My layout suddenly thinks it's auto reversing

[Anonymous]

I have a little 4 x 8 layout with a twice around plan.  All of a sudden my Digitrax system is behaving like there's an auto reverse section.  DC locos run around no problem, but DCC one's pause at the same point every time, the digitrax system chirps and they continue on their way.  I'm puzzled, and suspect that my son (3) hit some mystery button on the controller while running trains.  Any ideas?  Unplugging the system and plugging it back in did nothing.  Is there a key to press to make everything go back to a factory setting?

[Phoebe Vet]

Sounds to me like a momentary short.  Examine the area where it happens carefully.  Your loco is probably bridging some small gap as it passes.

[Anonymous]

Well when I run it clockwise it happens at one end of a X crossing when I run it in the other direction it is happening on the other side of the track.  I have feeders every 4 feet or so, it's been running flawlessly up until now.     

[Phoebe Vet]

The problem is probably at the frog in the crossing.  Inspect it carefully.  See if it is damaged, or if it has something in it.  Then look to see if there is something dragging under the train that could be bridging the gap.  When you cross the other track, the A and B rails are very close together, separated by the frog.  Something is bridging them.  It could be a metal wheel.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I recently had a similar problem at a turnout that comes off a siding. I looked all over and could find nothing that would explain what was happening. I then ran the one loco that was having the problem slowly over the turnout and sure enough the system momentarily shorted. The trip pin on the locos front coupler was hanging a little low and just barely touched the rail as the loco eased through the turnout.

[UpNorth]

Seems to me something else is wrong if this does not happen with the DC locos but only with the DCC locos.

Reset  the Zephyr using OpSw 39 to "c" (closed)  to get back the original factory settings. Brake the book out at read section 28.0 on how to set option switches.

[modelmaker51]

Seems to me something else is wrong if this does not happen with the DC locos but only with the DCC locos.

Reset  the Zephyr using OpSw 39 to "c" (closed)  to get back the original factory settings. Brake the book out at read section 28.0 on how to set option switches.

DCC is much more sensitive to shorts than DC and a momentary short might not be noticable in DC. So, before you go resetting anything, do as the others have suggested and physically check the track, locos and couplers.