Engine stalls in big tunnel. Layout is 20 ' by 20'. It seems to only happen with my large Lionel steam engine, in the furthest corners. Any help?
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Clean your track as well as we have found that it helps with the signal. Second, make sure that using decent sized guage wire from the transform to the base, antenna is tight. I changed my antenna to a taller one. Forget the make and model.
Ok, the antenna you might want to get to give you better range is as follows..............
2.4GHZ 9dBI High Gain Omni Directional WiFi Antenna RP-SMA
PSU1980 posted:Ok, the antenna you might want to get to give you better range is as follows..............
2.4GHZ 9dBI High Gain Omni Directional WiFi Antenna RP-SMA
Where do you find one of these?
That antenna is only for the remote talking to the base, it has nothing to do with the base talking to the locomotive. I second the opinion of adding a ground wire inside the tunnel.
What is the tunnel made of? If there is any metal like chicken wire, it will have to be tied to earth ground. Not the common of the layout but earth ground of the house wiring. It is losing signal from the house ground portion of the signal.
EngineDave,
The simplest way to remove your problem is to add an additional Legacy Drop in the areas where you are loosing the legacy signal. Are you running DCS also? If so add your Legacy Drop to the out board Black channels of your TIU, then run another Legacy drop directly from the Legacy Base to the opposite outside real from your DCS Drops. This MaryF engineering method has work incredibly well, thru out my entire Train Room. Giving me great Legacy signal everywhere.
MartyE is absolutely correct about your tunnel, if it has any metal construction you are going to need to Ground it.
PCRR/Dave
Thank you everyone for your responses. I am using Gargraves tin flex track I also multiple feeders about every 8', using 16 gauge wire. I guess saying stalls is incorrect. The engine stops, as in loosing signal. If I vary the speed wheel, the engine often resumes control. The other thing I noticed, i'm pulling 8 Lionel aluminum passenger cars, when running only the engine it seems to have no problem???
The mountains are paper, styrofoam and hot glue. The power is by a Z with 4 bricks.
Dave
Since the tunnel has no metal, I would do as suggested above and add a wire inside to carry the earth ground portion of the signal into that area and see if that helps.
Thank you. I am not sure how to run an earth ground wire? I have plywood with another level of track above where the problem is, can I staple a wire on the underside? Do I attach both ends of the wire to the Common of the transformer?
The wire does not go to the transformer. The wire goes to the earth ground, the third/ground plug on the wall outlet.
Thanks Roy. I will give it a try.
EngineDave,
MartyE gave you great advise, sense the tunnel is not made of any kind metal, there is no need for the additional grounding. Just add Legacy drops where you are having signal problems, and your Legacy signal should remain strong going the those areas also.
PCRR/Dave
Pine Creek Railroad posted:EngineDave,
The simplest way to remove your problem is to add an additional Legacy Drop in the areas where you are loosing the legacy signal.
PCRR/Dave
this is the most incorrect advice you could give to anyone.
the correct advice is a ground plane!!!
Pine Creek Railroad posted:EngineDave,
MartyE gave you great advise, sense the tunnel is not made of any kind metal, there is no need for the additional grounding. Just add Legacy drops where you are having signal problems, and your Legacy signal should remain strong going the those areas also.
PCRR/Dave
again incorrect advice.
ONE wire from the legacy base to the outside rail, ONE!
the correct advice is a ground wire to a earth ground.
I just added a ground wire to earth, screw on an outlet box, it works like charm at all speeds.
Thank you All, for your advice.
Dave
bigdodgetrain posted:
the correct advice is a ground wire to a earth ground.
Which is the advice I gave.
MartyE posted:bigdodgetrain posted:
the correct advice is a ground wire to a earth ground.
Which is the advice I gave.
and me in post 6.
but the other person said "Just add Legacy drops where you are having signal problems,"
which is not correct.
EngineDave posted:I just added a ground wire to earth, screw on an outlet box, it works like charm at all speeds.
Thank you All, for your advice.
Dave
Which screw? The screw holding the outlet cover on?
Doug N posted:EngineDave posted:I just added a ground wire to earth, screw on an outlet box, it works like charm at all speeds.
Thank you All, for your advice.
Dave
Which screw? The screw holding the outlet cover on?
yes.
Gentlemen,
I gave the supposed incorrect advice, the only problem is the advice works when used on the opposite outside rail every time. Either technique will work however going to all the trouble of adding a full Ground is not usually necessary, unless metal is involved in some manner.
I hope it did not take him 24 hours to due a 15 minute job. Glad he has corrected his signal problem however.
PCRR/Dave
The only thing that matters is he got his issue solved and we can all agree on that.
I did attach the wire to the outlet faceplate screw.
This is the engine that was giving me trouble.
Thanks again everyone.
Dave
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EngineDave,
Real nice Engine and Tender very serious stuff!
PCRR/Dave