I have noticed on 3rd rail engines on youtube that they have a miss in the chuff. I have a third rail engine that also misses (like a bad running car engine) in the 4 chuffs per rev setting. In the 2 chuff setting everything is fine. Is this a problem with err? thanks for any answer.
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If you're setting the chuff rate from the remote, you're not running the ERR stuff, that's the TAS board set.
this is a electric rr system and has switches on bottom of engine cab for 2 and 4 chuff settings
That's not a stock thing with ERR, so there's something else installed to handle the chuffs.
It is two cams on an axle, one with 2 lobes and one with 4 to trigger the chuffs. A third rail only to get around mth and a lawsuit.
Two cams? Do you have pictures of that? That sounds like a custom thing.
3rd rail is a custom train builder
Interesting approach. G
They have a lot of odd things in their installations, I have two of them in for work now. The only installation I ever saw where the whole tender is the TMCC antenna! Plastic mounts for the trucks, drawbar, and the rear coupler. Very interesting...
no I do not but have seen on the 3 rail scale site where scott mann has posted pictures of it and I would guess each time the points close it triggers a chuff and evidently the processor In the cruise unit can't keep up with the fast chuffing. just a guess. also when you get the engine they have put it in the 2 chuff mode.
Scott had this with the ta system when mth threatened to sue anyone using a tape reader as they patened it. I do not know what weaver uses as they are now electric rr too but there smoke does not puff. The puff on the electric rr is not real good as it cuts of the smoke too fast even at slow puffing and stops puffing quit soon. Lionel legacy and mth have this down pat and both cut off the fast chuffing at a predetermined point and don't follow the driver speed after that.
I doubt the processor is the limiting factor in keeping up with the chuffs coming in. ERR doesn't have a direct chuff trigger, you have to provide that with either a reed switch and magnet(s) on a wheel or a cam triggered off wheel or rod motion.
Well, I sent the engine back for a refund. 1500.00 bucks for a Mikado that does not work is waistfull spending in my book. their smoke units suck and he sent me 3 engines to try and keep my business but they all did the same. You can get a good lionel articulated for 1500. Now the ac 9 is out for 2000.00. I purchased the lionel new in box for 1300 and it is great. In fact all my lionel engines ran as designed from the start and are better pullers too.
IMO, you buy the 3rd Rail brass for the detailing, I have yet to see one that has the performance of either a similar model of Lionel or MTH locomotives.
You may have a different problem. FWIW, however, I have the 3rd Rail SP Mt-4 Mountain with the dual cams and two micro switches. One switch shorts the chuff circuit to ground for chuffs 1 & 3, while the other switch gives chuffs 2 & 4. They are of course “quartered” at 90 degrees. One of my switches went bad so that chuffs 1 & 3 were OK, but chuffs 2 & 4 were erratic and eventually quit. I got a replacement from 3rd Rail for mine. It’s a pretty tiny micro switch, but I think I have seen them at our well stocked local electronics supply. If that were your problem, you could take the bad switch out and to the store to be sure the two mounting screw holes line up.
IMO, you buy the 3rd Rail brass for the detailing, I have yet to see one that has the performance of either a similar model of Lionel or MTH locomotives.
You buy 3rd Rail for the detailing and performance. Given the limitations on train length by which I'm constrained, my 3rd Rail engines walk away with whatever I put behind them. If I have a complaint, it is that 3rd Rail's antenna installations do not work nearly as well as my Lionel equipment (almost no DCS here). On the AGHR layout my 3rd Rail M-1b will stall at locations where my Lionel equipment is unaffected. My new B&O T-2 is almost unrunnable.
I find that my 3rd Rail and Williams brass locomotives are the sweetest runners on my tubular rail layout for a reason that’s mechanical rather than electronic. The sprung drivers compensate so well for any unevenness on the rail that it’s a soothing pleasure to turn off the sounds once a while to enjoy the nearly silent running.
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