AC Commander Anomaly

Did you try a reset without a power cycle?  AUX1/0 and see if that gets it going.

TMCC will go into neutral on a power interruption or loss of the TMCC signal.

If all else fails, the first thing to do is to swap the R4LC with another one or an R2LC-08 and see if it's the TMCC receiver.  This doesn't sound like the AC Commander, it sounds like either the above named issues or a problem with the R4LC.

Thanks so much John. Just what I was looking for. I'll try all that next time I am over there.    

I had that trouble with an AC Commander in an IC GP40. The advice I was given was to replace the Radio Board with a different version. I don't remember what was in there and what I replaced it with. Something like replacing the R2LC xx with a different suffix. 

It should run with a later board, the R2LC-13 is the latest in the line of  boards, I've run Cruise Commanders and AC Commanders with those without an issue.  Truthfully, I've used the R2LC-08 with them as well and they ran fine.  I've probably installed 15-20 AC Commanders, and I've never had any compatibility issue with the R2LC that shipped with the board.  They used to be the R2LC-08, and then they went with the R4LC with the same code, it is plug-compatible with the R2LC-08.

I would run it on a layout with no switches and good conductivity on the rails to see if this is a timed event for the engine or a true momentary loss of power issue.  What RS board is used?  Is it an err production or retention of an original RS system with the engine.  G

It could be loss of power or loss of signal.  However, it's unusual not to be able to pick up and run immediately.

The "same" issue I had with the GP40 was where the engine would stop in an area with no switches. It wasn't exactly the same time, but similar times that had elapsed. I forget how I restarted it, I do not think I shut down the power...maybe just shut down the engine (tmcc) and restarted it.  And it probably was the version 13 that eliminated the issue. 

I am pleasantly perplexed after visiting my friend’s layout  to see if the suggested AUX-1 0 key press would reset and awaken his stall prone F3 power unit. That loco truly tricked us . . . it pulled three dummy units plus four aluminum passenger cars for nearly an hour without a single stall!   Now I’ve long considered rf signals somewhat capricious, especially in our sometimes hostile 3-rail environments. But then, the weather in SoCal was indeed gorgeous Saturday. Hmmm . . . 

BTW, his powered A is numbered 8100, the dummy A 8101, the B 8102, AND  .  .  .  his second B is numbered 8103. I didn't know Lionel did that.

cjack posted:

The "same" issue I had with the GP40 was where the engine would stop in an area with no switches. It wasn't exactly the same time, but similar times that had elapsed. I forget how I restarted it, I do not think I shut down the power...maybe just shut down the engine (tmcc) and restarted it.  And it probably was the version 13 that eliminated the issue. 

is the locomotive "warm" there was a small batch of boards that has a overheating issue. which locks out the motor until the board cools 

Robert, any way of identifying the problem boards?  I wouldn't want to install one of these and have it come back, makes customers very unhappy!  Was there a simple fix, or was it just a defective board?