What ever happened to the company that produced the Starr-Tec Hogger power supplies? I have two units that I cannot get to work using phone jacks for walk around control. I tried to hook them up per Mark Watsons article in the May 1999 MR but my locos go LOCO when the juice is applied. He used CMI Blue Hoggers but since they both use 4 wire telephone jacks I’m making an assumption (dangerous, I know) that they should work the same. I have a 10 x 20 foot N scale layout in desperate need of walk around control!
Try switching the wires around on the phone jack. I had the same problem. If I remember correctly, a pair of wires needed to to be flip flopped with each other to get it to work right. I’ve had mine working for several years now without a hitch. I don’t remember which wires needed it, but I 'll take a look tonight and See If I can remember.
if you plug the hogger into a double modular jack the wires going to the hand held unit will be reversed causing the problems that you have. radio shack sells a short cable that has a modular plug on one end and crimped on connectors for the back of the modular socket. follow the color code when hooking it up and you should be ok.