Alright, I've got a K-line mikado (TMCC and K-lines add on cruise control) here that I've been trying to diagnose for sometime. I've probed with a multimeter for hours. The only good ground is through the tender wheel sets. So if I run a ground wire from the tender to the locomotive chassis, it operates fine. The eight drive wheels have continuity to the chassis grounds, but the trailing truck and pilot wheels do not. I'm wondering if there is a capacitor that is bad somewhere, that might keep electricity flowing during brief interruptions in track power. It seems as though a capacitor would solve the problem, or getting a good ground through the pilot and trailing truck. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Lou
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If the 8 drive wheels have good ground then so should the engine frame regardless of whether the pilot and trailing trucks do.
The engine should have ground wires attached to the chassis of the engine. Are they making good connection. Trace the ground wire in the engine and see where they connect. G
Yes, the eight drive wheels have good ground to chassis. Every time it loses ground, the tender light flickers for a split second, and the rear coupler fires. Very bizarre.
I can't see a capacitor solving this issue, you are dealing with AC here.
I have one of these that was converted to PS/2, so the tether brings track power between the tender and locomotive.
Does the pilot or trailing truck have the copper grounding strip riding on the axles on that one?