H. Electric Trains has discontinued its Proto-Sound 2.0 Upgrade Conversion program and replaced it with its All-New Proto-Sound 3.0 Upgrade Program.

The Proto-Sound 3.0 Conversion Program answers the call from M.T.H. customers who want to be able to upgrade their existing M.T.H. engines with the latest MTH Proto-Sound 3.0 technology for command use with the DCS system. There are some limitations to the upgrade and the cost may be unattractive for some applications but overall, M.T.H. believes the upgrade program will satisfy users who have called for such action since the release of Proto-Sound 3.0.  Kits should begin shipping in November 2015.

Proto-Sound 3.0 Upgrade Program Overview

• M.T.H. will offer generic Proto-Sound 3.0 Upgrade Kits for sale. The initial introductory suggested retail price for the generic kit will be $179.95. After December 31, 2015, the suggested retail price will increase to $199.95. 
• A 90 Day Limited Warranty will be offered on each upgrade kit provided the kit is installed by an M.T.H. Authorized Service Center participating in the Proto-Sound 3.0 Conversion Program. This point will be heavily emphasized in promotions for the Proto-Sound 3.0 Upgrade Program. Consumers ordering the kit online from M.T.H. will be asked to accept their understanding of the warranty when proceeding through the online checkout. The kit itself will feature packages containing the Proto-Sound 3.0 circuit board sealed with large, brightly colored labels warning the user that only an ASC installer should open the package to ensure that the warranty remain valid. 
• Each kit will not come with a sound set preloaded into it. The user or the ASC installer must download the appropriate sound set from the M.T.H. website and upload the sound set into the circuit board after installation. The uploading process requires use of the DCS Track Interface Unit (TIU), the DCS Loader Program and a Windows PC which may further stimulate users to utilize the services of an ASC installer should the user not already own the necessary equipment. 
• Only locomotives for which, one: an appropriate Proto-Sound 2.0/3.0 sound set exists and, two: have space to install the upgrade kit are eligible for the upgrade program. As additional locomotives are produced and more Proto-Sound 3.0 sound sets become available, more locomotives will be eligible to upgrade. Consult the MTH website service page for potential sound sets using the Proto-Sound Sound Sets search feature. 

Proto-Sound 3.0 Upgrade Kit Configurations 

• M.T.H. has reviewed a number of Premier Line Steam and Diesel/Electric locomotives not equipped with Proto-Sound 2.0 to create two generic kits (one steam, one diesel/electric) that should provide a successful conversion in virtually all locomotives. Each generic kit will require that some installation decisions be made by the installer to determine the correct locations for new mounting brackets and the optimum location for proper wire management routing. 
• Due to the variations in multiple power units, such as AA or ABA diesel locomotives, no multiple unit kit is proposed at this time. Customers wanting to convert multiple unit locomotive sets can do so by installing separate kits into each powered unit to create two independently operating Proto-Sound 3.0 locomotives. Operation of the multiple locomotives in a lash-up shall be done under command mode when using the DCS system.

50-1911 Proto-Sound 3.0 Steam Upgrade Kit

The steam kit would place the PS3 board in the Tender and limit the control of lights to simple DCS Headlight control (the normal wiring configuration used in RailKing steam engines equipped with Proto-Sound 3.0). To simplify the installation, no MUX boards would be supplied. To put 2 couplers on switcher engines for remote coupler operation using DCS or Conventional modes, a Proto-Coupler must be purchased separately and a wire modification is required as outlined in the instructions.

Tach tape will be supplied in the kit. The tach reader bracket that mounts to the Pittman motor will be used for Premier engines and a plastic bracket that slips around the motor between the motor and the flywheel will be used on RailKing steam and all diesel engines. Five different length tach tapes will be supplied in the kit for standard flywheel sizes of 27mm, 27.7mm, 30mm, 31.8mm and 34mm. The installer will be required to create a custom tach tape for all other flywheel sizes.

A new headlight bulb will be supplied in the kit with the engine harness. The 10 pin engine mounted pcb will have the wires for the smoke unit, headlight, motor, pick-up, chassis ground, and tach reader already soldered to it. Molex male/female connectors will be included in-line on the smoke unit and headlight wires to make it easy to separate the boiler from the chassis. For Premier models the existing constant voltage pcb shall be used to control the other lights in the engine. For RailKing steam models, all other lights shall be run off of track power. Since 18Volts is applied to the track in command mode, a standard 18Volt bulb can be used for all other light functions.

A standard 50 mm diameter 4 ohm speaker shall be supplied along with a standard PS3 mounting bracket, PS3 heat sink, Proto-Sound coil coupler, tender harness, smoke switch, and tender to board wire harness. A rear back-up light and tender marker lights will also be provided in the tender wire harness. Some installations may require obscure speaker sizes which won't be included in the kit and will either require a separate purchase or make a particular locomotive not eligible for upgrade.

The existing smoke unit would be used but a trace must be cut so that power to the heating elements comes directly from the Proto-Sound 3.0 board. This eliminates the need to determine which smokestack is required for each different model.

Steam Upgrade Kit Features

• Speed Control
• Synchronized Puffing smoke
• DCS Command Control and all the features that come with the latest command control system.
• Remotely controlled Proto-Coupler on the tender
• PS3 Headlight control
• 28 F-Function DCC Features

50-1912 Proto-Sound 3.0 Diesel Upgrade Kit

The diesel kit shall be supplied for a standard locomotive such as the Premier SD90 MAC or Genesis with all lights. Here a harness with the generic lights will be supplied, Headlight, Marker lights, Number board lights, MARS light, cab interior light, overhead blinking light. Whatever lights are not needed would not be installed. All cab mounted lights would come with a male/female Molex connector in-line for easy separation of the shell from the chassis.

The standard 50 mm diameter 4 ohm speaker shall be supplied along with a standard PS3 mounting bracket, PS3 heat sink, (2) Proto-Sound 2.0 coil couplers. Some installations may require obscure speaker sizes which won't be included in the kit and will either require a separate purchase or make a particular locomotive not eligible for upgrade.

The existing smoke unit would be used but a trace must be cut so that power to the heating elements comes directly from the Proto-Sound 3.0 board. This eliminates the need to determine which smokestack is required for each different model.

Diesel  Features

• Speed Control
• Variable Intensity Diesel Exhaust Smoke
• DCS Command Control and all the features that come with the latest command control system.
• (2) Remotely controlled Proto-couplers
• PS3 Headlight control
• 28 F-Function DCC Features

Order Now

Expected Release: December 2015

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