HO Locomotives not running properly

[wsbvander]

I have three Bachmann DCC locomotives running on Digitrax DCC. One runs perfectly. One other actually tries to run even though the power is off. When it does run, it hesitates or stops sporadically. The other has sound and also hesitates, stops completely, and occasionally will not run when power is applied even though the sound is on. I have cleaned the wheels and track. Any help?

[Len]

Which Digitrax system are you using? And have you set individual addresses in you locos, or are they all still set the the factory default of 3?

Len

[jonathan]

The most common reason for locomotives to stop responding correctly on Digitrax Systems:

The memory must be cleared from time to time.  Admittedly I don't understand a lot about DCC or Digitrax, but that is always the problem on our club layouts when locomotives get a mind of their own.  We have a couple of gurus who know how to clear the system. I am not one of them.

Regards,

Jonathan

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Believe what Jonathan is speaking of is called the slot table,this will need to be cleared if your not dispatching your locomotives after shutting off your system or removing them from the layout
There should be 100 or so slots but they will fill up with continued use of the layout,
One thing you don't say is which controller you have, if Its a Digitrax controller you
Can try this. place one of the offending engines on the layout and on your controller enter loco and then the number your using then push DIS".(Dispatch) then loco again this should clear the number from the slot table. Then push loco + the number and loco again and see if it solves the problem.
Also your problem could be with the decoder itself which in that case best bet would be to reset the decoder back to factory specs.referr to your loco instructions manual.

[Bucksco]

This might be a good question for Digitrax.....

[Len]

I'm still wondering if he's trying to run all three of those Bachmann locos at the same time set for the factory default address "3". That can cause weird problems too.

Len

[Billm10454]

I have the digitrax super chief xtra. It has two knobs for controlling the trains. If both the left and the right knobs have the same address that can cause the problem.

[jward]

I would advise that if one of the locomotives is trying to run when the throttle is off, then the analog conversion feature should be turned off. to do this, read the value of cv29 in your decoder, write it down, then reprogram the value by subtracting 4 from the number you wrote down.

sometimes, decoders with analog conversion enabled will go into dc mode. when this happens, they see the ever present dcc track voltage as a command for full speed ahead and take off running. since dc controls the locomotive by variable voltage, and dcc uses constant voltage, you have no control over this locomotive other than to shut down the command station.

another thing I have done with Bachmann locomotives is to reset the momentum settings v3 and cv4 to a value of 3. this allows the locomotive to "coast" similar to a flywheel effect, and eliminates the sometimes jerky response at lower speeds of a basic  dcc onboard locomotive without flywheel.

with all due respect to yardmaster, these problems you are having sound more like decoder issues than command station issues. you may not find an answer at digitrax.

[guslcp]

Another reason for this behavior is to have the engine number selected on two different throttles... (been there, done that...)
I "always" dispatch the engine number from a throttle when I finish running it.

Gus

[wsbvander]

Problem solved and thanks for all your help... I had the loco on two throttles!

[guslcp]

Good to hear that you're up & running again...

Gus