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The Marty Fitzhenry "Fire Up" Your Challenger Award

SS Scrapiron ScherOGR Forum Member

About one month ago Marty Fitzhenry posted a suggestion on the Forum that helped me restart my Vision Challenger which was not responding to commands to start up nor shut down. In addition, resets would not improve the situation nor would the resets bring back loco sound. I tried everything. The loco was automatically starting upon track power and then ignoring shut down commands. Marty suggested I place the tender only on the track and see if it lit and there were any sounds. Now, I know the loco must be connected in order for signals to reach the tender via the infrared connection. In any case, I was able to get the tender to shut down properly. Upon placing the loco on the track and connecting them, I was able to successfully start the Challenger and shut it down so that all functions now operate.

 

OK, that was a big deal to me because I was stumped. Today I did it again, only with my JLC UP Challenger. The loco has been dead for six months or more. Every attempt to start it, reset it, reprogram it was a failure. Lionel had no suggestions other than send it for a ride. I tried all of the aforementioned procedures a dozen times. Today, I retrieved the box and was about to use my #RA number and send off my #3985 friend. I said to myself, let me try Marty's suggestion again. I placed the tender only on the track. Guess what? The tender's lights came on with the sounds of a tender at rest after a start up sequence. Hmmmmmmm, I then attached the loco and it would only start in Cab1 mode using number #1. It had previously been programmed to #85. I then started the loco using #1 and reset. I powered down and reprogrammed under Cab1 at #85. Voila ! ! All functions operational. I cannot tell you that I did ANYTHING different other than placing the tender on the track alone. I tried to start the loco using number #1 and it was dead. It was dead with every other number also.

A brain greater than mine will have to tell me why it worked.

 

Marty Fitzhenry is my man !! Marty, in addition to the burger and beer for you and Dotty, now it is two burgers and two beers.

 

Scrapiron Scher

Last edited by Scrapiron Scher
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SS Scrapiron ScherOGR Forum Member

Yes, the Vision Challenger derailed and a short resulted which kicked off when the Z-400 break came on. After the short, the loco was shazzbatt. The JLC #3985 loco was on a siding and when I tried to start it up, dead. Now, since it is on the same electrical circuit as other locos that caused shorts, it, too, may have been impacted by the same short circuit, board scrambling event. Go figure. I can tell you that when I have a steamer in trouble that will not respond to a reset command, I will put the tender on the track alone. I don't know why it works. I know it works, though.

N NortonOGR Forum Member

Interesting info Eliot. Hopefully Marty or Jon Z will chime it to tell us why this works. I can see where this might reset a stuck tender since putting it on the track by itself, the tender will start up in conventional but why it would then reset the engine I don't have a clue. The IR tether only supports one way communication from the engine to the tender.

 

Pete

J DaddyJ DaddyOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Scrapiron Scher:

J Daddy,

 

Keep the loco on an electrically isolated siding, off, when not running it.

Avoid short circuits, even with a Z-4000.

Perhaps install a shorter breaker so the short does not scramble the loco brains.

 

Eliot

Thanks Eliot, I will. I have had some close calls. I installed the fast acting circuit breaker house from Lionel and so far so good. This has reduced my operating heart attacks when there is a derailment.

I have noticed in a dead spot over a frog or crossing with these engines and you do not have a battery installed, the sound will not come back on. Another heart palpitation felt here!

Turns out sometimes you need to hit Aux1 0 and it will restart the sound. Very peculiar.

PP Prewar PappyOGR Forum Member

Eliot,

I agree with you 100%. Marty is aware that I run 1906 thru 1932 Tinplate, Standard & O-Gauge. He has helped me more than once. This last time he put me in contact with Frank Timko.                                                                                                                                                             Thank you!, Marty                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Last edited by Prewar Pappy
mjrodg3n88mjrodg3n88OGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Alex M:

Eliot,

 

I 100 percent agree with you. When I'm working on and engine and I get stumped, I make a quick phone call to him tell him my issue, and in a minute or two the issue is resolved. Marty's the man

 

WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Alex

 

Alex,

 

What if you get stumped when you make your birthday trip?

Last edited by mjrodg3n88
Views: 1,054
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