MTH HO GE ES44AC Conrail Heritage Unit Review and DCC install using ESU Loksound

Custom install to the DCC Ready model with ESU Loksound and two 28MM TCS wow speakers
The Birthday Massacre - Alibis, is the music at the end

[@eXtremeFX2010]

I gave you a thumbs up simply because you spared us from 2-5 minutes of Packaging talk! I didn't even finish your video... and by the way... Awesome Job on rest of the video as well.

[@fallingup90]

Good video. Would you be able to make a video of dissembling one of your MTH gevos? I have a few that I'd like to remove the handrails and shell to get to the motor but I strongly prefer to see a video done properly before I give it a try.

[@BradleyDCC]

Thanks for taking the time to do a full review. Glad I was able to help you fix the ditch lights. One thing I did want to add regarding the differences between the Intermountain model and the MTH model is the trucks. At first glance they seem similar but upon closer inspection you will see that the IMR model sits slightly higher over the trucks (small space in between the trucks and frame). The MTH trucks look a little more proportionate to me, it is especially noticeable on the radial self steering trucks of the CSX model and others. Good choice on the Conrail heritage unit, this is the only one I have seen in person so far (I have a video of it on my channel).

[@RodimusPrime]

BradleyDCC I would have done a little link box to your channel but for the most part I don't know how to do alot of things on youtube, producing this video probably took at least 2 hours, couldnt tell you how much I spent on the engine itself...lol

[@donavonrobbins1908]

Thanks for the reviews on theTH ES44. Just got one in DC and am happy enough to get it converted to dcc and spend time on a custom decoration. Just an FYI for anybody still buying these, I've stripped the paint off and confirmed that many (not all) of the grills are etched metal. It was not bad taking everything apart, once you get the shell off the frame.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Nice locomotive!

[@ScottishNSRailFan]

Pleasureable to watch. Very interesting to watch the pulling test.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

Only thing is - the CR one has yellow front and back handrails not white

[@DGModelworks]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome review!! And thanks for providing all the info needed for a decoder install.

[@mopacproductions6669]

Would you recommend this engine? I’m thinking about it

[@RodimusPrime]

Best tier 3 es44 there is to this day

[@SuperWorldRailFanProductions]

Getting this for christmas.

[@matthewtommasino8343]

Ok I have a bit of a question, I have a MTH ES44AH in CSX, I put a loksound Select Direct in mine and it works, only thing is the ditch lights don't flash, the modificasion in your video I don't know if it would work on mine because you put a Select in yours. So how do you get them to flash with a Select Direct?

[@johnwhitlow7903]

Thanks for the video - very helpful. I followed the procedure you demonstrated, and the sound and all the lighting functions (alternating front ditch lights included) work. However, when I apply the throttle, the motor sputters and the lights flicker for a few seconds and then everything shuts off like there is a short circuit. When I remove the decoder and re-insert the jumpers and place the locomotive on a DC test track, the motor runs fine. I have tried a second decoder with the same results as the first. Maybe it's an electrical pick-up problem, with the engine getting enough power in DCC to run the lights and sounds, but not the motor? I am using a LokSound V4 decoder. DCC system is Digitrax Zephyr. Any ideas what is going wrong? Thank you

[@brianzhuang6859]

I have a CP MTH HO ES44AC and am also attempting to install an ESU Loksound select decoder. I installed the purple, green, and red wires in the slots at the back that are for the number boards and ditch lights and have the ditch light and number board jumper removed, but for some reason, only the rear ditch lights seem to work when the function button is toggled even though both the front and rear ditch lights work when the jumper is installed. Have you ever encountered this issue when working with these MTH GEVOs?

[@RodimusPrime]

no i havent had that happen

[@starlinggibson4117]

Do have any pictures of the modified ditch light circuit boards, I'm picking 1 up to tomorrow and plan installing Loksound into it

[@RodimusPrime]

Starling Gibson You dont need to modify the ditch light circuit board, just the front board as a show in the middle of the video

[@thebat6900]

okay i have a question i got a bnsf one of these locomotives in the dcc ready form. Ive never done a dcc sound install, want to use the loksound decoder what all do i need to wire up seperatly besides the speakers and what speakers would you reccomend thanks.

[@RodimusPrime]

Two of the TCS 28mm speakers part number 1555

[@thebat6900]

alright cool is there any other wiring that is needed other than the spekaers and pluggin the decoder in since its a bnsf unit

[@SleeTheSloth]

Thanks for the INFO. That was a rear brain teaser.

[@MrBrand96100]

What kind of trains are these? I'm tryin to look them up and see if I can order one. And you know if any stores sell them?

[@colivera427]

These are HO Scale models. You can buy them from Amazon, Trainworld.com, etc.

[@nee-grow]

Do HO diesels have no smoke?

[@ethanslape8889]

Where did you buy this decoder?

[@RodimusPrime]

Ethan Slape any model train store selling esu products can get this decoder