It's just like rebooting your computer after making updates. They don't take effect until you restart. Same with some decoders and the reset. You have to 'reboot' it, and since there's no control-alt-delete, you tip if off the track to remove power. Or just turn off the track power and turn it back on. That's what they mean by rocking it - tipping it over far enough that the wheels on one side lift off the rails to cut the power.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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Many system you have to do that to interupt the power. Digitrax does it autimaticaly after changes by shutting down. The loco vibrates, it may lurch a tiny bit makes a little noise, and things shut down. Restore track power and all is good, changes in effect.
Mike.
EDIT: I don't know what manuals come with Walthers loco, but if you look, the instruction for a reset is probably/might be in there, and will mention the "rocking". Most other manufacturers do.
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I bought of these and it performed well out of the box. Then it started acting goofy. Some "F" functions did not work, sound died, and speed changes without throttle movement. I reset it to factory settings via JMRI and it helped a little. I sent it to Walthers. I had a great customer service experience. They contacted me quickly, explained how long it would take and was up front about their procedures and costs. I got an e-mail yesterday that it was fixed. He said he reset it to factory settings by setting CV8 to a value of 8 then rocking the loco briefly off one of the rails to break contact and it worked. I never heard of rocking the loco to reset it, but I won't forget it.