Older TMCC Sound Drop Issue

One question on the battery installation.  If you cut track power, does the sound go through the normal shutdown?  Just trying to determine if the battery circuit is actually working.

Yes John

Goes through a nice long uninterrupted shut down when power is removed.

I was just looking at a few Youtube vids of this engine in motion and they did not exhibit the symptoms I am having.

There is a definite interruption in sound, most noticeable at higher speeds.

All the sounds are clear and good ........just this fast "stop / start" of the articulated sounds.

Thanks

Dave

I'd be looking very closely at the tether connections.  Check and see if any of the locomotives pins have broken their solder joints.  For the tender, flex the connector wire near the connector and see if you can cause the cutout.  You can hold the whistle down while you wiggle the connector and see if you get any dropouts.

I've had some engines of this era do exactly the same thing. I was told that this is somewhat common. One diesel used to lose sound and hitting the horn restored it...or it would also come back on it's own. 

If you have a battery, it shouldn't drop out.  However, what he seems to be describing is a loss of the chuff only, that suggests to me that it's the serial data link to the RS boards.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'd be looking very closely at the tether connections.

Heads-up that the correct product number is 6-28052, and this loco has a wireless tether.

TRW

Thanks, I just looked up the specified product number. 

Same area of interest, just a different technique. 

Look at the alignment of the wireless tether hook, I've had a number of these that ride up and down and cause dropouts.  Also, I've had some that have a bad solder joint under the heatshrink on the tether for either the IR sender or the tender receiver.  If you tug on each of the wires under the heatshink, you can see if one is loose.

Thanks Guys

Yes TRW, I had the wrong product # .  The correct one is as mentioned 6-28052  ....sorry about that.

I fiddled with the wireless tether while trying the whistle and had no "break" in the whistle function.

I'll take a look as John suggested and tug a little on the wires leading into the send/receive area.

Dave

I checked all the wires joining the wireless tether and all appears to be okay.

Nothing loose.

While moving.....the whistle or bell stay on and do not drop out when in continuous use for short lap.

It's only the chuff sounds that do several  quick "stop/start" actions.

Chuck......did you have a similar model that did this as well?

Appreciate the help Guys

Dave

That would suggest me that you check the chuff switch and associated wiring.

No, but I did have a Mikado that dropped chuffs which was due to needing a micro switch adjustment.

That makes sense to me John............but I'll have to see if my friend wants to continue with this effort or just live with it.

Thanks

Dave

Like Chuck says, sometimes you can simply slightly bend the actuating arm of the chuff switch to fix stuff like this.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

If you have a battery, it shouldn't drop out.  However, what he seems to be describing is a loss of the chuff only, that suggests to me that it's the serial data link to the RS boards.

I had a battery in it, but still the dropouts and sounds came back by itself. It also had a flickering back up light while it went forward.

This is a know issue I thought with some early ones.  It can burp momentarily and lose chuff and come right back.  So I think your wasting your time chasing ghost.  G

Thanks for the info George

Dave

Another option is to pick up a newer sound card while they're still in stock at Lionel.

That crossed my mind as well John.

How much to put into 17 year old electronics stands as an issue versus living with it as it is.

And as George said ............could be chasing a ghost...............

Thanks

Dave

Oh. So that is the issue, something with the sound card, eh? 

I think I'd pop a newer card in to see if it corrects it.  Of course, I'd probably use one from a newer locomotive to make sure it fixes it before ordering a new board.

I know this is an older post, but my Berkshire 6-38050 new in the box from an estate sale has a sound problem.  It is TMCC and I am running it with my Legacy cab 2 unit. When I reverse speed/slow down with the speed knob the sound drops off to almost no sound and then will continue when I dial up the speed to where I started reducing it. Any ideas to what may be the cause?

Soo Line posted:

Gents

Lionel Class A #1218 Norfolk Western  -  6-28052

This is an older unit from the year 2000.

The articulated sounds drop out regularly for a split second.  It is only noticeable at faster speeds.   I'm not sure if this is normal to this engine or if something is wrong.

I've pulled and re-set the boards in the tender.  Wheels and tracks are clean.

A new battery was installed and a "Restore of TMCC Functions Re-set"  (using #74) was completed.

The issue continues.

Thank You for any advice one an offer.

Dave

 

Are you having an issue with the drawbar moving up and down? IIRC the bell whistle work entirely in the tender, the chuff is from the loco.

Drawbar seems to be no problem with movement.  I would think the sound would completely cut out if that was the case. Sound is just reduced like it would if you hit the sound reduction button. 

hshill posted:

I know this is an older post, but my Berkshire 6-38050 new in the box from an estate sale has a sound problem.  It is TMCC and I am running it with my Legacy cab 2 unit. When I reverse speed/slow down with the speed knob the sound drops off to almost no sound and then will continue when I dial up the speed to where I started reducing it. Any ideas to what may be the cause?

That is a designed feature called 'Dyna-chuff' and is working the way it should.  Chuffing is loud while the locomotive is accelerating and working hard but is quiet while the locomotive is slowing down or drifting.  Real locomotives sound like this, I think it is a great feature.

OOPS, really! I never noticed on any other TMCC or Legacy engine I own the sound change being that dramatic for me to think something is wrong!  Is it supposed to be that dramatic in difference and when you say quiet mine does that.

If it gets loud when you speed up and soft when you slow down, it's like Bob says, it's a feature.   From the Lionel description of the locomotive.

RailSounds sound system with CrewTalk communication, TowerCom announcements and DynaChuff synchronized chuffing