Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I put in another TCS, and it appears to work OK! **fingers crossed** I'll know for sure when I attempt to put the shell back on. I try to position the wires so they wouldn't get pinched, but one of them still always seems to get in the way.
That first decoder musta been a lemon... Thanx for the replies everyone. (..and yes, I am soldering all of my connections, not relying on the clip-on contacts)
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
Ken
No need to rant. Every manufacture is bound to have a couple lemons. Its how they take care of the problem that counts. Digitrax wanted to charge me $15 each to fix 2 decoders that popped on the program track. Both were plug in decoders. I only paid $16 for them. That was the last time I bought a Dco decoder.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Thanx Pete
This is really more of a rant than anything else. I'll try another one and if it does the same thing I guess I'll have to send them all to TCS like you said. I've been spoiled by always having decoders work like they're supposed to when I install them - until today, that is!
CSX
Most of the sixty decoders I have are TCS. I have never had a bad one. They have a goof proof warenty, The best in the buisness. Send it to them with a note telling them what its doing and Im sure they will make good. In the mean time try out another decoder or you can ship me the other TCS decoders. Ill be glad to take them if you toss them.
Is there something about TCS decoders that I should've been aware of before I attempted to install it? I put a TCS-A4X in a 1992-vintage Kato SD40 (not a dash 2); when I tested it, it worked OK for a minute or two, then the loco suddenly changed direction and started running full speed - ignoring my commands.
When I tried to read the 2-digit address on the programming track, it said 'noPg' instead of the expected '003'. I tested a few of my of decoder-equipped engines and they all worked fine.
Is there any way I could have avoided this? I've installed Digitrax, Soundtrax, Lenz and NCE decoders before and never seen anything like this. I have 5 other TCS decoder sitting unopened on my workbench - should I toss those as well?