Barry Broskowitz posted:Peter,
Atlas track throughout.
Do you have both outside rails connected together? If not, try jumpering them together in one of the offending blocks.
Also, meter connectivity between each rail and the adjacent rails within each offending block.
Your problem is almost certainly a loss of contact between the engine's pickup rollers or wheels, and the track, or a loss of connectivity between a power wire and the track..
Barry,
Thanks again. All three rails are wired (jumper between commons) in most track blocks and I've run 2 multimeters over each and every piece of track (measured twice - using center and each outside rail) with zero power drops. Also ran 2 Premier locos over the entire layout at 2-3 smph to check for voltage as well as DCS signal strength. Voltage is per multimeters (18+ v) and signal is 10 throughout. But I'm thinking you're right about power drop. Can you elaborate on "spacing of pickup rollers/geometry of wheels" comment? Any other suggestions? By the way, I know we're trouble-shooting, but keep in mind that my RK Scale and Premier diesels and every Lionel locomotive I own does not experience this issue. That's what has me thinking it might be a power/tether issue?
Susan - thanks, but there is zero metal interference - other than the rails themselves and the Atlas screws that hold it down (the TIU is vertical and sits equidistant in the layout). Purposely designed it this way given some such issues discussed wrt Legacy and Lionel locomotives (since we also own several of these).
Peter
