Pulled my Proto 2K U28B out of storage, it worked perfectly when I put it away 2 yrs ago. Using a Digitrax Zephyr (the older one). Put the loco on the track and powered up. Bell, lights and horn all work perfectly. But when I take off brake and put Zephyr in "Forward", loco immediately takes off at full throttle DESPITE me having the throttle on the Zephyr at zero. Same thing in reverse, takes off at full speed. I reset the loco to factory default with the wand over the reed switch until it announced "reset" and it still does it. The loco has a QSI decoder. What the heck is going on? Is it the loco or the Zephyr?
It's the locomotive. I've had similar problems with an engine with a Tsunami. Even with the factory re-set, there may be something that's set wrong in the CV's that's causing the trouble. In the Tsunami case, every so often it re-sets CV 66 and 95 to a very high number and it has to be changed. Unfortunately may not be a quick fix, just trial-and-error to you figure out which CV it is. I'd maybe start by checking CV 5 and 6 and 29 just to see, then 66 and 95. If they seem Ok, maybe check ones for the individual speed curve settings.
So I guess its not the loco after all. I put another loco on the track, also a Proto but this one has an ESU decoder and it does the exact same thing. Works perfectly except no throttle control, just goes on its own even at zero throttle. So it must be the Zephyr. Any suggestions out there what might be wrong with it?
I was thinking the eng. until you said another engine with a different mfg. decoder did the same thing.
I may be wrong but this will not hurt, try program mode Dir then switch then 39 then c then exit
This will return your Zephyr and/or Zephyr-Xtra to factory settings.
If that doesn't work reprogram your CV-1 to a two or four #. If a two number the Zephyr will automatically select CV 29 to 6 which is good also to run on DC. Reprogram CV 29 to #2 and engine will not run on DC.
If a four number CV 1 then the Zephyrs will auto CV 17 & 18 to CV 29=38 which also is good for running on DC. Reprogram CV 29 to 34 as this will disallow any DC running. Like a short or sometimes a wrong command and the decoder goes nuts ( like yours are doing ) and the decoder thinks its on DC and runs full bore.
I'm pretty sure I worded that correctly as mine have had their share of running amuck until I changed the CV 29 to either 2 for a two # or 34 for a four #.
Just a thought as I may be wrong.
Wadda ya mean I'm old ? Just because I remember gasoline at 9 cents a gallon and those big coal burning steamers.
If resetting the Zephyr doesn't work, look at the track status light. Is it red or mostly green, instead of a red-orange color? It's entirely possible the Zephyr output has failed and it's only generating hald the DCC signal which may be interpreted as DC power causing the locos to take off. Setting the decoder to not do automatic DC conversion would stop them from running away but not fix the problem.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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