Broadway limited locos

[Anonymous]

I have recently put my Broadway Limited E6A/B units in HO service with my DCC Digitrax control. They are really nice units with excellent detail, paint, sound effects and low speed operation. I seem to have one problem, if there is a short anywhere in the power block their in, (not necessarily caused by them) the E6's stay in shorted mode thereby shorting out the block. This can be corrected by tilting the E6's to cut power to them at which time they will reset thenselves and the block. Mfg literature refers to this and says to cut power to the loco to restore. They don't say a short anywhere in the power block will cause the E6's to short. In addition with DCC you have power on the tracks at all times therefore to cut power to the E6 you must cut block power shutting down everything. Tilting the E6's is an inconvenience and I don't know of a similar prototypical practice[:)] Does anyone have any ideas on this? By the way the numerous reviews on these units do NOT refer to this problem.

[AntonioFP45]

Hello Ortice,

Sorry I can't be of too much help, but I'm going the DCC route and find this interesting as I don't know yet what I'll be encoutering as I build my layout this summer.

You definetly need to find out why you're getting shorts in your block so your locos don't wind up being damaged in the long run. Have you determined the cause of your shorts? I've read numerous posts and info on DCC and that for a little invested time, layouts can be wired in a way that minimizes the possibilities of short circuits, especially when reverse loops and multiple turnouts are involved.

[nfmisso]

Turnoff the power to the section or whoel railroad; just add a SPDT switch between the booster(s) and the layout section(s).

[Anonymous]

To AntonioFP45-Thx for your response. I have been operateing several years with DCC and feel you have made the right decision to go this route. I operate a no. of engines simultaneously and the only one that holds a short is the Broadway Limited. As to what causes the short in the system- - - it's the dumb yardmaster (me) who tries to operate another loco thru a thrown switch.

[Anonymous]

Thx mfmisso for your response. Yes, I could put in a spdt switch or just turn off the booster but I had rather not shut down a power district just because of one loco that holds a short, all other locos return to normal when power is restored by the booster. I was hoping some one with similar experience could tell me how to correct this within the loco.