Sunset 3rd Rail TAS EOB question Empire State Express Hudson

Usually when the speed sensor is not detected you will get a constant whistle. The sensor on this engine may be only slightly off. There is usually some play in the armature that might be moving the flywheel further from the sensor when you change direction. First step is to verify the sensor is centered on the tach strip.

Pete

Took it apart, flywheel and driveshaft were a bit loose. Will try it later today.

How does the TAS EOB compare to the ERR stuff? Is it worth replacing?

Just my opinion Bobby, but the TAS system is now not the latest refinement in speed control ( SORRY Mikado!!!!!).

I notice high pitched "whine' on most of my TAS-equipped engines that does not present itself with the ERR components. You also do not have a tach reader on the motor(s) to worry about. The ERR Commander series has been the closest I've seen to Lionel Legacy in slow speed operation.

ERR Cruise is smoother than EOB but you would essentailly have to replace everything due to the fact that both the R2LC and audio boards plug into the motor driver. Also you would have add a chuff switch and circuitry to drive the smoke fan. Its up to you but if you can figure out what is going on with the speed issue its worth keeping.

Pete

Certainly I'd keep the EOB if you can get it working - not because it's preferable, but because it is in place and, in a manner of speaking, it "works".

But, its operating characteristics are fairly awful. It always makes a loco start as if it were pulling a 200-car train, even if running light (no train), which is simply wrong, and it buffers throttle commands - it does not answer the helm in real time, so that if you are trying to get it to act at least a bit realistically (not acting like a snail), all of a sudden the engine is doing 100 mph from your earlier throttle inputs.

So, smoke 'em if you've got 'em, but I have 2 or 3 with EOB, and I leave it turned off (as in my Atlas RS-3 - try switching with this unresponsive setup!). Acts better; the 3rd Rail gearing is probably pretty good, anyway.

All this is while running TMCC, in my case.

 I've seen that before with my third rail engines where the flywheel screw holding it onto the shaft will become loose in the flywheel will just be free spinning.   I've converted most of my 3rdrail engines to ERR just for the fact I'm sick of the old rail sounds. If you don't mind the old sounds and it's working good I wouldn't convert.