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Track Cleaning II

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  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Track Cleaning II
Posted by wblock on Sunday, July 22, 2018 9:20 PM

  For those that responded to my previous post, thanks so much. I think I am getting a handle on the track problem.

  But, another very strange situation has arisen.

  I have a Tidy Track wheel cleaning devide that seems to do a very nice job. However, I have two locos that run perfectly on the devide, seeming to clean the wheels nicely, but when I put them on the main, where other locos have run well, they won't budge. I can put them back on the machine and everything is OK again.

  Any thoughts on this one. I am running on Kato N scale Unitrack with DCC on a small layout in a finished bedroom.

  • Member since
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Posted by snjroy on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 8:17 AM

What kind of locos are you dealing with?

Simon

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 9:35 AM

Assuming nothing else is going on, like a pair of pliers on the track or a disconnected command station, your DCC decoders aren't responding to the DCC signal and need a reset.  

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Posted by wblock on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 4:03 PM
They are both older locos and I am not sure of the brand. One I believe is Bachmann and the other possibly Atlas, but i'm really not sure.
  • Member since
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  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Posted by wblock on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 4:22 PM
I actually thought of that. When I put them in the Tidy Track wheel cleaner, which is powered by the tracks, they run like champs. If I take them off the machine and put them on the same track, where others are running fine, they won't move. Weird.
  • Member since
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  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 7:50 PM

Are you sure you have aquired them correctly? Also, try resetting them as suggested, and try them on a different brand of track. Pictures and/or a video would be a big help to us.

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
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  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
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Posted by selector on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 8:51 PM

I'm just winging it, haven't read into the conversation thus far, so...

...do these locos have decoders?

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Posted by wblock on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 9:10 PM
Yes, they do.
  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 9:31 PM

I looked at the Tidy Track video.  The device sits on top the rails and has contacts which conduct power to the TT cleaner.   It's using your DCC throttle, but when you take the locos off the Tidy Track, they no longer run?

If you put them where the Tidy Track was, do they run?

Your last thread was about having to clean your track every two days.  Where these the locos that were the problem then? 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Posted by wblock on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 9:40 PM

  I literaly pick up the loco, remove the Tidy Track and put the locos in the very same spot but they don't run. Others do run.

  When I wrote the other post I was having trouble with everything, even one that is almsot brand new.

  • Member since
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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 9:51 PM

Makes no sense to me.  pm Steve Otte and have him put this thread in the electrical section of the forum.  It's not really about track cleaning, but I am equally stumped in coming up with a better title for this weirdness.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    November 2013
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Posted by snjroy on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 12:24 PM

If the locos work on the track cleaning station, that is connected to the DCC system, it suggests that the engines are responding correctly to the system. The fact that they are old locos might be a hint. Are both locos not working in other locations in the layout? Is your track voltage correct (should be 14V-16V)? Did your locos ever work properly on your layout at some point in time? What happened between then and when the problem was first noticed? Did you do changes to the layout or system?

Simon

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Posted by wblock on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 12:44 PM

  These two now don't work anywhere on the layout. They had been a bit balky previously, but never to this extent. I don't have a volt meter, but since my other five are not having any trouble I thing I can safely say the voltage is probably correct. Other than having some dirty track problems a few weeks ago, which have now been pretty much cleaned up, I haven't made any changes to the layout.

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Posted by snjroy on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 4:16 PM

That is quite the mystery. Can you try them on another layout? A club layout? Sorry, I am out of ideas. I leave this to the better brains on this forum.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 5:24 PM

I still say set CV 8 = 8 and see if they run.  I have a Bachmann that's like that, it won't run on the 2nd Tuesday of  the month if it is an odd date and there is a quarter moon.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Seaford, Va.
  • 72 posts
Posted by wblock on Friday, August 3, 2018 10:14 AM

  It was suggested that I post a video of this problem. I have one but I am having trouble posting it. When I try to insert it the dialog box asks for a source. I have tried to copy the file but it simply won't paste.

  • Member since
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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, August 4, 2018 4:03 AM

Post it to youtube then use the video icon above.  Sometimes that doesn't work either, for reasons I don't understand.  If it doesn't for you then post the youtube link directly

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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