As noted in the immediately preceding post where I was responding to GRJ, I got the coil couplers and the rest of the unit tested under command control with my Cab2 last night.
My section of test trace had two curves with a straight in between. I could get the engine to move on the curves but not on the center straight section. After much track and roller pick up cleaning to no avail, it turned out my yellow motor brush wire wasn't solidly soldered onto that lug. When the engine straightened it lost contact but as soon as the engine turned with the track made contact again. I also discovered the two motor brush wires were backward. Both issues were easily corrected.
I thought I'd been very clever with soldering the antenna wire to the end of the metal railing inside the shell's cab section. I cleaned the metal and tinned it on the first shot. The wire attached quickly and seemed strong. I'd not had to apply a lot of heat. But in rectifying the backward wiring and broken solder joint I accidentally tugged the antenna cable and broke the solder joint. Getting it back on wasn't as quick and after 2 tries I could tell the metal railing was getting too hot and melting the hole it went through on the cab body slightly. So I abandoned what I thought was a very clever idea rather than really damage the cab shell. I coiled the antenna on the floor of the locomotive between the engine and the AC Commander. It seemed to work fine that way. I may try taking it back to the metal railing but rather than solder it just wrap the wire around it, coat it with liquid electrical tape and then slide a small bit of heat shrink tubing on it and apply some quick heat. My LionMaster Challenger has the antenna wire connected to the metal hand rail from the factory and that sure did seem a very professional antenna solution.
I'm not sure if the Railsounds from ERR is Railsounds 5 or not. I put it in my Cab2 as Railsounds 5 until I learn it's not. Either way, diesel sounds great compared to no sounds at all out of this locomotive in it's first 65 years of life. It's a major improvement. Horn, bell and coupler sounds. Crew/tower talk as well! Plus the separately fireable couplers and directional lighting. I do think I'm going to replace the original bulbs with LEDs sooner rather than later. Particularly in the front there is very little ventilation now and all of the electronics are up there to boot.
