I have some questions about running an Athearn Big Boy with an MRC Black box. Should the rear directional light work when the sound is off? Mine works with sound on only. Function #6 "conductor" and "rail clack". When the locomotive is in motion, F6 is supposed to sound rail clack. With the Black Box mine sounds the conductor in both idle and motion. Are others seeing this? I have emailed Athearn service and since they do not support the Black Box they suggested contacting MRC which I have also done. I decided to give this forum a shot because because I've learned an lot by monitoring these threads. By the way, my original wireless remote had a range of 2-4 inches. The replacement I received from Athearn service (9 day round trip!) has a range of a foot at best. Typical? Thanks, Mike
First about the Athearn wireless remote... YUCK! I have seven of these engines... 5 Challengers and 2 Big Boys. Most of these remotes will not work beyond 5 feet... and many are in the 2" to 24" range. I don't know why they are so unreliable... I thought perhaps the batteries were weak;so, I bought new A20 Evereadys and they didn't do any better. The MRC Black Box is very reliable. I must say though.. depending on the size of your layout... you need to have electrical drops about every 3' to 4' MAX. The signal travels through the rails much like DCC... but it's really not DCC. If the signal is weak... you'll lose some functions and you'll notice the train decelerates when using functions like the whistle while in motion. The conductors 'All Aboard' sound is normally ONLY when the engine is idling. I don't believe it is correct for the 'All Aboard' sound to work while the loco is in motion... at least it doesn't happen with mine. MRC is the correct place to check regarding the functions. AFAIK... The Athearn engines use MRC Brilliance Dual Mode Sound decoders... so as far as the decoder and the Black Box... MRC should be the place to get the 'right' answers. BTW: My MRC Black Box recently 'croaked'. I think that the power supply I used at the BP&S Model RR Club (an MRC 9500) may have put out too much current and somehow "ZAPPED" my Black Box. WELCOME TO TRAINBOARD too!
FYI, I received a prompt response from MRC. The issues I have noted with the two functions are not normal. Wireless control range of a foot is not uncommon. Mike
I have a question concerning both the Athearn Challenger and Big Boy. This is addressed to anyone who owns either/both of these locos and has opened them up. How easy and what would be required to gut the dual mode DC/DCC and sound from these and wire them for direct from rail DC operation?
