So, I went to the store where I do business and looked for another locomotive. I found a really nice Legacy Lionel Dash9 in the ATSF red and silver scheme. Just a basic overall go to type locomotive that happens to look really nice. Though some details are missing. I'll explain later about that. So, I purchased her and when I got home, I took her out, inspected it once again and placed her on the track. Now, I have MTH track and one small hand controller that was originally used for the F59 Surf Liner Amtrak set I also have. Basically all I did was expand the whole affair with more track. Now I realize that this is a Lionel Locomotive. It will be placed on an MTH set and asked to run in normal mode.
I am trying to keep this simple. So, I applied power and viola, nothing but a head light and flashing cabin light. Normally what is supposed to happen is the locomotive waits a second or so and then the starting sequence occurs. Well, this did not happen. So, I opened her up and made sure once again that the switches were in place correctly. They were. I reapplied power and again, nothing but a head light and flashing cabin light. Now, on these Legacy Locomotives, it is my general understanding that they must be programmed to the system. Such as the Lionel 990 Legacy system. Which I do not have. Yet, my Chessie CSX AC6000 by Lionel does work with the existing system. Of course my other two MTH loco's work as well, but the ATSF Dash9 was uncooperative. A further check revealed that she was humming just ever so slightly. This, in my mind meant she has a short. I took her back and placed her on the test track at the store and confirmed this with the owner. Needless to say I was disappointed, but the MTH SD70Ace Premier is what I got instead and at the same cost.
I believe the Lionel loco had a short or it needed to first be programmed because maybe it thinks it is running in Legacy and not conventional mode. I am probably wrong here but if anyone has any idea about this, please let me know because I am curious. As it stands, the owner must send the loco back to Lionel for a credit, but it will not be replaced as this was manufactured in 2013.
As for those aforementioned details. Lionel cut a few short cuts on these loco's. I don't work for Lionel and will not pretend to understand their mind set as far as how they ought to appear, but it seems to me that the window shades missing off this particular locomotive looked weird. Even out of place. Also, there were some minor details in the front of the engine that appear, shall we say, bare. The loco is actually very utilitarian in looks, but plain in my opinion. For $499.00 dollars.....I want window shades......LOL
Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts, please do not hesitate to let us know what they are regarding the posted issue and as always, thank you.
Pete
