2 for 1

Have you tried putting just one of them on the track and changing it's engine number in the remote with the engine started?  It sounds like somehow they're both getting the same engine number.

Like gunrunnerjohn mentions, you need to have only one engine on the track at a time when adding an engine or they both get the same ID on the remote. This happened to me one with two engines even though one was a diesel and one a steam engine.

FYI, a note about a DCS engine, when the DCS feature is turned off the engine still makes electrical contact through the center rollers. I had an accident because I thought that if the DCS feature is turned off the engine would not make electrical connection through both center roller wheels as I moved the engine by hand, with the power turned on, across a side track and onto the main track. When I did that I put power to the main line and power to a set of Williams SD-45's with 15 freight cars and it ended rear ending another train.

Lee Fritz

This is a little, odd because he did load them one at a time.  The first engine load took and address.  That address should not have been available when he tried to load the second engine 1 hr later.  

When you load the engines look at what address they have.  If infact the same I can't explain why one address is being used by both based on how you loaded, but with only one on the track try to change it's address to a different location, then put other on track and see what happens.  G

Need model number to discuss your lighting issues.G

It is odd, but if they somehow got the same engine address, that would explain it.  We may be missing some crucial fact that would explain it as well.

Bill,

To try to correct, I have deleted and reentered both engines in the handheld, but the problem still continues.

It sounds as if one (or both) engines aren't holding their DCS ID#'s. If these are PS2 engines, charge their batteries. If these are PS3 units, the problem (if it is what I'm suggesting) could be more serious. Do as John suggest regarding changing one DCS address.

on the BB1 the trailing unit, when direction is changed the cab light turns on, but the head light does not. Lights work normally on the lead unit. Can this trailing unit bulb be replaced?

Is it a PS3 engine? If so, it's an LED, not a bulb. Regardless, if one headlight doesn't work, it could be due to a board problem vs. a bulb/LED problem.

On the Western Maryland steamer, the headlight is so bright it bothers my eyes to look directly at it. Can this lamp be replaced with a more conventional bulb and less intense glare.

Before you start up the engine, does the headlight come on and get brighter as power is increased? If it odes, the FET on the PS2/PS3 board has blown and is letting track power straight through to the headlight. In this case, do not operate the engine until you replace/repair the board. Otherwise, you'll burn out the bulb/LED, as well.

Were these engines purchased new or used?

I have tried reloading with just one engine on the track, but it did not help.

I have not tried changing the engine number in the handheld. I assume the display can be edited. I have never done that before.

Am I correct in that what I would need to do is change the WM from 811 to 734 or something similar? IS that what your suggesting?

Across the various attempts to reload, the handheld assigned the engines to various location assignments. That still did not help the situation.

These engines are brand new, I am told each was picked up from MTH the day before they shipped them to me. I must assume PS3.

Run separately (only 1 on the tracks, the other on the work bench) they each ran fine.

I have noticed the very bright head light on other engines; I assume this is a product change and not a failure mode.

The PS/3 models with LED headlights will appear to have brighter headlights than the older incandescent PS/2 headlights, that's normal.

Bill,

The engine box should state if the engines are PS2 or PS3 as well as the operators manual. Posting the product numbers from the end of the boxes would also help.

If they're new(er), look on the bottom.  No charging jack probably means PS/3.

I checked the catalog, they are both PS3.

The Western Maryland steamer is 20-3551.

The Pennsylvania BB1 is 20-5679.

Both ID appeared normal in the handheld and each had a separate location Assignment.

If memory serves me right, the WM is in location 2, the BB1 in location 4.

I will not be back home until Labor day weekend, so additional details will be hard to provide until then.

That is really weird since they have different address 2 and 4.  Stumper if as stated.  G

Bill, the LED headlights on steamers are unprotypically colored and their brightness I also find too intense to look at.

Maybe he's using the ALL engine option.

Bill,

I had the EXACT same problem with 2 premier N&W locomotives after I added one of them to the remote on my layout, the second locomotive was on the track, not activated.

To solve the problem - you need to ADD each locomotive, separately, to the remote.  Use a test track or other similar single track.  Add the first locomotive and note the ID #.  Remove that locomotive from the single track and do the same with the second locomotive.  Notice the ID#.

Now you can place both locomotives on the layout and run them independently.  It is a stupid quirk that will drive you crazy until you realize how to load them.

I run 4.2 software and have three remotes.  Also, make sure you back up that remote and use that file to update any other remote you may have.

bruce

In my case I loader the steamer first, the BB1 was still in its box.

The steam engine loaded correctly and ran fine.

I completely shutdown all portions of the system.

An hour later I came back, unpacked the BB1, placed it on the track and powered up everything.

I then did a search to Load the new engine. It appeared to load correctly. I then started the BB1 and the steamer also started. Both moved forward when the thumb wheel was advanced.

I tried numerous variations to correct the problem. Delete and reload, doing so for both engines.

Finally, I just ran one at a time, while the other sat on the workbench. Both engines ran fine by themselves, with the exception of the BB1 backup headlight.

That is weird!  Seems  ID 2 will run both,. does ID 4 also run both?

If I remember correctly, selecting either ID will start the other.

What do you mean you did a search to add BB1.  Did you do a read?  If so, you should have done an Add engine.

I would place the first steamer on the track and do a factory reset with volume on full.  Turn off track power and wait 30 secs.  Remove the engine and make sure it's ID is deleted from the remote (from factory reset).  Do the same with BB-1.

Make sure no Lashups or MU in the remote.

Place the first engine back on the track and do an ADD Engine.  When done remove it, and place the second engine on the track and do and ADD engine.  Noting addresses as they add.

Try them both on the track again.   G

Place the first engine back on the track and do an ADD Engine.  When done remove it, and place the second engine on the track and do and ADD engine.  Noting addresses as they add.

Additionally, and this is important, note if the words "Changing engine to address..." appear when doing each add after each Factory Reset. If they do not appear, the Factory Reset was not successful for that engine.

Yep  for sure ....

I've had lots of engines with the same ID number   but never a engine with more than one  ID. You may want to check the remote for any unknown  ID only engines or anything else strange.   Better yet ,reset the remote if you don't have a lot in it. (everything will be deleted). It would give you a clean slate to start over.

GGG, for my education, why should the volume be on full when doing a factory reset?

There have been reports of factory resets not taking if the Volume is not on full.  It is a service note.  No other explanation why.  G