I fixed this, but not sure how. Could it be the light thing?
DCS, ZW powered, been running this double tracked overhead layout for ten years. Added two streetlamps and a lighted diner to track power three years ago. Been running the same MTH engines. A month ago, my Conrail GP7 5605 began hesitating when it crossed a straight gargraves joint and the lamps and diner lights blinked. My MTH AMT Imperial 464 passenger consist crossed the same joint, no blinking of lamps or cars, no hesitation of the engine. The layout is large enough to run two consists on both lines. No issues on the other line. So.....
After checking the track, transformer, wiring, TIU, engines, and cleaning the track I could find no apparent problems, other than the ground B side of the ZW was hot and the input on Fixed 1 was warm. Tried disconnecting the lamps and diner. Problem got worse, the GP7 shutdown, always when one truck hit the other side of the track joint, and the other was on the same side. Got a new Conrail SD45, #6088, and hooked up my backup TIU. Entered all four engines on a test track. Nothing changed, the new SD45 stopped at the exact same place, and the fixed 1 input remained warm, the same ground on the ZW was hot. I'm aware that all the grounds on the ZW are connected.
Volt/Ohm meter showed no differences. Put jumpers connecting the offending tracks, the center rail sparked. Clearly a short somewhere. Reconnected the lamps and diner wire to the track. Jumpers had no spark. Engines ran normally. Problem solved, BUT HOW?
How can three engines (the two Conrails, and I tried my NH F3 #6691) all cause a short, but the AMT Imperial not, on the same track?
Jerry
