RS1 takes off when running in command environment.

There usually is a wire disconnected when a locomotive does not respond to command control.

Andrew

Your engine looking at the time frame built. I think was EOB equipped from Atlas. It sounds like the engine will sit silently until you address it with the remote and starts up. It’s only when you move the throttle it takes off. They do have a tach reader that reads the stripes on the flywheel much like DCS for cruise control. The tach reader can go bad.

If you have the factory manual read up on disabling the cruise control if it is EOB equipped. It may get you up and running in command minus the cruise.  You can find the manuals on the Forum in the TMCC section. This can be done with a few button pushes on the remote. Getting to the chassis to check anything on these is an adventure in patience. I’m not that well versed in EOB if that’s what it has. To know why it runs fine in conventional.

I did an extensive wheel flange cleaning with Q-tips and lacquer thinner.  The removal of excess paint on the wheel flanges allowed good rail continuity, along with good cleaning of the center rail contact.  These models had early TAS, (Train America Studio), EOB (Engineer On Board) speed control.  The speed control required some, getting uses to.  The very slow, lagging start, related to how you turn the knob on the hand control was part of the problem.  Once you figured it all out, EOB was a very good operating system,  IMO, Mike CT. 

The classic failure with EOB is the wires break off the sensor board, that's what I find in a majority of failures of EOB.

Some of the after-market up grades to EOB had a paper tach strip that was to be glued to the flywheel.  The paper tach strip could come loose. Also these upgrades, the tach strip sensor, was attached to the motor, with CA, or other adhesives, that could fail during use.

I would remove the body to see if the antenna wire is attached.

Note that all of the above require removing the shell to determine which malady your engine has.