Need Help with Legacy SD70ACe

Before you move it does it respond to all tmcc/legacy commands ? Horn bell crew talk.. Next make sure oddesy switch is in the right place (on) After these test let us know..

J

Yes sir , did that

 

IN the TMCC mode

No response. Soon as I hit boost on the cab 1 the lights do come on the engines starts wide open.

 

Immediately I might add. Even thinking it's going to happen it takes me 3 feet to catch it

 

Yep, actually tried it with the switch  both on and off.

 

Larry

 

I'd check and make sure the tmcc/legacy board is fully seated on the plug. Sounds like it's not really getting any signal

Does it program ? If it doesn't it's receiver board and like its posted above they do fall out and have no signal .

Thanks guys.

 

1st thing in AM I will pull the shell off and see. I'm very basic here, but will see if that works.

 

Thanks

Larry

First step is to do a reset.  That is simply setting the TMCC ID for this locomotive.

 

Your symptoms suggest a motor encoder issue.  That could either be the motor encoder, wiring, or the DCDS.  My usual diagnostic is to connect a known good motor & encoder and see if that takes off on the bench.  If so, and the wiring is intact, it's likely the DCDS.

 

 

 

Hi John

 

Every time I tried it on the layout  after it took off full speed I had to do a engine reset just to get it back working properly in conventional mode on the test bench.

 

I'm getting ready to attempt to get the shell off this thing right now.

 

Today I'm dedicated to fool with this engine.

 

It's going to be my first tear a train apart for practice and to learn.

 

If I get it to work fine if I don't then I will have my first parts box. Besides I have at least 4 other SD-70ACe Legacy engines. I need to learn what makes them tick.

 

Remember John this is Larry I have no idea what a DCDS is yet I have no motors and also don't know what a encoder is.

 

So see I'm pretty dumb about all this stuff inside this thing, but I do love a challenge

 

Should be a fun day

 

Larry

 

 

Train repair 101.

 

yea buddy.

 

Did what Matt suggested.

 

No good took off full blast.

 

Now it will not re-set to where it will work properly on the test track conventional.

 

If I try to re set the engine after putting it in program and firing up the track the dang thing takes off full blast IN THE PROGRAM MODE

 

No real manuals for this thing is like fishing with no bait.

 

Larry

Well it' s  back working forward reverse neutral in conventional on the test track with the sound so low you really can't here it much. Lights work

 

Any ideas before I quit . I might as well be looking at the guts of the space shuttle

 

 

Thanks

Larry

I am really disappointed in mine, when I got it it didnt have an orange module and the sound didnt work. Now when I run the smoke unit is always on even before I start up the loco, when I turn on power to the layout the smoke comes on full bore and the cab lights never turn off. Add to that the fact that the radiator cover doesnt sit down all the way I really feel like Lionel made a $460 POS!!!

I know Matt.

I have at least 4 other ones and not a single problem.

 

Maybe somebody in China don't like Bush

 

Larry

I wish theyd make a Ronald Reagan loco

Seems like I ordered a George Bush Loco all fancy and cool and got an Obama loco that doesnt work, sounds like crap and doesnt doe anything but blow smoke and cause problems

Larry sent you an email earlier.

 

Matt, you trying to get posts deleted again?  

I dont have to try to get them deleted. and I dont much care if they do at this point. Ive dropped my participation here buy about 80%

Matt I know and was just kidding, you are one of the good ones on the forum.  

OK latest info:

 

 

I started pushing wires around under the volume switch and now everything is back perfect in the conventional mode on the non command test track.. Sound, lights

perfect ???

 

This train stuff be hard work. I'll probably start drinking earlier than usual

 

Larry

 

There's some complicated SH** under that shell. Sounds like a bad conncetion on a plug or harness. The biggest pain in the rear I come accross is sitting in front of a loco on the test track wiggling for 2 hours wiggling wires with a tweezers while it rolls back and forth. I really need some rollers

Got to get you some rollers Matt.

That's all I know to do now is just poke and pull wires????

 

OK Larry, the baord at the back of the loco is the TMCC/Legacy reciever. the board in the middle is the TMCC/Legacy power board. the metal plate in fornt of the smoke unit is the antennae. Make sure you've got a good connection from the antennae to the board. Also make sure that there is a good connection from the front motor to the motor board. If your Odyssey tach reader is malfucntioning then you will get a loco that takes off at full power under command mode

Hay Matt

 

Trains for dummies 101

 

This is all I can see that I can pull out from the mother board.

 

1st picture is the front shot

2nd is the rear shot

3rd in the mother board???

 

What are the names of those parts? 1 2 3

 

Thanks much for your help

 

Larry

 

 

 

 

1 - RailSounds 6 Audio Board

2 - RailSounds generic power supply

3- Legacy R4LC.

 

Thanks John

Beauty of a paint scheme.

 

I believe the original paint scheme was for Air Force One, done by Raymond Loewy (spelling?), the same guy that did the shape of the GG1.

 

Not sure how it got from AF1 to an SD70, bet its a few google searches away.

ok

 

much appreciated. John and Matt

 

John

 

DCDS is a ????????

 

Motor encoder is a ?????....... Both motors do run perfect, currently anyway.

 

Are they components in either  1,2 or 3?

 

Or are they a mother board component?

 

 

 

Do you guys think any of the 3 pictured items are the issue with the engine starting full speed?

 

Larry

The DCDS is the motor driver board, it's to the left of the smoke unit.  The encoder is the small PCB mounted on top of the motor that reads the flywheel slots to tell the DCDS how fast the motor is turning.

 

 

The only possibility with the three removable boards is the R4LC, but it's pretty unlikely.  My top suspect is the two components above.

 

On a command layout, if the engine takes off before any control inputs, it's probably the DCDS.  If it takes off as soon as you crack the throttle, it can be either the DCDS or the Motor Encoder.

 

I think it is a motor board issue or a tach reader issue. You get the same issue withe the Odyssey swith in either position? Maybe it is an issue with the wiring harness to the motor driver

Thank you''I'm guessing you have to have a top secret clearance from Lionel to get anything like that.

 

Just saying, I wouldn't know what to do with it if I had them. Looks like soldering to me. Not exactly a high point for me .

 

Well,

it's been fun and learning. I'll stop bothering you guys and thanks again for all your feedback.

 

I did cut and paste all this stuff.

 

Larry