Engines on Yard Tracks

You should not have to low voltage.  When a yard is toggled on after the track is powered up the engine should start up in conventional.  You just need to address the engine and shut it down or switch to Command Mode.   G

Paul,

Seems it would make more sense to keep them powered off before you turn primary power on, then turn the yard track on for the engine(s) you want to run.

Like George said, the engine(s) will come up in conventional but you can then select the engine, press shutdown (button 3), then press startup (button 6) to put it in command.  At least I think that's the way it should work.

G - after initially receiving the watchdog signal the engine can be started and run with no problem - when I back it into the yard I shut the engine down and I "toggle off" so the chronometer doesn't run.  To start it up in dcs mode I have to "toggle on" again and drop volts to "0" to send another watchdog signal out to run it again.

I'm not sure what you mean "address the engine and shut it down or switch to Command Mode".  

Paul

George/Bob - your help is greatly appreciated - when I go out to the train room I'll give it a try.  

Paul

Works great!!  For some reason I thought that the engines had to be "toggled on" to receive that watchdog signal when primary power was turned on initially.  Didn't realize that after starting in conventional mode that engines once shut down will restart in command mode.

Once again - George & Bob - thanx!

I don't turn voltage up or down; no need to wear the mechanism.  I leave the toggle switches off.  When I want to use a loco, I throw the toggle on and press startup.

Paul,

I have several MTH engines on toggled sidings, some sidings have just a single engine and some have several engines.  As mentioned above, when you turn on power to the siding, the engine(s) come up in conventional.  I address the engine I want to run and press startup to put it in command mode and keep it active (you don't have to press shut down first).  If there are other engines on the track that I'm not going to be run, I address them one at a time and press shut down to put them in command mode but quiet.  I do this so if the toggle switch should be accidentally turned off then back on I don't have an engine suddenly going full speed on me.  It has never happened, but why take chances.

Ron - great advice - thanx for sharing your expertise!

Paul

Paul,

   Did you see what RJR just taught you, it works every time, and it is very simple.

Throw the toggle on then press start up, and the engine comes on line, operate in any mode you want from there.  Now that Lionel has invented these really neat Command Control FasTrack low voltage switches that are Cab2 controlled, the next thing Lionel needs to add to their FasTrack inventory is the Command Control low voltage Toggle Switch, to be used with Yards and Sidings.  Lionel could sell millions of these Command Control Toggle Switches, the very 1st year they produced them, I would buy 10 of them right now myself.

PCRR/Dave

Dave/RJR - it works fine - no need to shut down after toggling on!  Tried it out last night with all my engines - always good to eliminate steps.

Thanx again RJR -

Paul

BPC2 is what you are looking for.  They are controlled with Legacy LSC.  Older version is the TMCC BPC.  They are just remote controlled relays that toggle power on and off.  The older BPC has the additional feature of being able to select from two different power sources to power your spur.

http://www.lionel.com/Products...ineID=&CatalogId=

http://www.lionel.com/Products...ineID=&CatalogId=

You're welcome, Paul.  Glad to have been of help.