I have installed sound decoders in 14 locomotives, of several brands, using both Soundtraxx and MRC decoders. So I think I know what I am doing. I just finished installing LL100LC 1st Gen diesel decoders, in two new, out of the box Proto 2000 E-8s. In neutral, I have all the proper sounds, and light functions. When I put them in forward, both engines stumble along, and stall at the exact same spot on the layout. The other dozen locomotives operate smoothly all around the layout. I cleaned the track. No improvement in the Proto 2000 E-8s. I am going to take them apart, and recheck the track pickups. I ran jumpers connecting the front and rear pickups, on each side. So I have power pickup from both trucks. I could understand one of them having a problem, but not both of them, at the same exact spot on the layout. Any suggestions?
You’ve cleaned the track but what about the wheels on the locos? I have a Proto 2000 SD50 that is sensitive to the track in certain areas where other locos don’t have any problems. I thought.
Like you I cleaned the track and it didn’t make a difference. I cleaned the wheels and even thought it was new they were just dirty enough to affect the operation. Once I cleaned the wheels it ran fine. Funny that it was the Proto 2000 also. I have an NCE decoder in it and use an NCE Power Pro R DCC system.
Give it a try, what do you have to loose?
Bill
I have a similar experience with a Soundtrax decoder in a Stewart FT. If the track and the loco wheels are not perfectly clean, the loco will stumble along. This will occur when several other locos will operate on the track without a hiccup.
Its very strange both are stalling at the same spot on the layout. That alone sort of tells you its a track issue and probably not the locomotives. Can you run a couple feeder wires to that very spot and see if they still stall there?
If you’re relying on a rail joiner to transfer power to the section where the locomotive is stalling, you possibly have a loose connection.
A Proto 2000 engine is heavy enough to cause a slightly loose rail joiner to move and lose contact.
Solder your rail joiners or solder jumper wires to the section of track where the loco stalls and see if this doesn’t cure the problem. If you already have power feeders soldered to the track at this location, you may need to resolder the wires, or a wire may have broken.
If you have a set of jumper wires with alligator clips on the ends, clip them across the rail joint where the locomotive stalls and see what happens before you heat up the soldering iron, though.
Thanks for all the good advice, guys. I’ll try all of the above. It’s got to be something. I’ll find it. I just thought it was strange, that these two locos have problems, and the others don’t. And I just assumed that because the locos are new, the wheels must be clean. The Proto 2000s may be more sensitive to track conditions, than other locos.