# Bachmann North Pole and Southern



## dmlc7 (Jul 21, 2008)

Can any one please help. 

I have an LGB MTS layout with the two trains supplied with the MTS Starter kit. 

I wanted a bigger loco with a bit more pull so i purchased a Bachmann North Pole and southern loco as i understood i could run analogue locos on loco 0 until which point i bought a suitable decoder. 

Having placed the train on my layout, the engine just hums. I have figured out now that the loco doesn't like the AC current from the mts and is fine with DC current. 

My question is, is there any way i can get this train to be compatible and run on my mts layout using mts functions?


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## Guest (Jul 21, 2008)

I am no DCC guy, but I wonder if you were to flip those switches inside the smokebox door if your train would run....I assume you'd need to install a decoder to utilize all the MTS functions.. 

good luck 
cale-a battery guy


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like you need o install the MTS LGB decoder to make it work with your system. Later RJD


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## dmlc7 (Jul 21, 2008)

Yep... Played with the switches in the smoke box. They just reverse the ploarity. 

MTS runs a constant voltage to the track, where as other types apply varying degrees of current to the track to make the motor go faster. 

I understand what is happening, i just dont know what is out there to fix it. 


Would the Decoder convert the AC supply to tell a DC motor what to do ? or does the train need an Ac motor? or electronics?


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

You will find that he LGB decoders are scarce now, but you can use a Massoth decoder. 

Massoth made most of the current LGB electronics.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

But he's supposed to be able to run it as is on loco 0.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Torby is right; in an NMRA DCC system you should be able to run one unchipped loco with you DCC system. I am not familiar with MTS, but I don't think it is an NMRA compatible system? Most systems address ‘0’ will allow you to do this. 

You’re correct, the voltage present on your DCC track is not DC, but more like AC. Basically the decoder takes signals from the command station down the track to the required decoder in a loco and tells it what to do. 

The decoder makes the motor turn buy taking the track voltage and applies it to the motor proportional to the speed you set on you hand controller. The voltage applied to the motor is ‘essentially’ DC. 

Would I run an un chipped loco on DCC... NO. Motors don't like it, as you are basically feeding AC onto them, they run very inefficient and you have limited speed control. And they make that horrible buzzing sound! 

Placing an unchipped loco with a coreless motor will damage it almost instantly. Not many large scale manufactures use these, I believe some märklin locos do. 

I would suggest getting a decoder for the new loco, its really the only way to do it unfortunately.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

That is weird. I ran an LGB 2-4-0 with sound on "0" along with a MTS equipped mikado. Speed steps were big, but it was the same for both. I do recall the buzzing sound. 

Mark


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## dmlc7 (Jul 21, 2008)

Cool... Thanks for your help so far. 

I am considering the MASSOTH 8150001 eMOTION XL LOCO DECODER, 3AMP... Can this be progammed with an LGB Programmer? I have the PC one.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I haven’t used MTS or the Massoth decoder, but I’m pretty sure it is compatible with LGB MTS and also NMRA systems such as Lenz and Digitrax…. 

I personally use Lenz, that’s why I’m not 100% sure, but someone will be able to give you a 100% answer. 

Have a look on the Massoth ( http://www.massoth.com ) website; they have manuals for their products located at the bottom of each product’s page.


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## MarkLewis (Jan 2, 2008)

A couple of points:


1. LGB MTS does support running a single non-MTS/DCC locomotive at address 0.


2. This is a feature not required by the NMRA DCC specification. Over the past few years an increasing number of DCC manufacturers have removed the ability to run a non-DCC locomotive from their systems. This trend has been fed by the increasing use of DCC in smaller scales; this to the point were non-DCC locomotives are becoming less in both demand and availability. 


Mark


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