JLC Big Boy

What code is the R4LC?  IF S05, replace with S03.  If S03 you need to find the source of the issue.  Do all the other features work when the motion stops?  If so the DCDS is the suspect.   If all features stop working at 10minutes, but you still have power, the R4LC is a more likely suspect.  G

The r4lc code is shown as s02. When the engine stops it actually shuts down for a couple of seconds, so no sounds, lights, etc. , then starts back up on its own and runs for a few seconds then shuts down again. This repeats until track power is shut off. 

Why would you replace the R4LC-S02 with any other version?  Presumably the locomotive runs properly with that version.

I said S05.  S02 should be fine too.  Just have to start working up the chain starting with track power.  Does it do this with smoke off?  The element can expand when it heats up and if too close to the side of the smoke housing it can ground out and cause the engine to do this.  So if it runs fine no smoke, I would look at smoke element.  G

I usually leave the smoke units off when I run my engines so I don't think it is related to that. One other thing, I turned the odyssey speed control switch off to see if it had any effect on the problem. It did not change the outcome but I did have to run past speed step 30 before the engine would move. 

I had an engine that did similar things.  The R2LC was bad and when it heated up after running for a while, my F7 started doing the same thing as your big boy.  You should be able to just get a new one and program it and that should fix your problem.

I guess I'll try a new r2lc board and see if that's the fix. With the 50% sale its only $27 so not a big deal.

Well, I'd use an R4LC as this is a Legacy locomotive.

I have a JLC Big Boy, that will move ONE time, stop it and it wont move again, IIRC, the lights and sounds work, but the locomotive will not respond to movement commands.

I also have 2 Legacy (original versions, not the latest) FEF-3's, the Black one is pretty much the same, except it doesn't move at all, but again IIRC lights and sounds respond, couplers as well. Could these issues be smoke unit related as well? I will have to try turning the smoke units off, and see what happens. Christmas is coming, so the trains will be coming out again soon.

These locomotives are Very low hours, if they had odometers, they would be way below in mileage limits.

Doug

The classic issue with a Legacy locomotive that will move a few feet and then stop and not move again until you do a reset is the speed encoder or the DCDS board. 

Are you saying you can run the locomotive for an extended amount of time normally and it will only fail once you stop it?

Hi John,

 It's been awhile since I ran the Big Boy, I don't recall how far it would run, but the first time it was stopped it would become nonresponsive. The FEF-3, ran fine when put away in January of 2015, but when put on the track in December, it was nonresponsive ( to movement commands)

 One of my biggest faults, is that I have enough other trains to play with, that when one acts up, I don't deal with it as promptly as I should. I don't have a permanent layout , and I make the most of what run time I do get. Some people Enjoy tinkering with their trains, I'm not one of them. I get so little set up time, that I want to RUN them, NOT work on them. Not being very mechanically inclined also contributes to this attitude.

Doug

I guess I'm too OCD to put one away that is broken.  I do have a couple that need some work.  As you say, with around 100 of them to choose from, a couple that aren't in tip-top shape doesn't slow things down much.

I'd try reprogramming the FEF and seeing if that wakes it up.  The other one, if it exhibits the same symptoms, probably needs help.

Well, OCD has never been used to describe me, and with the limited time that I do get to set up my trains, generally during the Holidays, I don't waste much time tinkering, which I am not one of those that find that an enjoyable part of the hobby.

 The AC-9 and H-7 are among my Favorites, with the FEF-3's next, the Big Boy is an IMPRESSIVE model, but not at the top of my Favorite list, so it is easy to side track. The FEF-3, especially it being the Black one did bother me much more.

 I will have to tinker with the FEF-3 a bit, as it is among my Favorites, I was hoping that it was just a loose board, but it has not been transported/shipped, or even handled roughly, so I am not optimistic about that, just HOPING.

Between these, and the TMCC crane being DOA out of the box, and Mike R throwing me under the bus on that one, I have lost faith in modern electronics. I have a large enough collection, that there are many that get little to no run time, and the limited opportunities that I get to run, that I have pretty much decided, that I am not buying anything else. There have been several locomotives that I was tempted by, but I just don't get to run enough to make a warranty valid beyond just out of the box.

That and a newer/larger boat will get much more use, than more locomotives will, and that will help much more putting Salmon and Crab on the table, than more trains will.

Doug

If it does work you can have it repaired by someone that does tinker:-) G

I received my new r4lc board from Lionel and I am looking to install it. I notice the original board has a yellow wire attached (soldered) to the backside (side facing up when installed) of the board and runs to the motor control board. Do I just remove and solder onto the new board? It looks like it is soldered to both of the pin connectors in the third row. Is this correct? 

