Running Legacy Engine on conventional.

Do you have more than one loop? Unplug the base and try it again. 

Bob

As Bob said powerdown the Legacy base. The signal is rather robust. 

Wow. You guys were right. I had to totally power down the base. Kinda surprising. How does that work? 

Lagerstout posted:

Wow. You guys were right. I had to totally power down the base. Kinda surprising. How does that work? 

Since part of the signal uses the house ground wiring, it is likely it is receiving enough signal to trick the engine into command.

Based on this thread, Lionel 455 kHz signal choice for Legacy/TMCC?, Legacy actually uses radio at 455kHz to talk to engines from the Legacy base.  So whenever the base is plugged in its broadcasting.

Lager

Just now seen this, I spent almost a complete day going nuts trying to figure the answer out several years back. Simple things sometimes is the hardest to figure out

Larry

And this demonstrates why I have always preferred TMCC (Legacy) to DCS. My understanding is that the DCS signal enters the loco through the center-rail pickup, so is more sensitive to dirty track and other interferences.

TMCC/Legacy is a radio signal, quite robust within he needed scope, and works more like (or exactly like) a radio control airplane/automobile system. TMCC is friendly; DCS is (can be) more fussy. I have both; seldom use the DCS (a Remote Commander). 

The engine wheels setting on the track are the reference for the antenna in the top of the engine. The Legacy base establishes that reference by the single wire connected to the track from the base. And the antenna in the engine gets the signal thru the air from the ground wires in the house. So...I have noticed that the reference can get established on a piece of track not even connected to the base or to the layout track. The path is not well defined, but it exists somehow with out a wire from the base connected to the track. I have to turn off the base even when working on the bench.

Lagerstout posted:

Wow. You guys were right. I had to totally power down the base. Kinda surprising. How does that work? 

Short version, a simple glitch on start up, then a reboot.

You should try this on just about anything electrical since the 80's....and I don't mean just trains. Some items need to be unplugged as well.

Chips can "miscount" on occasion or even have short term memory loss on what to do. With most, removing power fully lets it forget about its present "thought", and then start its thoughts all over again.

Power down might have to last a few days or even longer. I give problem items about three or four days before I toss them.

Adriatic posted:

Lagerstout posted:

Wow. You guys were right. I had to totally power down the base. Kinda surprising. How does that work? 

Short version, a simple glitch on start up, then a reboot.

You should try this on just about anything electrical since the 80's....and I don't mean just trains. Some items need to be unplugged as well.

Chips can "miscount" on occasion or even have short term memory loss on what to do. With most, removing power fully lets it forget about its present "thought", and then start its thoughts all over again.

Power down might have to last a few days or even longer. I give problem items about three or four days before I toss them.

This is not related to the issue he was having.  The issue he had is he wanted to operate the engine in conventional mode.  Since his base was still plugged in the engine was still receiving the Legacy signal and would not run conventionally.  His base was functioning normally.