Realtrack Class 144 problems...

[JDW]

There might be a really obvious answer here, but I can't find it, so I'll ask the collective RMWeb brain.  I have two new Realtrack 144s, and yesterday, I tried to fit a decoder to the first.  Now, I tested the unit, and everything works fine.  It runs on DC, and on DC on a DCC layout, but as soon as I put in the first decoder, a standard Bachmann one, the running was awful - erratic and uncontrollable, and with no front or rear lights.  So, having bought a pair of decoders, I tried the other.  Same problem. 

 

Now before anyone asks, yes, I made sure they were the right way around - in fact I tried both of them both ways, just to be sure.  After that, I tried a decoder from another loco in the 144, and everything worked fine.  I put the two I'd already tried in the 144 into the loco to test them, and it ran fine, but again, no lights.  I even reassembled the model to check there wasn't a connection or something that I hadn't seen between chassis and body or something.  No luck.

 

So, today I took them back, and bought a TCS one instead.  I installed this one, and -yippee- it ran well.  But STILL no lights.  So, into the test loco, and same result.  Went away, had tea, and came back, halfway through writing this, and thought, "I'll just check it again".  And now it works perfectly.  But rather than delete all of what I just wrote, I'll ask a question anyway:  What decoder would anyone else recommend for this model?

 

Am I just unlucky?!  Or have I missed something?!

 

Incidentally, its a cracking model (hence accidentally buying a second one!), well done to Realtrack.  If only the cast chassis block were a little bit less tight to remove...

 

JD

[AMJ]

Without the DCC chip in do the lights work on DC?

 

If it's an 8 pin chip is the plug the right way round?  You can run an 8 pin chip the wrong way round the only thing that happens is front becomes back and lights don't work.

 

Are there any cables you might have disturbed between the lights and main board?

[96701]

I've had this happen to me, and I can only put it down to the plug not fitting in the socket correctly. After I'd applied what I considered to be too much pressure on to put the plug in, everything worked properly.

[JDW]

Everything is fine as far as the cables are concerned, it ran fine again on DC.  I didn't like to push the decoder in any harder, because a) it was already hard to get back out and b) the old chip from a loco worked fine with minimal pressure, but I'll check when I do the next one.

[richard brown]

Check that on the train to train connection that you don't have only 1 line connected.

 

Richard

[Barry O]

 

Try pm ing Charlie (charliepetty) as he is very helpful and knows all about the 143... 

 

[charliepetty]

Everything is fine as far as the cables are concerned, it ran fine again on DC.  I didn't like to push the decoder in any harder, because a) it was already hard to get back out and B) the old chip from a loco worked fine with minimal pressure, but I'll check when I do the next one.

Hi there, REALTRACK here!!  I sat down some time ago with decoders:

 

Hornby & Bachmann, Gaugemaster, DCC Concepts.  Mixed Results!

TCS, ESU, Zimo.  Far better.

Lenz Standard.  100% Result.  Everytime perfect.

 

And at only £20.00 ish including postage from ourselves via our website then no point in my mind using anything else.

 

The motors in the 144 are a special smaller type to be 'Not Seen' , using the larger Bachmann style would be fine but we had to hide it, we accept the design is not ideal with the circuit board being in a different car to the motor, but we have little room and could not use a 6Pin or 21Pin.

 

The 8Pin plug & socket has caused issues between the cars, this plug/socket is intentionally sloppy as a 4 wheeled long wheel based unit has enough problems to overcome without adding a tight/fixed 8Pin plug between the cars.  The lights issue is odd, normally the problem is that customers connect them incorrectly, IE the bottom 4 male pins put into the top 4 female holes, THEN the lights and other things go haywire!!!!!

 

ANY issues please contact us directly  customerservices@realtrackmodels.co.uk  or ring 01132 563415 Mon-Thurs 9am-1pm & 6pm-8pm.  Ask for Charlie

 

A Help section will be on the website in the new year.

 

 

HAVE A GOOD 31st EVENING!

[JDW]

Haha, yeah, I should have thought that Charlie is on here, I'd completely forgotten. 

 

It now has a TCS chip, and runs quite well, all lights work normally.  Ironically, I do prefer Lenz chips where possible - I use a Lenz DCC system - but wasn't near my usual shop, and having found Bachmann's to be fine in everything else I've used them is, thought I'd use them again, since they werepretty much all the shop had in stock...  They were £16, the TCS one £23, so it makes the Lenz one from your website look very good value indeed, I'll pop by and order one shortly for my second unit, and if its a big difference, I might even brave opening up the first one again and replacing it!

 

Thanks for your help guys, much appreciated, and a Happy New Year to you all from me too!

JD

[charliepetty]

Haha, yeah, I should have thought that Charlie is on here, I'd completely forgotten. 

 

It now has a TCS chip, and runs quite well, all lights work normally.  Ironically, I do prefer Lenz chips where possible - I use a Lenz DCC system - but wasn't near my usual shop, and having found Bachmann's to be fine in everything else I've used them is, thought I'd use them again, since they werepretty much all the shop had in stock...  They were £16, the TCS one £23, so it makes the Lenz one from your website look very good value indeed, I'll pop by and order one shortly for my second unit, and if its a big difference, I might even brave opening up the first one again and replacing it!

 

Thanks for your help guys, much appreciated, and a Happy New Year to you all from me too!

JD

Happy to help.  Charlie