okay all other issues with this Bad Boy are resolved except this one!
I have had issues with cab2 and key press issues and the BB accepting them so on a fluke!
I put a finger on each handrail and the smoke unit goes low medium high and back down to off! remove fingers and it stops responding to key presses.
so outside of making sure the antenna wires are connected and that handrails are isolated what else to look for?
there are no tracks above or below where it sits right now.
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That's pretty much the drill, what you describe is classic signal issues. See if any other locomotives have any issues in the same location.
tried 3 other legacy steam engines all respond to cab2 commands.
tried the original NKP 765 lionel released and the atsf 4-8-4 #3751 and my S-3 #261
there is a pcb board rather smallish that antenna wires plug into on main frame. and another small pcb board that have 4 molex connectors [name I use] both handrails have a wire from it and also where connector from pcb frame area connects to.
no wires loose bare cut all looks good in that regard. ironically the tender/marker lights rule 17 and smoke are the ones having issues all other buttons and features gets a response from the BB.
I would have thought all key pad features would be affected?
leave it to me if theres an odd ball engine with issues I seem to get it not complaining just saying is all.
I think it's time to talk to Lionel, you may need a new receiver. The fact that you can fix it by holding the antenna certainly screams out signal issue.
Just a dumb suggestion, does dropping an earth ground wire next to the engine help any? Maybe the signal is marginal, but just enough for the other locomotives to function properly.
I didn't want to hijack another thread so....
the poster was given instructions to do an engine reset procedure!!
I followed it using my cab-1
power off
set switch to program then powered layout up
then selected eng id# and then press set
then press eng id again
then press aux1 and # 1
turned power off waited 30 seconds aprox set switch to run and ....
now smoke turns to low med high and back tender lights turn on/off as they should whoda thunk it!!
why isn't this in the owners manual ?????????????????????
On the antenna board that your antenna wire plugs into, please look for this. One side of the board has 3 pins and the other has 4 pins. Sometimes (i see it often) the 4 pin will break off the board and it looks connected. Gently put upward pressure on the board to see if this is your issue.
If you are OK there, take your continuity meter and touch one handrail and the engine body. If you have continuity, your antenna is shorting out. Identify and fix the issue.
why isn't this in the owners manual ?????????????????????
I am under the distinct impression that the VL-BB would not need any AUX1-n code for a reset, just the TMCC ID. The AUX1-n is used for older Legacy with the R4LC.
Yes John. That reset is only for the early Legacy with modular boards.
Right, all the RCMC equipped locomotives I've run across, mine and others, have just used the TMCC ID setting as the full reset.
John, after the RCMC board started showing up, I have noticed Lionel repair numbers have gone down. It is a great product.
I've had a couple of the little TMCC transmitters die, and one RCMC board go up in flames when the motor shorted, but that's about it. The TMCC module has very fragile pins, I've fixed a couple already with a broken pin.
I'm hoping the RCMC is more robust, I was somewhat disappointed to see a shorted motor fried one, I thought that wasn't supposed to happen with the sensing on the board.
If it's all working, don't question the results. 
update.... 2-9-2016
thought this was fixed but it would occur frequently.
been having intermittent signal issues from cab-2 to VL big boy , now I know why!
okay I could not figure out how the hand rails were connected to the wires as all I could see was the molded wooden ceiling. and what I thought were some molded in black arms?
well those arms are not metal and they have a round rubber and the metal hand rail slides into the open end and so creates the link to the rcl4? I think this is correct name for the antenna board. only the left side was actually connected and once I was able to get the right side reattached now the tender/smoke features perform consistently.
so for the rest of you if you start having signal issues take a peak if your handrail comes out from cab with a bare end this is the clue things are not right.
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