Any experience with a Lionel TMCC loco lights flickering ?

[Anonymous]

[#ditto][#ditto]

Like the Chief, That's the first thing I do at any sign of trouble with TMCC....Tim

[ChiefEagles]

Glad. I have had several engines that came and would not give Railsounds and etc right out of the box. They were shipped UPS, FedX and USPS. Found the boards unseated from rough handling. First thing I so if I get one thorugh shipping is take shell off and reseat boards. Keep on training.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help and suggustions guys , and a report of a happy ending of the problem .
My LHS [auth dealer] had a look at it , and really found nothing wrong , and basically reseated the cards , wiggled and looked ..........and it works fine now , yea !!!!
I am happy and pleased .
Thanks again , Dennis

[Anonymous]

Or you could leave it as is and call it a "Mars Light"!

[dougdagrump]

Roy, I wonder if some wires could be incorrectly routed over or thru the the boards. This is one of the problems, flickering headlights, that were experienced by some buyers of the Sun Model blowout K-4s. The problem turned out to be incorrectly routed headlight wires.

[wrmcclellan]

ccgrc,

It certainly appears there is a bad wire or connection in your loco. Good luck.

Regards,
Roy

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys , and in answer to your questions Roy .....
quote ; I understand you are saying this happens in one direction only, but I will ask you some questions anyway.

Does the loco lamp flickering match the flickering of the red LED on the TMCC Command Base?
The red led in the TMCC command base is not flickering while/when this is occuring .

i.e. whenever you spin the red speed control wheel or blow the horn with the CAB-1.
No it is not in synch .

A flickering light in a TMCC loco when in TMCC mode is usually indication of poor TMCC signal to the loco. This can be due to poor ground connections in the loco or a poor antenna connection/arrangement in the loco.
But it is only THIS FM H16-44 loco , in only ONE direction .

I am assuming any other TMCC locos you have run fine with no flickering. Please confirm.
Yes my other TMCC loco is fine .
It really is insane for everything to be perfect going one direction , and so bad with all the locos lights flashing / flickering so rapidly so much , in the other direction .

I will have to open it up , or get LIONEL to do it , eventually .

Thanks for the suggustions and help .

[Roger Bielen]

If it is diagnosed as a weak signal problem and not as something loose I've increased the antenna size on a couple of units by puting a piece of metal (alum.) duct tape under the existing antenna. Just make sure that it doesn't make contact with any other elctrical item, or grounded metal, only the antenna.

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] To the forum Dennis....Try this http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=61251&REPLY_ID=687896#687896



Tim

[wrmcclellan]

ccgrc,

I understand you are saying this happens in one direction only, but I will ask you some questions anyway.

Does the loco lamp flickering match the flickering of the red LED on the TMCC Command Base?

i.e. whenever you spin the red speed control wheel or blow the horn with the CAB-1.

A flickering light in a TMCC loco when in TMCC mode is usually indication of poor TMCC signal to the loco. This can be due to poor ground connections in the loco or a poor antenna connection/arrangement in the loco.

I am assuming any other TMCC locos you have run fine with no flickering. Please confirm.

Regards,
Roy

[Anonymous]

Wow that was fast , thanks . This was useing 2 different TMCC systems on two totally different layouts , only the loco was taken for a trip to the LHS . And no I did not buy it there at my LHS , he has been most gracious . But EVERTHING else I have was purchased at my LHS .

Well I went to my figure 8 trackwork , and held one hand , then 2 hands above it running and flickering , then hands on the loco , and still it flickers ,.....but , I was thinking before that it only did it mostly in the clockwise direction , and not hte CCW direction . And now I am sure that the flickering is in the clockwise direction of my figure 8 , and not at all /or hardly at all in the ccw direction .

So maybe I have a short or a binding in the trucks or wireing ?

[ChiefEagles]

Its getting a poor signal per TMCC books. Putting your hand over it does not change the flickering???? We got some TMCC experts here so I am sure you will get an answer soon.

[Anonymous]

The new Lionel H16-44 loco I just received , has a problem [:0]
When operating long hood front direction , the cab lights and headlights , flicker flicker flicker , like dirty track or something , and no it is not dirty track , the loco does this at my track , and the track at the LHS also . And the rest of the rolling stock in a train with lights does not flicker , BUT the flickering lights are ONLY in that direction , when run the other direction , short hood front , the lights DO NOT FLICKER ??? [:0]
I know , I know , just run it short hood front , or turn the lights off totally .
I am really enjoying these Lionel trains and the TMCC controls [:)]
, which are a new size of trains to me , less than 2 months so far .
Thanks
Dennis P