Proto-Sound 3.0 vs True Blast

Norton posted:

I will defer to the DCS experts but if this has PS2 and you are running conventional it will draw much more current if cruise is turned on. I believe there is way to turn cruise off for conventional running but can't help with how. Maybe in your owners manual?

Pete

PS3

Ponz

Pete is 100% correct, cruise has to have "reserve voltage" to accomplish it's goal.  That being the case, a cruise equipped locomotive running in conventional mode will take three-four volts more to achieve the same speed on level track than a plain conventional locomotive.  This is normal and in no way suggests it's "struggling".  When that locomotive encounters a grade, it will use that reserve to maintain it's speed, the plain conventional locomotive will then require an increase in throttle to maintain the same speed on the grade.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Pete is 100% correct, cruise has to have "reserve voltage" to accomplish it's goal.  That being the case, a cruise equipped locomotive running in conventional mode will take three-four volts more to achieve the same speed on level track than a plain conventional locomotive.  This is normal and in no way suggests it's "struggling".  When that locomotive encounters a grade, it will use that reserve to maintain it's speed, the plain conventional locomotive will then require an increase in throttle to maintain the same speed on the grade.

It's hard for me to determine if cruise was on or not.  Sending signals (brief touches of bell button and whistle slider on ZW) is tedious at best

Should be pretty easy, does it lose speed up grades and on curves like the Williams?  If not, it probably has cruise on.