@RichPRR posted:How can I go from all running well for 3 years (8/18 to 8/21) and then this problem occurs with no changes? I 'm thinking my haphazard wiring somehow caused this. But I do not know how or why.
Rich,
Although it seems like nothing had changed before this problem showed up, I assure you that something clearly has.
Good news. Your haphazard wiring probably has very little to do with this.
Because placing your hand over a locomotive makes it behave (run nicely) you definitely have a radio signal problem. This issue, which you've been calling a "Ground Fault", actually appears to be a transmitting antenna problem. Remember that the TMCC/Legacy radio signal propagates around the layout through antenna two segments. One is an outside rail of the track, or better yet both outside rails; the other is "earth ground".
Now on to troubleshooting. Your outside rails may not be connecting together at one or more locations around the layout. If they're connecting, but not tight connections, this would affect whether a locomotive can pull enough power out of the track to run, but won't appreciatively affect the radio signal. So this doesn't seem to be your problem.
On the other hand your earth ground connection may not be solid anymore. Has any work taken place on your house's electrical system recently? The work could even have been done outside your house. The grounded outlet into which you plugged the power strip might have become disconnected somewhere inside your house, or even outside. It could also be the power strip's earth ground pass-through which might have failed.
Otherwise, I agree with both Chuck and Marty above about next steps.
Mike
