@Dave_C posted:John, glad to see your at least back to the success of a few days ago.
My layout features 4 mainline blocks. I used the outside rail to trigger 14v AC relays to provide signals. The contacts provided the proper voltage to the bulbs. Worked flawlessly for years till DCS arrived. I was an early user. DCS was just hooked to the mainline for a trial run. MTH engines were pretty much were non functional. After a few evenings working on one block. I finally disconnected the signal in one. Then hooked the feeder wires to the common ground seeing they are already there. They might as well terminate somewhere. Instant 10. I figured out the signal just wasn’t going to play well with that relay. Not knowing a workaround I just left the signals dormant. I added some Z Stuff products and they work as advertised but not as good as what I had.
I recently added crossbucks at a grade crossing. Went with. www.azatrax.com. I used the IR Products that project up between the ties. All works as advertised with some of the best instructions I’ve seen. At some point I plan to do my track signals over using their products.
First a thanks to all who have contributed their valuable information to this thread.( Porschev, Gerald Jackson, Richie C., bluelinec4, Vernon Barry, gunrunnerJohn, Dave C., the late Dale Manquen) THANKS!
Hi Dave C., Yes it is good to get back to square one where things were functioning. Not sure the MTH RS-3 is all back to snuff, (it started up with sounds from a shutdown when it received a throttle command to move, I was under the impression it would start moving without sounds) but I am hoping that it is either a fluke or my mis-information.
So yesterday was encouraging, at least both MTH engines worked and worked well through the entire sections of track that I have then on and powered. (again roughly > 70 feet of track with one feeder. Checked DCS signals all through that section of trck and again almost all 10's.
My thoughts on tying the two outer rails together are as follows:
1) In general it is good practice to connect the rails, as more surface area is available for electrical connection, reducing resistance.
2) This is actually a way to increase track to engine conductivity (or reducing track to engine resistance). It is different than increasing track conductivity between sections of track. Although it has that inherent side effect, there are other more efficient means to reduce resistance between track sections. (i.e. solder rails from one track to the next)
3) And because I am unaware of a better method of increasing track to engine continuity, it maybe my only solution for Lionel engines.
Which to me on the surface is counter intuitive. My lionel engines do not have rubber/plastic traction tires, old school magna-traction gave the increase in friction/traction. But my experiments proved otherwise, as the MTH engines can run on the outer rail being dead where the lionel cannot. Now the other piece of information to this puzzle is the Lionel engines may have magna-traction, they also have OLD PULLMOR motors drawing possibly more current, there by needing less resistance or increased continuity. So with this information I may solder my tracks together and see if that solves my dilemma or I will have to bow to the current gods and connect the two outside rails together.
A little more forward motion this morning - hooked up lionel cab-1 tmcc on one piece of test track and two engines with ERR upgrades ran perfectly! A 1962 Lionel Berkshire 736 and a 1963 (i believe) Illinois Central 2363 with ERR upgrades installed two years ago. The Illinois central was much easier than the Berkshire, the Berkshire needed some shell renovations. With that positive experience I connected the legacy Cab-2 to that same test track (after removing the TMCC) and same positive results. I liked the brake feature on the legacy, first time using it!
So next task is to start soldering some track together and redo these tests.