My original Legacy FEF has done the same thing since it was new out of the box. Sometimes the reset will keep it running, but usually after a few minutes of running, it gets a mind of its own.

Eric Woellert posted:

I received my new r4lc board from Lionel and I am looking to install it. I notice the original board has a yellow wire attached (soldered) to the backside (side facing up when installed) of the board and runs to the motor control board. Do I just remove and solder onto the new board? It looks like it is soldered to both of the pin connectors in the third row. Is this correct? 

Yes, Solder wires to new R4LC. G

The new R4lC board seems to have fixed the issue as I ran the engine for 45 minutes without the shutdown problem. Thanks everyone for the input. A new issue has sprung up in its place. The work lights, I think that's what they are, are flashing once every second and the cab light does not turn on. These lights are supposed to turn off when the engine begins to move. Any ideas on what to look for when the boiler shell is removed again?  

Did you re-program the new R4LC for Steam function?

I re-programmed the engine which includes setting it up as steam. Is that what you mean or have I missed a step?

Did you reprogram it from the User Manual instructions?

I did not do a reset. It works perfectly now. Thanks for the help again.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

The classic issue with a Legacy locomotive that will move a few feet and then stop and not move again until you do a reset is the speed encoder or the DCDS board. 

Are you saying you can run the locomotive for an extended amount of time normally and it will only fail once you stop it?

Hi John,

 We got our Tree up and the trains out.

The Legacy Big Boy is still acting up, in Conventional, it will not reverse, it will cycle to neutral, then cycle to no response, then cycle to neutral, then back to forward. In Command mode, it will start up normally in forward, run without any troubles, any distance in Forward, start, stop, start again,  speed up, slow down and all sounds just fine. Change direction, and it will NOT move again, even if changed back to forward. Power down the track, and again it will run fine in forwards, change direction and it again is non-responsive until powered down/back up again.

 The FEF-3 was unresponsive last season when put away, I got it out and tried it again, it Ran GREAT in conventional, it ran GREAT in command, for a couple days, now it is very inconsistent, some times it will run fine, and then while running, suddenly stop. While stopped(uncommanded) the headlight will flicker when the throttle, or direction is changed, but not respond to movement commands(sounds still respond), and then suddenly without any consistency regarding amount of time, will suddenly start running again, if the throttle is left turned up. It stops randomly at different points on the loop, not consistently in the same places, and other locomotives operate properly, in conventional and command, so I don't suspect a problem with the track or legacy system.

 Again, these locomotives have VERY LOW run time/use. My older TMCC Lionmaster Challengers(4) Big Boy, Cab Forward and Hudson as well as numerous other TMCC locomotives have had almost NO issues. Unfortunately, as much as I Love the features of Legacy, I just have not found it to be reliable, and I have lost Faith in it as a system, and can not justify Gambling on it, as far as the prices and reliability go, in my experience. If my experience with Legacy was the same as with TMCC, there are a LOT of locomotives that I would LOVE to have, but I just am not that big of a Gambler, and I even play the Lottery.

Doug

Hmm...  I have very few issues with my Legacy locomotives, so I can't say my experience mirrors yours.  Hard to say what's going on in your world, but IMO you're giving up too easily.

Hi John,

  I just don't have the Knowledge and skills to work on these things, and I don't ENJOY working on them like some do. I want my trains to be relaxing, not troublesome. The TMCC equipment which I have a LOT of has been that way, very few troubles, definitely within an "acceptable" range.

 Legacy has just been too unreliable for ME, and at the prices, I just find that there are other, less troublesome ways to dispose of my disposable income.

 So Far, my 2 tone Grey FEF-3, and GS-4 have been trouble free, but I still have yet to unpack them, hopefully today.

 As a truck driver with 28 years experience, and a 4 wheel drive pick up, I don't think twice about chaining up, and taking the travel trailer up into the mountains for our annual "Snow Trips" to go play in the snow for the weekend. I know others that winterize their RV's from Labor Day to Memorial Day. We all have our own skills, and electronics repair, is NOT one of mine.

Doug

I wasn't suggesting that you repair them, only that I don't believe your experience is representative of all Legacy products, or even those specific models.  I have probably about fifteen Legacy locomotives of various types, and some some out after several years and run just fine.  I haven't had any more issues in general with Legacy stuff than I have had with TMCC or MTH DCS, they all seem to have pretty equal distribution of problems and maintenance issues.

FWIW, many of my Legacy locomotives were purchased used at more attractive prices, offhand I can think of five or six that I actually purchased new.  Even with those, I got fire sale prices on some of them, notably the U28 PRR U-Boats, $249/ea NIB.

I don't expect to change your mind, just wanted to clear the air as to what I was trying to convey.