It could be missing, or have a bad connection, to the included on board capacitor that only helps the sound, not the motor like a real kep-alive. But it may also be that you really are only getting power from one truck - try running it onto a piece of paper and see if it dies with one truck on the rails and one on the paper, and flip it around and try the other side.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
From what I can ascertain from further testing today is that this decoder seems to be unduly sensitive to the slightest "dirt" on the rails. After a fairly thorough cleaning, I have been able to eliminate most of the problem. It is weird, though, because my other sound decoders, including the other identical Tsunamis exhibit no such problem.
Rich
Alton Junction
rrinker I will add that they are hit or miss.
Very true. You would think something as heavy as an F3 -F7 with eight wheels wouldn't have contact problems, but they do. It is very frustrating having identical locomotives and having problems like that on only a few...
Ed
I will add that they are hit or miss. I have 2 of the RTR RS-3's. The first one still needs work even after I hard wired the link to bypass the bolster contact. The other one - runs perfectly, even with the single wire screwed under the board for the frame side pickup.
richhotrainToday, I ran the F3AB Erie consist around the entire layout, followed closely by the F3AA Monon, The Monon sound and lights never cut out, while the Erie repeatedly drops it sound and lights.
Hi, Rich
I was bitten by the Genesis F unit bug a few years ago and by the time I was "cured" I probably bought maybe two-dozen engines.
As you have experienced, some of them have problems with power collection as Randy has pointed out.
I wonder how much running time you have on your engines? It seems like mine got better after allowing them to "run-in" for maybe eight to twelve hours (not all at once)
There have been discussions and tips mentioned here previously:
https://tonystrains.com/athearn-genesis-pickup-problems-fixed/
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/228382.aspx
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/221646/2450595.aspx
My Genesis engines have Loksound Selects, Lokpilots, and DA-SR decoders in them. It wasn't a problem with the decoders but definitely a problem with pick-up from the rails.
I took apart the trucks, cleaned everything out, grease and all, soldered the wire to the bronze strips and eliminated the plastic clip.
After lightly greasing the gears with Labelle PTFE grease I put a little CRC 2-26 on the bearing points and this improved performange considerably.
Good Luck, Ed
:An NCE thing" not the decoder, but the throttle. The NCE throttles do not periodically refresh function status via DCC packet, so it doesn;t matter what decoder. Digitrax seems to send frequent DCC packets to any running loco. This is also the cause of an issue a while back with the default value of the packet timeout in something - I think maybe QSI or maybe a Paragon 2. Get it running and then not touch anything - no blowing the horn, no changing the speed, and it would eventually just stop when using NCE but not have a problem with other systems.
rrinker The lights not coming back on after the sound resumes is an NCE thing, NCE does not continuously refresh functions of active locos so after it resets due to power loss it does not know that the lights should be on, despite the throttle saying they are.
The lights not coming back on after the sound resumes is an NCE thing, NCE does not continuously refresh functions of active locos so after it resets due to power loss it does not know that the lights should be on, despite the throttle saying they are.
My guess it is the pickup path, somewhere after the wheels. The axles/bearings may not be cleaning touching the metal sideframe parts of the truck where power is picked up - similar to the problem of one of my RTR RS-3's. Adding some fine wires to improve the current path may help. The lights not coming back on after the sound resumes is an NCE thing, NCE does not continuously refresh functions of active locos so after it resets due to power loss it does not know that the lights should be on, despite the throttle saying they are.
I have a pair of Athearn Genesis F3A locos (Monon) and an Athearn Genesis F3AB consist (Erie). All four contain Soundtraxx Tsunami sound decoders (TSU-GN1000).
Needless to say, if you have read my prior threads about the F3A Erie, the decoder has caused me ongoing difficulty. However the other three decoders seem trouble free.
My current porblem is that the sound and lights cut out at various points on the layout. The loco momentarily pauses for a split second, and then continues on with the sound back on but not the lights. I am constantly resetting the light function.
Today, I ran the F3AB Erie consist around the entire layout, followed closely by the F3AA Monon, The Monon sound and lights never cut out, while the Erie repeatedly drops it sound and lights.
I checked the wheels and they are clean.
So, my question is, what is the problem? Is it the loco or the decoder?
How should I test to determine the answer?
I look forward to your comments and advice.