All Legacy engines are blinking

Check your connection to the base to the common or outside rail.  Sounds like you lost track signal.  Any other changes you made?

Eddie,

   Also check you antenna on the base make sure it is still screwed in tight and

if you have to, prop it up-right.  You may also have a bad track some place, had a switch that was playing havic with my Legacy signal for a while myself.

PCRR/Dave

Marty,

Mary Christmas.  As usual thanks for the quick reply.  I use tubular track throughout my layout, so I just move the contact point to different outside rails but still the same results.  I believe I am getting a signal because I can still control the engines for the most part; dialogue, smoke, brake etc. still work.  I can control them to a certain extent, but then they get stubborn and stop all together.  The headlight is constantly blinking during the entire running period.  The only thing really unusual is that it always stops in the same two places, after it just goes over the Bascule bridge and as it enters a specific 022 turnout. I have close to 30 turnouts on the layout and it always stops at the same one.  I readjusted the pins, cleaned the track all to know avail.

With your wealth of knowledge do you have any idea what could be causing this?  I guess my next step is with Lionel, but my experience with their service in the past 40 years is getting worse.

Thanks,

Ed

The blinking indicates a weak signal.  Are you SURE your ground to the base power brick is going to building ground?  Also, don't plug into a power strip, but directly into a 3-prong grounded outlet.

Hi!

I use the bus system rather then the block system in wiring my layout.  I have taken apart many section and still have a blinking light.  I would think that if I had a short somewhere, I couldn't operate it in DCS or conventional which I can.  I've going through all suggestions to no avail.  For at least the last  5 years I have been operating my DCS and Legacy in this manner and all was fine.  I realize ___ happens,

but how do I clean it up once it happens. Certainly glad none of the neighborhood kids are visiting today.  I do love my Legacy, but...............

Thanks, and still keep having a Merry Christmas.

Ed

Anything added?  Anything new?  

I've seen Legacy Bases go bad after lighting strikes...sometimes not dead, just weak output signals. There was a thread about measuring the level of the output from the U terminal connector by Dale M. Take a look here...

https://ogrforum.com/t...l-measurement-device

And here is the discussion...

https://ogrforum.com/t...gnal-strength?page=1

I had a new one from Henning's that had a very weak signal, when I tested it I got less than half the expected amplitude.  That can happen.

Guns & Marty,

   If he has been operating for the past 5 years and having no problems doing so,

I am inclined to agree with Chuck, it sounds like his base unit is going bad or somehow his grounding has changed.

PCRR/Dave

If he added or changed something he could have inadvertently grounded the signal. Basic troubleshooting is to ask and try the simple stuff. It could very well be a bad base but could also be something that might have been just wired in degrading the signal. 

Perhaps it's time to test it on a short piece of track.

Do you use a power strip? If so try a outlet.

Well guys you did it again.  My bad, I had moved by Legacy base and it was not grounded. Simple fix.  Thanks for all your help as always and it really turned out to be a very merry Christmas for me.  And to all you OGR's have a happy and healthy New Year.

Great news Eddie. Merry Christmas!  

Nice to know it was a no-cost fix, that's our Christmas Gift to you.

Eddie,

   Good to know it was just operator error and not an expensive repair,

Merry Christmas!

PCRR/Dave