growl in electric rr engine

I take it the board does not growl? But the board is causing the motor to growl and hesitate a bit? Can you adjust the stall speed like earlier TMCC locomotives?

if I turn off the cruise the engine runs quiet

It could be the motor type.  The back-EMF cruise doesn't work well with some motors.  If you rotate the motor by hand (obviously with power off), do you feel a significant "cogging" effect?  If so, that would explain why the cruise growls at low speed and isn't smooth.

Did you try this?

Motor Type Selection

The Cruise Commander requires you to set the motor type. Motors are classified as

small or large. Selecting the wrong motor size won’t hurt anything, but operation is best

when matched. The default motor type is “small motor” for the Cruise Commander Lite.

To switch Motor Type do the following:

Activate Small Motor: AUX1 + 0 + AUX1 + 1

Activate Large Motor: AUX1 + 0 + AUX1 + 2

Note: The motor type selection is stored until changed, and survives power cycling.

Motor "Cogging". Yes, this would make sense... This is when the stator magnets get stuck or lined up to the rotor magnets and don't like to move... this affect the torque / effort needed to initially move the motor.

Question is though - isn't there an adjustment slow setting stall that can over come this initial high torque? I know the instruction manual references Pull more motor stall setting, but I noticed you can adjust for all motors...

Too funny, I have a 3rdrail engine doing the same thing.   I was going to pull the shell and make sure everything turns smoothly.  Make sure there's no binding in the running gear, motor, etc, etc. I also have a slight jerk.   I'll try to post a video later.

J Daddy posted:

Question is though - isn't there an adjustment slow setting stall that can over come this initial high torque? I know the instruction manual references Pull more motor stall setting, but I noticed you can adjust for all motors...

Stall does not work for cruise control.  Since the locomotive starts on the first speed step, you'd never have any reason to set the stall.  That's only effective for locomotives without cruise.

I found the problem.  The grease in the gearbox had dried up.  Put in Labelle 103 gear oil and noise is gone.  Scott said early gear boxes got some really xxxxxx grease that dried up fast.  The engine I had problem with is the CP Selkirk which has the electric rr speed control.  He said now they all (3rd rail) engines get a high grade lithium grease.   I would recommend a relube on earlier 3rd rail engines to avoid this.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

J Daddy posted:

Question is though - isn't there an adjustment slow setting stall that can over come this initial high torque? I know the instruction manual references Pull more motor stall setting, but I noticed you can adjust for all motors...

Stall does not work for cruise control.  Since the locomotive starts on the first speed step, you'd never have any reason to set the stall.  That's only effective for locomotives without cruise.

Ah bummer, but it was a great urban myth while it lasted.

Well the fun was good while it lasted as the engine came to a drivers locked up today and running is out of the question.  guess it will become another one of my shelf queens.  all my 3rd rail engines no longer run and are good to look at on the shelf.  my Williams, weaver, lionel and mth still run fine and are my runners.  10 engines or about 10,000 worth of engines sitting on the shelf.

Don't give up. Spend a few more dollars and replace all the electronics with ERR boards. Do it over time and it doesn't seem to hurt the wallet as much.

Rod Miller

Ron, if the mechanics have locked up, I don't think the ERR boards will fix it.

You are correct. My misread.

Rod Miller

ok,I did one last try, set the large motor setting (motor is a pittman)  and tried to run engine upside down and it ran freely;  As soon as I put my finger on the drivers and applied slight pressure like a train load it slowed way down, growled and then quit.  any ideas.

also the control system is electric railroad.  ken does not have any idea what is wrong

Sounds like a mechanical binding issue?

Check the motor current draw.

This phenonem of running freely upside down, and then grinding or jamming when right side up is not uncommon. The drive axle including the worm wheel gear attached to the axle gets pushed upward under load. If the axle bearings are slightly worn, or the motor mount isn't shimmed correctly, the worm wheel will be forced onto the armature's worm shaft and bind.