Intermittent Stopping with Lionel 4-6-2 Pacific Steam Locomotive

First Question - Have you lightly oiled the moving parts and greased the gears? Because THAT has been known to produce intermittent stops.

@Buddy497 posted:

Pardon my ignorance as I returning to model trains after a nearly 60 year hiatus (from my childhood).  I recently picked up a Lionel 4-6-2 Pacific Steam Locomotive via an online sale.  The unit appears to be near new.  I received the locomotive and tender only.  It is a TMCC-1 train but the controller was not available and it did not have the optional railsound upgrade boards. I am running my trains on a post war ZW transformer.   Most of the time, it runs flawlessly.  Here is the exception.  One day last week the train ran for about 20 minutes then stopped on its own.  It restarted after powering down and up but stopped again after a few minutes.  This pattern continued for a few hours and then it resumed running without interruption.  This behavior has not occurred since.

Here is my question.  It is my understanding that TMCC-1 commands work via low frequency radio signals.  Is it possible that there was a radio frequency controlled device (e.g. mobile phone, microwave, radio controlled plane or drone) in use in the area that was interfering with the train causing it to interpret that it had received a stop or stall command?

In addition, is there a reasonably priced control still available that I could buy to run this engine?

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

1. Model # please

2. It's not exactly clear (at least to me) whether you are running this locomotive in command (TMCC) control or conventional. It looks like you are running in conventional, so there should not be any interference with the TMCC signal since it is not being operated in TMCC mode.

3. Do you have sufficient power drops to the track to insure good voltage at all points around the layout ?

Depending on the model number this engine may have all the electronics in the tender. In that case a loose tether may be the cause of the problem.

Pete

Thank you both for your prompt responses.

I believe that I am running the unit in conventional mode (2 wires to track from 2 poles on the ZW transformer). I do not own a TMCC controller. Again, I am new to current technology so I may not fully understand the concept.

I did lightly lubricate the gears when this first happened.  It continued to intermittently stop for a few hours but has been fine since (5 days).

The package ID reads 6-28020.

I do not have the ability to check voltage along track. Layout is an oval 4 feet x 8 feet. I do not have a problem with any engines slowing down or stopping along its path other than this engine for this one timeframe.

Thank you again for your help. 

From the box description it appears you have a conventional running engine and not TMCC. Runs via the transformer only. Try the suggestions above.

This engine is in fact conventional only. The TMCC version is 28026. Given the size I suspect all the electronics are in the tender. To prove that put the engine on the tracks without the tender and see if it runs.

Pete

Thank you so much for pointing that out.   The one size fits all users manual that came with the engine did not make that abundantly clear.  So now, I still have a mystery as to the why it was stopping a few days ago.  At the moment, I'm leaning toward the loose tether option. 

A very short, basic primer:

1. Traditional or Conventional locomotives run directly from the transformer. Horn, bell and direction are all controlled from the transformer and speed is controlled by moving the handles/levers up, down, sideways, etc. depending on the transformer model. These are the traditional pre-war and post war engines.

2. In the 1990's, new systems were developed so that locomotive functions could be controlled via a wireless remote, which allows the operator to move around the layout rather than being "tied" to the transformer. These are generically referred to as "command control" systems. In these systems, the transformer or power supply is set to a fixed, constant voltage (around 18 volts) and left alone during your operating session. A command base/TIU is attached to the track and all functions of the train, like speed, sound, horn direction, bell, etc. are controlled from the wireless remote and not the transformer.

3. Different manufacturers have developed their own versions of command control ("CC") systems, such as Lionel and MTH. Lionel's original CC system was called TMCC. They then "improved" that system and called it Legacy. Their systems are backwards compatible so newer engines can be run on older systems albeit, perhaps, with not all functions.  Their CC loco's can also be operated conventionally w/o requiring a TMCC or Legacy system but, again, with not all functions. MTH's CC system is known as "DCS" and there are variations of that system as well.

4. If you have a CC system on your layout, you can also run traditional engines and even through that CC system's remote, but you may need an add-on product to do that. You can also have both the Lionel and the MTH CC systems incorporated into your layout, so that you can purchase and operate either manufacturer's locomotives.  Generally, you can run a Lionel Legacy engine in command mode on an MTH CC system, but not vice-versa.

5. There are other CC systems besides TMCC, Legacy and DCS, such as Lionel's LionChief series, some of which use a separate remote, but do not need a command base/TIU.

6. There is also a DCC system, but that's a little too far advanced.

This just touches on the subject, but should get you going. Like most things, you'll start picking up on it as you go along.

Pick up a current Lionel or MTH catalogue and you can see the various systems (and price points).

Buddy497 - Further to Richie C's comment, if and when you get a catalog make sure to sit down before you start reading it; otherwise you may injure yourself when you hit the floor after seeing the prices.   😬