Can a New Shell Cause Problems with Legacy Control?

Hi All!

Got a strange situation that I would like some input on. My son has a Lionel Legacy DD 35 (6-28370). It has run correctly for several years. He bought a new shell from Lionel to replace the original "worn" shell. We put the new shell on and now the engine does not get along with the Legacy remote system. When we can get it programmed (we've gone through the process several times), it will run fine and respond to Legacy commands for a while. Then it will stop responding to the Legacy system. When it is not in the mood to get along with the Legacy system, nothing on the remote garners a response, no horn, bell, coupler-action, crew talk, throttle, ... nothing!

It runs fine in conventional mode and all other trains on the layout respond appropriately to the Legacy system.

The only difference in the new shell from the old is the new shell did not have brass insert for two small screws that ran through the frame of the locomotive into the shell. I took the brass inserts from the old shell and put them into the new shell figuring that they were one of the things that needed to transferred from old to new. They do not seem to do anything as they sit in the plastic holes shown in the pictures. They are considerably smaller than the screws that hold the shell.

I had those screws in place and it did not work. When I removed the screws, it did work. So, I thought perhaps that was the problem (do not really know why that would be the problem, but ...?) He ran the engine last night for a while with no trouble. Anyway, he tells me this morning that it is not responding again.

I am not sure what I am missing here, but if there was a place where I could get an answer, the forum is it!

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,

dennis