I was running my Kato P42 (N Scale) with Digitrax decoder around the layout at a decent pace and suddenly it jerked to a stop. While I realize that this may indeed be prototypical for Amtrak, I'd like my trains to run on a more regular schedule. ;)At first I thought it was a spot of dirty track or something... though that would have made it pause, not stop.After what I thought was fiddling on my part, the locomotive continued on it's journey - this time it stopped at a different place.I got distracted doing other things and the locomotive startled me by starting suddenly (I was expecting to have to fiddle with it).Think it's a problem with the decoder or the locomotive itself? I had an Atlas locomotive running on the layout at the same time (it's a double-track loop) and it never skipped a beat.
Check the plastic clip holding the motor contacts to the decoder. I've had to solder those on some engines.
WS
What DCC system are you using? Stopping and starting my itself is classic "same address selected on more than one throttle" with Digitrax, with at least one of those throttles being the Zephyr console throttle or a UT4.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I'm with Randy on the starting and stopping issue. Suspect the engine is selected on two throttles. At least one of them being a UT or Zephyr throttle.
That being said, the little plastic clip is also an issue. I gave up trying to get reliable continuity between the two little motor contacts and the pads on the decoder. Most times they run for a while then just quit running. Never had one start up again without working on it, though.
I have a dozen or so E8's, about the same in P42's, FP40's, and PA's. They all use the same decoder. I soldered every one of them and have zero trouble since. In fact I just did a new P42 and DN163K0A last night.
I simply tin both of the decoder pads and the two brass contacts. Then I hold the contacts down tight on the decoder with a metal pick. Touch a hot solder iron to the contact for a second and the solder will flow. Remove the iron and hold the contact for a few seconds while it cools. Installation done. You can then either insert the plactic clip or just leave it off. Your choice.
To remove the decoder just put the iron on the contact and it will spring loose when hot enough.
Martin Myers
I did some further testing and established that this is a design flaw with the Kato P42 (according to a phone call to Kato). The problem is that the Digitrax drop-in board is a little thicker than the native board so the plastic plug that holds the motor power tabs to the contact points on the board sometimes isn't enough to make contact.
You can test for this by removing the shell of an affected locomotive and pressing down on the plastic plug while setting the throttle to a level high enough to make the locomotive move. When you press on it, contact will be made and the locomotive will move.Some have suggested that I solder the tabs - which I considered, but in the interim I decided to try the following - which seems to have fixed the problem...
This helps to make the flat tabs a little more dimensional and ensure that they make contact even if there is a little room between the plastic tab and the contact pads.
Time will tell if it works - and if not, I'll just solder the pads but for now the locomotive was running great again.
Thanks for all of your thoughts and suggestions.
At some point you will most likely wind up soldering. I tried arcing the tabs a couple of years ago. Worked for awhile.