I'm having problems with both of my Athearn Challengers, UP 3983 and Rio Grande 3804 causing my DCC controler to go to short mode, it displays SVDA. The DDC is a MRC Prodigy Express. The 2 challengers are the older ones that came with the small hand remote when operating on DC.
I'm not super experienced with DCC, I was into model railroading as a child and teenager but this was 30-40 years ago. I'm now getting back into it and I bought a completed layout recently.
I've seen some turnouts for sale that are listed as "DCC Compatible". Is that what I need? If so I'm guessing the turnouts on this layout are not?
I have other engines that work perfetly fine, a Broadway Limited 2-8-0, Broadway Limited SW7, and an Athearn Genisis GP7, they never cause this problem so it is something specific to the two Challenger Units.
Any suggestions you would have would be appreciated as my 8 yeaer old really wants to run the Challengers!
I presume "over turnouts" means through the diverging (curved) portion of the turnout? Also, what size turnouts are these issues happening on?
Given those are really large locomotives, I'm going to guess that the front pilot wheels are shorting to the chassis. You can verify this by removing one of the them and running that locomotive through the turnout.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Thanks for the reply.
This happens when going straight through the turnout or when taking the diverging route.
I don't know the size of the turnouts, how do I measure that?
Taking the pilot of sounds easy enough, next chance I get I will give that a try!
I had a problem like this with Peco turnouts. The frog itself on these is plastic, but the approaching rails almost touch at the frog. So, engines with wide wheels would sometimes bridge the gap between the metal rails and cause a short.
Believe it or not, the solution was to put a dab of nail polish on the frog gap, insulating the the rails by effectively making the plastic section a bit larger.
I'd recommend either black or clear polish, to make the fiix less noticeable.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I forgot to mention that I've tried this already with little to no improvement, but perhapds I didn't do a good enough job? I could always try again.
Doggone it, Mr. B. beat me to it.
Since the other locos have no problem traversing the turnouts, its gotta be the Challengers. The wider driver wheels touch converging rails of opposite polarity on the turnout causing a short. Clear nail polish is your friend.
Rich
Alton Junction
Check your wheel gauging. DCC systems react to the slightest indication of a short circuit, and out of gauge wheels are one cause.
Basically, almost all turnouts are compatible with DCC. Some may require a few tweaks to eliminate issues.
DCC Friendly Turnouts
If the wheels are out of gauge can that be corrected?
IbanezGuiness If the wheels are out of gauge can that be corrected?
It can be done. It may be a simple thing, but with a steam locomotive's mechanism, it is best to get help from someone who knows what to do and has the tools. It is too easy to make a mistake and introduce a new problem, especially with respect to the quartering.
Also check the turnouts with the gauge to ensure everything there is correct.
IbanezGuinessIf the wheels are out of gauge can that be corrected?
Probably better for you to check the gauge first rather than get your drawers in a bunch unnecessarily.
I tried running it without the front pilot and that made no difference. I've ordered a track gauge and I'll do some checking once I get it.
I've heard the MRC decoders in these aren't that good. Is it possible the decoder is causing this problem?
I'm still thinking that it is the driver wheels touching converging rails of opposite polarity.
Track gauge arrived and I had a few mintues to check each locomotive, all of the wheels fit within the gauge, a few were tight but this was because they were just a bit on the narrow side, not too wide. However I had no problems getting the flange of each wheel pair into the gauge.
One thing however that I didn't think about earlier is that the rear drivers are missing the traction tires, they were dried out and falling apart so I just removed them. The gap left without the traction tires is wide enough that a rail will fit inside it. I wonder if that could be the cause of my problems??? I'd like to replace these but it does not look trivial and I don't have the easiest time working on small stuff like this.
I haven't had time yet to check the gauge of all of the turnouts yet.
IbanezGuiness Track gauge arrived and I had a few mintues to check each locomotive, all of the wheels fit within the gauge, a few were tight but this was because they were just a bit on the narrow side, not too wide. However I had no problems getting the flange of each wheel pair into the gauge. One thing however that I didn't think about earlier is that the rear drivers are missing the traction tires, they were dried out and falling apart so I just removed them. The gap left without the traction tires is wide enough that a rail will fit inside it. I wonder if that could be the cause of my problems??? I'd like to replace these but it does not look trivial and I don't have the easiest time working on small stuff like this. I haven't had time yet to check the gauge of all of the turnouts yet.