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4 replies

Lionel 3RD Rail Premature Startup

T Trains44OGR Forum Member
I recently purchased two brand new engines which are setup to run via Cab2 remote control, one from Lionel and the other from 3rd Rail.  Both engines prematurely start when power is slowly applied to the track.  But here’s the interesting thing, I own 30 other engines, 15 of which are Lionel or 3rd Rail and none of these engines prematurely start.  In other words they start as they should, when the Start button is pressed on the Cab2 remote.  All engines are contemporary made sometime after year 2000, most are less than ten years old.
IMG_1227[24]IMG_1248[17]
The Speakeasy Limited has an 18 foot bridge running down the middle of the layout, so grounding has always been an issue as it relates to Lionel’s antenna technology.  The layout is over a decade old and grounding wires resolved (or worked around) these issues years ago.  Also, about 5 of those engines are Vision Line and they had no hiccups at all, which lead me to believe Lionel might have improved their antenna technology.
 
I’ve been out of the hobby for almost 4 years, getting the kids through the busy high school years and into college.  Has anything changed during this time that would be causing this problem?  Neither Lionel or 3rd Rail could fine a problem with the engines.  The engines are the Lionel F40PH Amtrak and 3rd Rail E8 Amtrak.

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  • IMG_1227[24]: 3RD Rail Amtrak E8
  • IMG_1248[17]: Lionel Amtrak F40PH
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T Trains44OGR Forum Member

By start up I mean the engine sounds and lighting come on, they do not begin to move.  And you’re right, if I go to 16 volts in about a second they don’t start.  But if I take about 3 seconds to get to 16 volts the lights and sound do start up.  It’s been close to 4 years since I purchased new Lionel-command engines, perhaps this is just the new normal.    Thanks for the response.

gunrunnerjohngunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

I suspect that's normal operation.  If the TMCC receiver doesn't get a signal within about a second, the locomotive will start up in conventional mode.  Also, the serial data has to be coming from the R2(4)LC to tell the sound system that it's in command.  So, you can have the locomotive come up in command, but the sound system thinks it's conventional.

Ramp up the voltage faster, problem solved.

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Tags: Cab2, E8, Amtrak, Legacy, F40PH, Premature Startup, 3rd Rail, TMCC, Lionel, Antenna
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