TMCC signal issue on only one engine.t

Check the antennas, they're the handrails.  Top suspect is the handrails are either shorted to the shell or disconnected inside the shell from the antenna connection.

Thanks but I tried all that. Engine is immediately in conventional mode each time throttle is advanced. If I do it many times, it finally goes into command mode.

if like you said in your original post your other engines are Ok then there is something wrong with this engine.  from your explanation here there is a problem with a it receiving the command. 

Next step if the antennas are 100% checked out is to swap the R2LC for a known good one.  There isn't much else that will affect the command/conventional mode switch.

Good idea. Original part is a R2LC07.

I got a spare R2LC08.

Ok to use an 08 on an engine with a 07? They look the same.

The R2LC08 will work for a test, I believe there's something odd like a light output polarity.  If you have incandescent bulbs, it will be a non-factor.  I've replaced the C06 and C07 with C08 units, as those or the C13 are all I normally keep around.

Tried two different C08 boards with no effect

Lionel replacement parts offers only C08 boards ( you were correct).

What is the small slider switch on the underside of the radio board that the C08 board plugs into? Which way should it be?

Did you try re-programming using Aux1 -74.

Bill

Bill,

I didn't know about AUX1 74. But it is stuck in conventional now.

After doing what John and Bill stated, check for continuity on pin 23 on the R2LC board to your antenna.

Thanks Marty. I got continuity. But still can't reset in conventional mode.

Bob,

  Are you following the instructions as in the attachment below

Do the reset and let us know.

Bill, what are your thoughts on a bad trace somewhere on the motherboard?  If he has the antenna connection to pin 23 and has tried other R2LC boards?  I would like to see him try to connect with the body off. 

Bob, are you positive you have no continuity between your antenna and ground?  What happened when you did the reset?

One last thing, are both wires connected on your run/program switch?  Make sure the swithch is good.  I see that from time to time.

Marty,

   It could possibility be a bad trace or maybe a loose wire. Are the sounds starting in conventional or is the engine taking off without out control.

Bill

More info would help.  Still do not know if reset 74 worked.

It would be really useful to know how this occurred.  If the antenna is connected, and the R2LC was swapped, you're kinda' out of things that would cause you to drop into conventional mode.  Unless something bad happened to the engine, I can't imagine a trace on the MB being cooked.

John, blown traces is not an uncommon thing.  I see this often. The Lionel scale T-1 was made many years ago.  The very first thing I always do is reprogram the R2LC board and check it in my Lionel board tester.  If the board tests good, I go to the next step.    Then I  start with the contacts on the run/program switch.  I check for continuity on this switch with pin 22 on the R2LC board.  Next  check for continuity between pin 23 and the antenna.  Next I check for continuity between the antenna and ground.  Hopefully, I do not get continuity.  If all the above checks show good, I go to the next check.    At this point, I am getting ready to search for a blown trace.  They are usually easy to spot on the board.  Every motherboard I replace, I keep the bad board and hard wire the traces so I have a spare. I will use a repaired board on my own trains but not one for a customer.   I have found Lionel to have almost every motherboard needed.

I've only run across a couple of cooked motherboards.  I know it can happen, but it's not the first thing I think of.  As you say, once you have the MB out, it's easy to see if a trace is cooked.  Usually, they get cooked when something else happens like a short to the pickup trace.  I never throw them away either, I fix them and return them to service.

When something is running normally and stops working, I usually work my way through the most obvious suspects.  Of course, we seem to have eliminated the antenna and the R2LC, so maybe we're there.

I think more details of exact symptoms and how this started would help in figuring out what is happening.

Greed, the items listed above need to be conformed.  

imediatley after power is added to track, I get sounds from the tender, there is no response from any TMCC commands and I'm in conventional operation. It doesn't start moving until I hit the direction control button. Otherwise I  get smoke,whistle and speed control as in normal conventional control. 

I don't know how to do a reset without using the remote.

Both wires on run/ program switch are and with continuity to J2 connector.

That's different.  After the first power cycle without TMCC signal, the locomotive should immediately take off in forward when you apply power. 

Question:  Does it act any differently if you unplug the power from the command base and then apply power?  Cycle power at least twice to verify that it always does the same thing in conventional mode.

Sorry i may have stated it incompletely. The T-1 acts the same with and without the command base and legacy base disconnected. Starts out in forward, neutral or reverse depending upon where it was when I shut down power and how long it was off.

If you have the TMCC and Legacy base on at the same time, try shutting Legacy down.

According to Lionel instructions, my system is wired such that only the Legacy base is wired to the common outside rails.

As you suggested, I disconnected both power and U connection to Legacy base. Then I a jumper wire between TMCC command base and common. This had no effect.

More than disconnected, turn both bases totally off, as in no power.

Shut off and disconnected both Legacy base and TMCC base. Runs the same in conventional mode.

Does conventional mode run the same way with the other R2LC?

I can't get away from the feeling that these symptoms scream out R2LC.

I don't think your problem is with the command bases, because your other engines are working normal. I believe your problem is in programming, the sounds are starting up because one of the IR tethers (engine or tender) is not working. If you have another tmcc tender try it with the T-1. I think the engine is the problem. You have switched the R2LC with the same results, was it a known good one? As Marty pointed out it could be a bad trace on the motherboard or the programming switch or ground. Put the engine run/program in program and apply track with out touching the remote, do the sounds still start up.

Bill

I tried a third 08 R2L version 08. This time - I first get a click then no response from controller and won't run conventional either. Disconnect both Legacy and TMCC and sound comes up but engine doesn't move. Very slight growling noise.

This engine has ERR installed by ERR.

I tried a third 08 R2L version 08. This time - I first get a click then no response from controller and won't run conventional either. Disconnect both Legacy and TMCC and sound comes up but engine doesn't move. Very slight growling noise.

This engine has ERR installed by ERR.

OK, now we're talking!  If you have the Cruise Commander or Cruise Commander M installed, did you follow the instructions in their installation for reprogramming those?  That will affect the running.

Fixed now thanks to all your help! It was the R2L board after all. Didn't realize that the board carries the previous engine I'd with it. Wires jamming flywheel made noise. Not sure everything else that happened makes sense now. But I'll just see what happens.

This is why the first step is to re-program.

Bill

Bill's right, when you swap the R2LC, you MUST reprogram for the locomotive.  That's doubly important in your case as the ERR Cruise Commander or CCM will be wonky if you don't have it correctly programmed.

ERR, you might have thrown this out earlier.