For two months, off and on, I’ve been trying to program an Atlas RS 3 with a NCE decoder with no success. I have two and the first one programmed fine but the second one would not. When put in the program mode I would get page mode messages and nothing I did would change it. I called the good folks at NCE, explained to them what was happening and they said sounds like a bad decoder, send it to us and we will replace it. Got the replacement decoder, installed it, and you guessed it, same issue. Posted the problem here and got several suggestions which I tried with no success. Got a Digitrax decoder and tried it, again no luck. Now I’ve been looking at this engine on the work bench for six weeks, it’s sister setting in the yard, and last night I was determined to figure this thing out. I got the multi-meter out, made connection with the wires on the front truck, got a reading of 15 volts for a split second, then readings all over the place, and then nothing. Attached to the rear trucks and got no volts. Aha, must be broken wires, but on both trucks? Disassembled the trucks, found no apparent issues but just in case sodered the wires to the copper wipers and put it all back together. Placed it on the track, attached the meter, and you guessed it again, no volts. After much scientific research took my finger and mashed the track and bingo, got 15 volts. Now I’m really excited. Resoderd the decoder in and go back to the programming track, apply pressure with the aforementioned finger and it programmed. You see, the weight in the RS 3 is in the shell and not on the frame and there just wasn’t enoght pressure being applied for a good contact. I never considered this as the first one I did programmed did so just fine. Like most of us I assumed there had to be a far more sinister problem. Maybe this will save someone a lot of time somewhere down the road. While I do feel a little foolish I will also share I got a lot of satisfaction in figuring this out. Now before I get beat up too badly, remember I posted it h
Very well done! Nice piece of sleuthing there! I would have quit by that point and sent it back to the manufacturer.
The folks at CSI have found out about this and are trying to hire me. Clay
Congratulations! Now, I have another one for you. I have a Life-Like RS11 that I put a decoder in. Previously using DC and now using DCC, it stutters and stalls. I take the wheels off and clean the axels and it runs again for a little while. Then repeates the problem. Wiring seems to be intact from both sides of both trucks. Wheels and track are clean. I’m not really looking for a solution, just sympathy. I hope I figure it out eventually.
Jim
Clay,
Just so I’m interpreting your “Aha!” moment correctly, is the “mashing the track” reference implying that there was a bad rail joiner or connection on your programming track? I guess it’s clearer to other folks than it is to me…
Tom
Tom & Jim, Tom to answer your question, track was a typo, should have been truck. I actually applied pressure to the top of the truck. It seems that with the weight being in the shell there simply wasn’t enough weight left in the frame for enough contact for the decoder to be read. By applying a little pressure with my finger to the trucks, the decoder programmed fine and when I put the shell back on it with the weight it runs like a champ. Jim, we run auto dealerships and intermitternt problems are the tuffest thinks we deal with in the shop. A couple of things come to mind, has the engine been sitting for a while? I have had some that after setting for several months are sporatic and found that running them wide open for several minutes has solved the problem. Can’t explain why. Have you tried using a meter to see if you are getting consistant voltage from the trucks ( learned that one the hard way,ha)? When people say DCC is less tolerant they aren’t kidding. Does it happen at different places on the railroad or at the same place? These are just thoughts and I guess there could be a problem with the decoder. I probably haven’t helped but good luck. These type of things can drive you nuts. Clay
The engine does not get run regularly, but I also think it does not improve with running. I will try instrumenting different parts of the wiring next time it gives me fits, but I have not been able to find any problem between the truck plates and the decoder. At first I thought I had too much oil or cat hair etc wrapped around the axels.
Jim
Jim,
The Proto 1K RS-11 suffer from the same contact issues as the Athearn RTR units; two areas are affected. The first are the contact rails of the trucks; If you notice, there are four square axle bushings touching two metal strips(rails) on either side of the trucks. I usually toe in the very ends ever so slightly so the bushing does not fall off the contact rails. Next make sure that not only the wheels are in gauge, but that there is equal axle gap on each side of the truck; in otherwords, you do not want to have your wheel sets offset from the center.
The next thing that is common with Athearn units that may apply in this case is the bolster contact. LL placed a grease on the bolster; this may cause poor contact between the frame and the bolster; I usually bypass the bolster contact by soldering a wire to the metal contact on that side of the truck and connect the other end of the wire to the frame. An alternative is to remove the bolster grease, clean the bolster make sure there are no rough surfaces either on the bolster surface or on the bottom of the frame where the bolster touches. One tiny drop of Atlas ConductaLube will work for lubricant if required.
Interesting this got brought to the top again. I take it this must be one of the newer Atlas RS-3’s, not the Kato ones? Because I just installed a TCS decoder in my Atlas/Kato RS-3 that I have disassembled for detailing and painting and it runs around just fine as a bare chassis. All pickup is via wires soldered to the trucks, no wipers between the truck and frame - this is the way they came. I guess the new pure Atlas units changed things a bit.
–Randy