Anybody Seeing This Trend - Atlas N Scale Locomotives with Factory Installed NCE Decoders

Hello,

I decided to try the Atlas locomotives with Factory DCC. Thus far it has been a disaster.

I am seeing a full 2/3's of the units I have purchased, the decoders are DOA. I have removed the shells and reseated the decoders but they are still DOA.

I am just wondering if I am unlucky or if there are other seeing substantial failures with the Altas Factory installed decoders.

 

I had to send one back to Atlas for decoder replacement. I didn't get a chance to test before it was too late to return to the vendor, and when I did, the decoder wasn't DOA, but it didn't last more than 10 minutes before failing.

Atlas replaced it quickly and for free, but still, having to return something is a hassle.

 

I have 12 that I will need to send back I guess, but in truth, it is probably easier to pull them and install a different decoder

 

Judging by some of your previous posts, you do seem to have an atypically large share of bad luck with locos.

Have you tried installing the 'DOA' decoders from 2/3 of the locos that don't run into a loco from the 1/3 of the batch that does run in order to verify the decoder's functionality (or lack thereof) ?

 

Statistics will always catch up at the worst possible moment.

I for one, do not think about taking a working locomotive and taking it apart as a good idea. Perhaps I will move the DOA decoder into another locomotive awaiting a decoder and see if it works that way.

I was purchasing a lot of locomotives not just for me, but I was building a lot of layouts with friends for Make-A-Wish kids asking for a train set. We always tested the locomotive before sending them off to the youngsters....

It was the combination of my roster plus that of the Make-A-Wish that equals

 

Atlas locos and NCE decoders have never "played nice together". Usually, the issue is not either piece, but the junction between. I've noticed that Atlas is now putting a small copper "spacer" on all the light/DCC boards, which does tighten up the fit, but I'm not sure it's a 100% fix. I just sent 2 Non-DCC locos back because they wouldn't run and they also had the spacers

 

Do you consider it likely that the decoders NCE is supplying to Atlas have a defect rate of 2 out of 3?
Perhaps the Atlas factory is not observing proper ESD handling procedures or, as has been suggested, the issue is with the contacts between the decoder and the motor?

Removing the shells and swapping decoders between two locos seems relatively low risk.
Of course, new locos should run correctly right out of the box.
If you have option to return them to the vendor for replacement - or to Atlas for warranty repair - that might be the easiest option, given that there are dozen units you would need to troubleshoot.

 

I tried that moving the decoders to non-dcc locomotives and they are still no good