Running a Legacy engine in conventional mode with Legacy signal in the room???

Turn off the command base, then power up the track with the loc.  The loc won't see any signal and start in conventional.  Then power up the command base.  The loc will stay in conventional now that's its powered up.  It only does that detection at start up.

Simple take the antenna lead and ground it to the frame (wheels).  That will permanently place the Shay in conventional mode, and it won't care if the command base is on or off.

@phil klopp posted:

and unplugging the antenna  does not reliably let me run it in conventional mode. It will often work in conventional with the shell removed, but not after the shell is replaced.

Is there a better way to accomplish my goal?

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Simple take the antenna lead and ground it to the frame (wheels).  That will permanently place the Shay in conventional mode, and it won't care if the command base is on or off.

Again, the problem is, simply unplugging the antenna- the board is STILL an active radio receiver and still has a tiny but effective amount of path acting as an antenna.

By shorting it (the antenna connection) to frame ground- you are disabling it right at the module.

Thanks you both!  i did find that simply removing the loose plug that is attached to the antenna did the trick.  But your suggestions make sense.  Phil