Early TMCC loco trouble

Check your wiring from the transformer to the track and TMCC unit.  If the wiring is loose somewhere this could be one of the symptoms. 

 

Also, make sure all of the TMCC switches are set to run and not program.

 

Hope this helps a little,

 

Fred

When it stops does it loose sound and lights as in a power loss or just stop but everything else is still running?

Pickup wires can break, motor lead loose or broken at board connector.  G

Check the blue, yellow and green wires at the motor connection. Also worn brushes or springs.

 

Bill

It could also be a mechanical problem. Check the gears on the motor truck for something jamming them. A piece of ballast or a loose part or screw, maybe. A lot of those old Pullmor TMCC engines had Magnetraction. Years ago I was running one on a club layout and it stopped dead. The Magnetraction had picked up a steel screw and stuck it in the gear train. 

Thanks guys

The power stays on but just no movement

Couplers fire, horn and bell all work

Switch set to run

Will check the brush springs and any bad wires

Ok here's an update.

Set up a loop of fastrack w a cw-80 and the legacy remote just to create a neutral environment. Ran a handful of legacy and tmcc locos just to ensure that it was not the track or command base.

Loco will move forward a few ft then stall, then if i nudge it, it will usually start moving again at same speed as earlier.
If i set speed fast enough it seems to coast through the stalls and makes complete laps. After a few laps it seems to loose the stuttering even as i slow it down a bit.

Oppsiite direction is similar but never seems to fully stop stuttering, even at high speed.

Then, if i turn off power for a while, it seems to go back to the heavy stopping and stuttering.

I had cleaned the communicator face.
Does it sound like brush springs??

I can open it up tonight.
Thanks

Before you take the shell off, clean the wheels and pickup rollers. 

Will do

I have a TMCC diesel locomotive that ran, then stopped, no lights and no sound.

Reset, it would run, then sped up by itself, fortunately I caught the flying locomotive in time!!!!

A call to Lionel, when they were still in Michigan, they sent me a shipping label, they replaced something of a radio transmitter and Wa-La, no more problems.

Even, 'BRANDEE NEW, right out of the box, the item might have a problem, or some more.

A shame, after paying all of that high cost!

Ralph 

 

here's an idea out of the blue as I have one of the Lionel's first generations tmcc GP-9 but NYC mine was made in 95 any how my would run fine for a few then it would take itself out of command and having about 18 volts of power to a conventional engine ( glad I was running carpet rail central ) any way it might be your R4LC Receiver that was my problem. 

another question are the other engine can motor reason ask is if your cab one the batteries are low it will run can type motors befor they will start a pul-mor motor( I found that out the other day as mine would no run but had all the other working would switch direction lights operate coil couplers horn now I could get it running by pushing boost so that told me it's not the engines  

An update:
I checked the brush springs and cleaned the wheels and rollers.
On the fastrack loop w legacy, it ran well. Seemed as smooth as a pulmor is going to get.

On the conv layout w the zw-c it was still quite stuttery and seemed very sensitive to trackage while all of our other logos run great on the same line.

Does this version have the modular boards R2LC or is this the older LCRU version?

 

If modular you can reseat the R2LC.  Otherwise these have been very sturdy and good running engines for a pulmore.  I have a stable full and they run fine.

 

It is weird that it runs on the CW-80 loop well, but not the ZW-C.  Is track voltage all the way up and what control system used Full Legacy on both tracks?

 

How does it run conventionally?  G

If it has RS 2.5, my guess is that it's the LCRU version.

Thanks for staying with me guys.

I've had the loco since 1999 and it's been bulletproof. We have the UP ore set and it's GP has been great as well. 

 

I know it's RS 2.5 but I don't know the answer for GGG's question. I can take the shell off and snap a pic tonight if needed.

 

The two scenarios that I set up were:

 

Floor loop of Fastrack - CW-80 - Legacy system for control  -  It seemed to now run acceptably in legacy command mode.

 

The other was our Holiday layout - Tubular track and 022 switches - ZW-C (4 135w bricks) conventional control (no legacy in this scenario) - This is where I'm still getting frequent stalls.

Did another test tonight using fastback and a postwar zw. In conventional mode the GP ran fine with no issue so I'll attribute any further stuttering on our holiday layout as an issue with the layout or track. 

It is a two level layout and I wonder if the overlapping track was causing a ground plane issue?

Nonetheless, thanks for all of the input and advice.

 

Signal issues could explain the problems.

 

It'll be an LCRU.  I recently transplanted one from an early TMCC GP7 into a MPC Budd RDC.  I agree strongly with John...as soon as erratic behavior is encountered, suspect signal/antenna issues.  Remove the shell and check that the antenna is secured to the shell and that the antenna lead isn't pinched bare.  Any contact with metal here will make the engine act crazy. 

 

Bruce

Thanks Bruce.
Will do.