RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion

Run Away Consist

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SCL1923:
Hi all,

I am looking for some advice from ones who have had a run away problem and then hard braking in a consist.
I run mostly 7 to 12 passenger car services with 4 loco's, Athearn Genesis F7's ABBA hard wired with Keep Alive all in great working order with a prototypical speed of 50-60MPH. I have a helix of just under 2% grade.
I am having difficulty with an understandable small increase in speed on the downgrade and then hard braking, back to normal, then hard braking again until it gets out of the helix. I've gone back & forth with using the Top Speed at 100% then at about 60% with not much difference. I double checked & all the software/hardware is up to date.
Even without coaches behind, I am still having the same problem, although perhaps slightly less braking. All wires inside loco's are well soldered and track and wheels are clean. I've basically ignored this for a year, but honestly it's getting the best of me.
Also a shout out to everyone going to the Rocky Mountain Train Show in Denver this weekend!

Chris

ON28:
Perhaps hard-wiring four motors together magnifies the effects of uneven track/roadbed and voltage variations?

I have the same issue, the draft (stretching) and buff (compressive forces) on my trains in my compact 28-inch radius, 3-1/2 turn octagonal helix. Remember, the compensated grade is steeper than designed due to the effects of curvature, my infrastructure isn't perfectly even, and the 1:1 railroads deal with the same competing forces within a train. I speed-matched my locos which are all KA-equipped, but even with load sharing some diesels (Atlas, Intermountain, Bowser) just MU better than others (early P2K). As with the prototype, train handling matters, so operators can't just leave their train to descend the helix and must pay attention to changes in current and voltage and max downgrade speed. As it should be.

I can't speak to long passenger trains, but you may want to see if you can shim any low spots/lower high spots in the track.

 

SCL1923:
Thanks for the reply, but I feel the need to clear up a misconception. The motors are hardwired separately with there own LM3-S module in each locomotive. Each loco is separate from each other. Thankfully there aren't any low and high spots in the 36" radius curvature in the helix so I can rule that out. I'm starting to think that even though RailPro advertises communication between linked locomotives that helps with push pull, downgrades of 2% is just too much. Which is unfortunate because load sharing is the main reason I went with Railpro, & I really don't think a 2%- downgrade is too much especially for 4 linked locomotives controlling the same speed. None of my DCC consists have this problem on the same downgrade. It's almost like the communication of speed parameters between the loco's needs to be tightened up. I really hope there is a solution out there.
Just returned from The Rocky Mountain Train Show...busy...busy. Love it!

faithie999:
Send Tim Ring an email describing the situation and see what he has to say.

William Brillinger:
I find it best to pick up the phone for support from Ring.

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