I put a Digitrax non sound decoder in an Athearn RTR locomotive. It seemed to run fine. I then MUed with another loco. After about 5 minutes the loco with the new decoder started runnng weird, couldn't maintain speed. I seperated from the MU loco and ran it alone and would speed up then slow down without moving the throttle. I removed the decoder and replaced it with another one and it ran fine. I thought bad decoders just don't work at all, didn't know they can become erratic.
Sounds like it's receiving mixed signals. Did you try and reset the decoder? As far as the MUing, did you speed match them? Do you have another throttle (hand held) somewhere that the loco wasn't dispatched from?
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
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Willy,
Since you mentioned that you installed it in an Athearn BB, did you ensure that the motor brushes were completely isolated from the frame with a multimeter?
Also, which particular locomotive did you install the decoder in and MU it to? IIRC, some BB locomotives require special care when using metal couplers like Kadees.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
What DCC system did you run it on?
If Digitrax, what throttle did you use to MU it?
If it was mu'd with a Zephyr throttle and not dispatched before acquiring it with another throttle or even the same throttle it could act as you described.
Martin Myers
I'm thinking you have a loose linkage between the motor and the trucks. When you replaced the decoder, you unknowingly pushed it back together and temporarily fixed it.
Or, do you have enough power going into and out of your DÇC system? Trying to run with insufficient power can cause problems like you describe.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
anyone heard from or seen willy6?