Programing Station Sound Car issue

First off, is he trying to run in conventional mode?  You mention the PowerMaster, so I'm wondering exactly what the environment is.  Can you be more specific as to how you're trying to operate the car?

Hi GunRunnerJohn,

Thanks for the reply.  We are operating in TMCC.  Followed all of the instructions in the owners manual for the Sound Car, not wanting to give it its own ID# but the same number as the engines which is #3.  Every time he presses "Set", all the lights go out as if everything was going "dead" on the track.  If he presses "Set" again, the lights come back on.  

Here is the link to the owners manual if anyone wants to take a look.  I hope this answers your question.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...ents/73-9104-250.pdf

I suspect programming this with the same TMCC ID as the engine is the basic problem.  I've never done that, and I can see where that would cause all sorts of problems.  I actually did go back to the manual to see if they mentioned that configuration, but they don't.

All of mine are programmed as a unique engine ID, that's what I'd try.

Setting aside the "same-engine-ID" programming question, in your example when you press SET and the lights go out, what did you do next? Did you continue on with the process, moving the switch from PGM back to RUN? And then did you try to operate the car using your hand-held cab remote controller?

Now, getting back to the "same-engine-ID" question: this is a valid operating choice. You give up some flexibility but gain some simplicity in operation, specifically, dialog will play from both the car and the locomotive with a single button press.

That's why I've never used them that way Rudy.  I suspect the volume control would be in tandem as well, I don't see how you'd keep it from happening.

She said they program the station without engines on track, so there is no way the station car or any other engine knows the #3 has been used, so I do not see how that matters at all.  In fact, in the old days with the RS4 Talking caboose that is exactly what you could do to add sounds to a TMCC engine with Signal Sounds only. Give both the same address.

So I think you need to follow Rudy's advice and follow the procedure through.  I guess, if the cars Program switch is not wired right or defective, or there is a TMCC reception issue that may also cause this issue.  But it would seem you can try programming it all the way through, and test it when done without any engines on the track.  G

Hi Everyone!

Yes, we have run through the entire process after the light shut off and we only get lights and the track "clacking" sound from the car, but no talk.

As for the discussion regarding the engines all being under the same ID#.  Dad has been running them this way for years, its how he has the Canadian Pacific passenger set, set up.  That has the engine, a motorized B unit, a sound B unit, and a sound car.  Although the instructions were different on the CP sound car, there was no issue programming it.

I really appreciate all the advice!!!! 

is there a hobby shop or train club near you?

also welcome to the forum, you have a cool handle.

Hi, Do all the sounds work using the preset Eng-1 address?  Also you say when you hit set the lights go out on all cars, is the circuit breaker tripping when this happens?  One thing I would try is programming the car by itself on the track and see if it works that way.

Doug

Hi All,

Just wanted to mention, page 12 of the owners manual says "Remember, it is best to assign your StationSound Car the same ID# as the locomotive with which it is operating" -under TrainMaster Command operations

Hi BigDodgeTrain, nice to meet you and Thank you!!!!

Hi Doug, we are programing the car on the track by itself as you have to turn the power up to full and if the engines were on the track they would race away.  When he presses "Set" again, the lights come back on so I'm not sure if it is a circuit issue?  

I do keep asking him to try assigning it its own ID# and see if it works.  Dad is a bit stubborn in his "senior years".  Here is hoping we can get this to work!  Thank you so much to everyone for all the great brainstorming and suggestions.  Keep it coming.  You are saving my sanity!!!! 

Cheeseball23 posted:

 

I do keep asking him to try assigning it its own ID# and see if it works.  Dad is a bit stubborn in his "senior years".  Here is hoping we can get this to work!  Thank you so much to everyone for all the great brainstorming and suggestions.  Keep it coming.  You are saving my sanity!!!! 

Many/most people do not understand how to troubleshoot. So when you ask them to try something that does not make sense to them, they are resistant.

Ok.... switched over to conventional and it started to talk, but doesn't work in TMCC???????

RoyBoy- I hear you!  Dad likes to go with what has worked in the past, except the instruction are now different so what has worked in the past are not going to work now.  I'm here because I'm more than happy to take others advice because I just flat out don't know.  Nothing wrong with asking for help!!!!!

 when you said that all the lights went off when you pressed set, do you also mean lights of other passenger cars separate from the station sounds car? Maybe you are in advertently addressing your track power and turning that off and on.  and if power is interrupted in the middle of your programming sequence, it is not surprising at the car does not take the new ID. 

Update...... Bad news, apparently Dad has hit the "set" button one too many times because his Legacy Cab L1 controller has stopped working all together.  Nothing.... no track power, no response from the trains at all.  He has two tracks and neither one is responder.  His WarHorse set came with an extra controller and that doesn't seem to be responding either.  Although this is giving me a fine break to work on my garden, I don't like that Dad is so upset over this.  

I think you need to describe the whole environment a bit more completely, and how things are wired.  The only reason you'd lose track power is the PowerMaster has cut power off.  Other than that, there's nothing you can do to the TMCC/Legacy command system to kill the transformer.  Are you somehow conflicting with the PowerMaster and commanding it to turn off track power?

you don't have anything plugged into a power strip surge protector do you?

Is the green light on the PowerMaster lit? Does the red light flicker when pressing any buttons on the remote?

Hi Everyone!  So Dads theory of "if you press the buttons enough and it breaks it" worked well on shutting down the entire train table, he has finally pressed enough buttons to get it up and running again.

He removed the "J" from the track and the Switcher is the only thing pulling at the moment.  Both the Switcher and the Sound Car have the same ID# but when he presses the buttons they do not go off at the same time as some of you had mentioned as being a concern.  I still don't think he has it running in TMCC, which is probably why and the engine is not doing all it is suppose to be doing.  

I imagine this is frustrating to many of you.  I do thank you very much for your support with this.  Remember, I'm trapped in the house with it and trying not to let it spoil my interest in trains.