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Athearn Challengers causing DCC to short when going over turnouts

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  • Member since
    July 2017
  • 88 posts
Posted by IbanezGuiness on Saturday, May 25, 2024 12:10 PM

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!

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  • Member since
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  • From: Northeast OH
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Posted by tstage on Saturday, May 25, 2024 11:57 AM

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.

  • Member since
    July 2017
  • 88 posts
Athearn Challengers causing DCC to short when going over turnouts
Posted by IbanezGuiness on Saturday, May 25, 2024 10:36 AM

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!

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