Looking for help with GG-1 problems

The cautionary note about the traction tires is related to the need to drop the powered trucks to get to the screws that hold the side castings in place.  You have to remove the side casting to replace the tires.  At this point you're pretty much taking the locomotive apart.  If you feel comfortable doing this then you can change the tires yourself.

Re the crew dialog button presses.  What are you using to send the triggers?  The whistle button on the transformer or the auxiliary sound activation buttons?  Conventional RailSounds uses very short pulses on the whistle button to trigger the sounds.  These are almost like morse code "taps".  Some transformers can't produce a short sharp spike that the RS board needs to see to trigger the sounds (some from mechanical issues with the buttons and others by design).

Chuck: I am using an MTH Z1000 brick and speed controller.  I have no probems with all my other Lionel conventional engines with their respective sounds.

Bob

If you have an alternate way to send the trigger, i.e. a sound activation button or a different power supply I would recommend testing that before sending the engine in for service.  You might have a board with issues but it would be best to make sure it is the sound board in the loco and not soemthing else.  

This type of activation is licensed technology from QSI.  I've never been a big fan of this whether it's used in Conventional RailSounds, TrainSounds, or PS-1.  

Chuck:

I tried a different transformer (CW80) and a sound activation button, to no avail.  I have decided to return it to Grzyboski's (where I bought it). It just seems like I got a lemon wedge on this one.

Bob