Lionel Legacy PA forgetting ID

Surefire posted:

Having an issue with one of my new Legacy PA A units. No matter what I set its ID to, once the track is powered down it resets itself back to default ID #1. It also forgets being programmed into the "lashup" even if loaded in as id #1 so I have to rebuild the train each time in the remote. Other than this all features work. Any ideas? 

Funny you mention that.  I started having the same issue.  I have to put in "pgm" and set it very often.  I am not crazy about stopping them too far in the back of the layout.  Doesn't happen all of the time.  Probably 1/2 the time.  I was going to post this, but you beat me too it.

The B and trailing A are fine.

I thought it was me messing around with building a train a few times, but I just tested it this morning and my lead front A is doing the same thing. The programmed ID won't stay. The B and rear A seemed to be fine.

*Correction, it looks like my B unit is doing it now too.

Update: all 3 are forgetting their ID now. Both A units and the B unit. Frustrating to say the least at this point. 

BNSF-Matt posted:

Update: all 3 are forgetting their ID now. Both A units and the B unit. Frustrating to say the least at this point. 

The thing that makes this difficult is getting it to happen predictably.  Try explaining this and having Lionel duplicate the problem.  At least we have a month before we could ship anything back.  I'm sure as more people experience this, the wheel will get the grease.

I'm guessing it's bad EPROM chips, or whatever memory chip on the main board that holds the programmed ID. I can't see myself reprogramming each one and creating a train after every track power on. I will probably create one more video and then pack them up until I can get them fixed. I have plenty of other trains to run, shame because these are really nice too, but I'm sure Lionel will get it resolved.

BNSF-Matt posted:

I'm guessing it's bad EPROM chips, or whatever memory chip on the main board that holds the programmed ID. I can't see myself reprogramming each one and creating a train after every track power on. I will probably create one more video and then pack them up until I can get them fixed. I have plenty of other trains to run, shame because these are really nice too, but I'm sure Lionel will get it resolved.

Does yours do this every time?  Mine does it about every 3 or 4 times.  I originally thought bad pgm/run switch.  But you and a couple others with the same problem, tells me it is more inside the program or hardware.  I'm sure the problem will be a multiple pager when posted.  A lot of people bought these ALCOs.

@Bryant Dunivan 111417 The Lead A does it every power cycle. The B and Rear A are kind of random but 3 or 4 seems about right.

Mine is the trailing A, but it does it every power cycle 

Well add my set to the return pile too. My lead A unit will not accept a new ID number at all. Is this a board issue ? Or is this switch no good? 

I have a similar issue with an AC-9 steamer which won’t take a new ID at all. Thought it was likely to be a RUN/PGM switch issue but I haven’t tried replacing that yet. If however you can get a new ID to “take” but it won’t stay in memory that definitely suggests a board issue, which only Lionel can (and should) address.

Do they respond to engine #99?

They all reset to the default ID#1 for me. Which can technically work, but I can't run an ABA because the rear A needs to have a direction change.

BNSF-Matt posted:

They all reset to the default ID#1 for me. Which can technically work, but I can't run an ABA because the rear A needs to have a direction change.

Aren’t both A’s set to the same default from the factory? If so, could you run them as an engine because the trailing unit defaults to run backwards out of the box?

Also I noticed if I flip the Program run switch back-and-forth many times the problem has not occurred for me for about the last 10 inches start up cycles

I will try flipping the switch a few times like you and build another train and see what happens.

Bryant Dunivan 111417 posted:

Aren’t both A’s set to the same default from the factory? If so, could you run them as an engine because the trailing unit defaults to run backwards out of the box?

That's been my experience with Legacy A-A sets. If you change the engine ID of both to the same number, they still run that way. So they don't need to be lashed up (Ooops, said the dirty word) as you'd do under Legacy with unpaired powered engines. I always wondered how Lionel managed this but never inquired. 

Glad to see this post.  Almost sent mine back, too.  I have the same problem and thought it was something on my layout triggering the problem.  Let's hope Dave Olsen sees these post and chimes in.  

BNSF-Matt posted:

They all reset to the default ID#1 for me. Which can technically work, but I can't run an ABA because the rear A needs to have a direction change.

That won't work. Have some new guest units over with the default address of 1 and I won't change their ID since they're not mine. 

If flipping the switch helps it points to dirty contacts or just a poorly assembled switch. You could try hitting the switch with plastic safe contact cleaner.

Pete

PeterA posted:

Glad to see this post.  Almost sent mine back, too.  I have the same problem and thought it was something on my layout triggering the problem.  Let's hope Dave Olsen sees these post and chimes in.  

If you want Dave Olson to see it, mark it to get his attention. @Dave Olson