For some reason the nonpowered “B” unit of my Milwaukee Road F3 is not programming. Any thoughts about what I need to do that is different from programming a powered unit?
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If it is non powered it does not have motors or a board for control. Therefore you can't program it.
Yep set on program.
Freight Train Jim posted:If it is non powered it does not have motors or a board for control. Therefore you can't program it.
Jim, even though it isn't powered it has an operating rear coil coupler and a rear LED.
Does it work correctly as Engine 1 then?
Maybe the Run/Program switch is installed backwards? Have you tried it in both directions?
It also might have something dislodged like the R4LC board.
Doesn’t show up at all on controller. I will try to program in run mode. If I have to check the board is it just 4 screws 2 in front and 2 in back?
OhB1 posted:Doesn’t show up at all on controller. I will try to program in run mode. If I have to check the board is it just 4 screws 2 in front and 2 in back?
IIRC there are 6. Two each end & two in the middle. Unsure of "Doesn't show up on controller"
We're talking Legacy, nothing "shows up" on the controller, you have to program it.
I just worked on same vintage F-3s and had similar programming issues. I swore I had some bad R4LCs. I kept moving the B and dummy A boards up to the motorized A where I could hear the programming horn and they all worked then I put them back and they continued to work. Based on that, just remove the radio board and reinstall. Test it before putting the shell back on.
Thinking back, I may have programmed each of the other R4LCs while in the powered A (to get the confirmatory HONK!!!) and then moved each one back to the respective shell. Just make sure to use the respective engine number for each one.
BTW, you could have left the strirrup steps on but.....live and learn by doing.
This A-B set has never been reprogrammed from "Engine 1" prior to this? Does the B respond to ENG1? Do the Boards all look to be seated?
@Steims That worked!
Ok that worked but no sound out of it. Is there an Aux1 code I should use for a nonpowered b unit?
OhB1 posted:Ok that worked but no sound out of it. Is there an Aux1 code I should use for a nonpowered b unit?
There is no sound in either the unpowered B unit or the powered 2nd A unit.
Glad you got it working.
He has smoke in his B unit and now he wants sound too. The audacity of some people!! LOL
Some of us only get the little white reverse light and an rear electric coupler on our B units. 
😂🤣😜
You can, of course, add sound to most any unit, especially if it has the Legacy receiver already in place. 
Revived old thread.
Just bought and unpacked this MR A B set, 6-34586.
Why does the unpowered, non railsounds B unit have an axle magnet?
Someone swapped parts to replace a defective truck?
Lionel ran out of the proper truck when building them?
The sound boards were removed?
Pretty hard to say what happened.
John, the units were new, sealed box. In one of the OPs pictures the underside of the B shows the same configuration, three pickup rollers and one magnetic axle. In the where to lube section of the owners manual it shows four pickup rollers. Very confusing?
It wouldn't be the first time that Lionel put the wrong trucks and/or wheels on something. When I got my Legacy F40ph locomotive, it only had one traction tire as the wheelset for the two tires didn't have a grooved wheel on the other side. I suspect they simply used the truck that was supposed to be used for a sound unit.
It's probably the part specified on the same B Unit with sound. Rather than having multiple parts they just used the same. Checking the description in the catalog the B Unit does not have sound. I wouldn't rack your brain over it.
Since the B unit is programmable and addressable I believe the read switch provides an input to turn the reverse light on when the B unit is being pushed backwards.
@Steims posted:Since the B unit is programmable and addressable I believe the read switch provides an input to turn the reverse light on when the B unit is being pushed backwards.
I think that is done on the board.
At least his B unit didn't come with trucks like ours did having 3 normal wheels and 1 grooved wheel for a tire. 😱😱😱
The hall effect sensors Lionel uses are not sensitive to direction, so it would have no idea when to turn on a backup light. Besides, the light is doubtless fed from the R4LC and command controlled.
It's interesting that the parts list does indeed specify one truck with the hall effect magnet. I'm having difficulty with what they are using it for...
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Just because it has the sensor doesn’t mean it’s hooked up to anything.
Indeed it doesn't Marty, which is why I expressed curiosity as to what it could be used for. However, having the sensor as part of the parts list at least suggests it was intended to be there, it's pretty unlikely that Lionel would put it there not to use it. Obviously, the only way to know for sure is to be able to examine the engine and see where it's connected.
I'll bring the unit with me this afternoon John.
That's a good idea, maybe we can see what it does.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:That's a good idea, maybe we can see what it does.
Let us know what, if anything, you find. 
If it’s not signaling the rear lighting to illuminate then it must be for smoke unit input. The dummies need to know when they’re moving to rev up the smoke.
Well, the sensor is also a part of the parts list, so I have to believe they think it's doing something.
@Steims posted:If it’s not signaling the rear lighting to illuminate then it must be for smoke unit input. The dummies need to know when they’re moving to rev up the smoke.
Good thought. Both units do have smoke.
Well, I got to look at it, the sensor is functional. It appears it does increase the smoke volume when the unit is moving, that appears to be the function. It increased when moving and slowly reduced in volume when it stopped. Since the only other visible functions are the coupler and light, it obviously doesn't affect those.
