Legacy Mogul blinking cab light

If it's a single blink, it's a drive motor stall, something that you probably didn't want to see!  I wonder how well your locomotive was "fixed"?

Not the welcome home us Legacy Mogul owners want to hear. My mogul was also on that slow boat to China, gave it a good half hour run when it arrived and all seemed ok but, let's see.

I'm with gunrunner. It's a motor driver stall.

It can be caused by anything that "stalls" the motor . This includes something as simple as dirty track, to a traction tire rubbing on brake shoe detail, or given the issues with the moguls, something more severe like binding gears.

I just rechecked the traction tires and they appear to be ok, probably the MTH  ones that Charles Ro had installed prior to shipping back to Lionel. Track is very clean. The stall condition only happens at the instant the locomotive is stopped. I had hoped that some run time would improve performance but Im now convinced this little gem may be in need of a one way trip to North Carolina. NOT the outcome I was expecting.

That's an odd place for the motor stall to be signaled.  Hard to say what's going on there.

Sounds like my mogul,  does the exact same thing.

Not a good sign Gary, don't know why it's doing that.

Yes, mine stall too, at start up, 9 out of 10 times.  Legacy Mogul 2-6-0 Lackawanna #565 and Everett #11, they are back from their long trip from wherever, but still do the same thing: run around the track in a very satisfactory manner (but not as smooth as the Legacy PRR 0-6-0 B6) until coming to a station stop and then trying to restart. Upon being commanded to resume movement in the same direction- stalls- no movement- does not budge- with a one blinking cab light coming on.  I have to hit reset (#0 on the cab 2) to turn off the flashing light, I then press down the 'boost/brake' wheel to reverse the direction, turn the speed wheel clockwise to back the engine up ever so slightly (it does move in reverse every time) at which point the running gear linkage seems to limber up, or is it my imagination? Then reverse direction again on the cab 2 and upon forward speed command the locomotive then proceeds, as originally wanted, and continues on its way. Until the next planned station stop.

Rick

This certainly sounds like an issue with the drive train that didn't really get fixed.  I've seen some folks talk about success shimming the motor mount to change the engagement of the worm slightly.  Personally, I'd be looking for a refund and a locomotive that I didn't have to try to redesign!

I have two Legacy engine doing the flashing cab light on, both are new and after two months of emails, Lionel service wrote the two year warranty is up and they will not fix them.  I see that the last post was back in 2019, does any one know of a update to fix this problem?  Lionel did say I could buy the receiver board $120.00 ea but till the new system was in place they could not take a cash order.  I am a electrical engineer and know my way around the electronics of the modern LGB, Marklin G scale engines, I thought that the Legacy Lionel could only be repaired by Lionel service? I have checked and the motor and drive gears are not binding  Any thoughts or update information is appreciated.

Mike

@map posted:

I have two Legacy engine doing the flashing cab light on, both are new and after two months of emails, Lionel service wrote the two year warranty is up and they will not fix them.  I see that the last post was back in 2019, does any one know of a update to fix this problem?  Lionel did say I could buy the receiver board $120.00 ea but till the new system was in place they could not take a cash order.  I am a electrical engineer and know my way around the electronics of the modern LGB, Marklin G scale engines, I thought that the Legacy Lionel could only be repaired by Lionel service? I have checked and the motor and drive gears are not binding  Any thoughts or update information is appreciated.

Mike

A model # for each would be helpful. Are the cab lights just blinking once in succession?

A pattern of 2 blinks or 3 blinks in a row would be another issue. Flashing cab light diagnostic codes are listed near the back of the owners manual.

Warranty coverage can only be done by Lionel. there are many "techs"s on this forum that can help with out of warranty items.

@map posted:

I have two Legacy engine doing the flashing cab light on, both are new and after two months of emails,

Since this has nothing to do with the Mogul, I'd suggest you start a new thread.

However, that being said, I repair Legacy stuff all the time, only warranty items must be returned to Lionel.   The number of flashes you see will tell you what the issue is.  I can't imagine why Lionel would suggest a new RCMC for this issue, usually if the board is alive enough to recognize the fault, it's not the reason for the flashing cab light.

84946 makes one rotation of the drive wheels then stops flashing one time, reset does the same thing, sound and i think every thing works  I have not taken it apart.

84511 will not move at all everything works, flashing one time reset same thing. I did take it apart no binding have not tested motor running not connected to gears, I might measure current drain to motor.

I also thought why a new board and everything works, current sensor would cause fault maybe?

Mike

Well, first stop is to check both the motor rotation through multiple revs of the drive wheels and the current being drawn.  If 84946 has a drive motor issue, you're out of luck, they're not available.  I'm currently fixing one with a bad motor, I had to find an old TMCC donor and pull the flywheel to put the Legacy sensor and flywheel on.

I did further testing on the S-2 removed motor from drive no luck motor does not try to turn at all.  Is there a wiring diagram for the 84511?

84946 was to be a new engine or nearly new I found it well used and the motor does bind  after turning it more that one revolution, looks like the motor to gear box may be well worn, causing the motor shaft to bind?  Will do more testing.

Look for crap in the gears, that's a frequent cause.

As for the motor that doesn't turn at all, did you try the motor on a DC supply after unplugging it from the board?

No that is why I requested a wiring diagram, but I can look further. I rotated the flywheel several rotations and all OK while touching gears.

Mike

Running the motor under power disconnected from the board is the obvious next test.

84946 motor to gear box is binding  it is pulling the motor flywheel into the motor housing, is the flywheel a Allen set screw?? I need to take motor apart from gear box and inspect. Mike

@map posted:

84946 motor to gear box is binding  it is pulling the motor flywheel into the motor housing, is the flywheel a Allen set screw?? I need to take motor apart from gear box and inspect. Mike

If the locomotive was used before you got it, look at the rods, eccentrics, and valve gear for loose parts, or an eccentric that has jumped its proper orientation. Something like that can lock up the drivers. If unsure, post up pictures of each side, and we can all have a look……

Pat

Update the S2 is going back to vendor for return credit.  I have spent too much time on it.  LL steam has a binding in the valve gear looks to be worn out, this is a area I have never worked on I am open to where to go from here on it???

Mike