Is it possible that after something like a derailment which causes a short circuit and the DCC booster circuit breaker shuts the track power off, that a locomotive may require a hardware reset to get the loco operating properly again? In this particular instance, the smoke unit in a steam loco.
Sometimes a short will cause a decoder to scramble it. But if the only thing not workign is the smoke unit - if there is a function key assigned to turn the smoke on and off, it may just need to be turned on again. Also if the loco rolled over when it derailed maybe it needs more smoke fluid.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Is this an el cheapo bachmann or broadway limited train?
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
It's BLI. A couple weeks old. Was doing fine until a minor derailment through a turnout.
Why?
More important, which decoder is it?
I have a Walthers Proto 0-6-0. It's a nice little engine with sound, and it runs very well, too. It has a QSI decoder. One day, it shorted out. I later traced the short to a badly-made Atlas 60-degree crossing. Unfortunately, the engine went catatonic after that. It would not respond at all. I could not get a reset to work, either. I took it to my LHS, where the owner was able to put it on his QSI programmer and slowly bring it back to life. It had gone into some sort of "deep sleep" mode. It's worked fine ever since.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
On the off chance could the smoke switch under the loco have moved?
Gary
MisterBeasley More important, which decoder is it?
BLI Paragon3 & others BLI Paragon2, so probably ESU Loksound on the P3, probably same on the P2?
gdelmoro On the off chance could the smoke switch under the loco have moved?
Nope, smoke switch is not underneath on this one (BLI S2 turbine Paragon 3)
Not completely sure yet, more testing required, but the problem may be related to "blowing strongly over the smoke stack" to remove any bubbles from the fluid.
I tried using a can of compressed air to blow across the stack. That seems to have cleared the stack better. It also gives me better reach across the layout to clear the loco stack after putting in a few drops of fluid. Can be kind of difficult trying to clear the stack from a couple feet away by blowing across it. I even had the S2 turned upside down for a day to make sure the fluid was not over filled but nothing came out so over filling isn't the problem. Next I'll also try turning up the heat.