Postwar UCS Question

If both rollers are picking up power properly, and the wheels, rollers and track are clean, there should be no problems.

Larry

Was he hearing the magnet in the UCS engage? I had a similar problem with some of my engines. Eventually, I put a toggle switch next to the controller to kill power to the UCS whenever I used the problematic engines. Added a blinking LED to the controller case to remind when when it was powered. So......if you have a problem, there are ways around it (as seemingly always in this hobby).

Roger

I have to agree with TrainLarry on the pickup situation. I never had this issue with my 2343s/665/736 or RDC cars. In the video you watched, there may have been an issue with both rollers not being hooked electrically to the e-unit post....

I HAVE seen some issues with the "Modern" era production of UCS tracks wherein the center metal "pole" in the magnet can stick up too high and possibly cause a pickup roller to bounce up and cause an electrical short momentarily which causes the e-unit to cycle and thus bring the engine to a halt. The center pole can be pushed down into the electromagnet to fix that issue.

Early production 2020's 726's and others had extremely wide center rollers. I have experienced the wide early un-tapered rollers having the described problem on some UCS tracks.

While one roller is on the dead spot at the magnet, the other roller is being lifted off the center rail by the black plastic ramps at the ends of the control rails. Perhaps this is one reason why Lionel began tapering the ends of the pick up rollers  I was able to resolve the problem by putting the later tapered rollers on my engines. The taper just clears the little ramps enough so that the roller stays in contact with the center rail.

Thanks guys.  Makes sense now.  I don't think I'll have those issues as I don't have anything with the flat rollers.