Sharks in multiple unit consists

[part throttle]

I have three b-mann sharks that run great alone. When in mulitple unit consists, they fight each other and do not run well at all.  I tried adding weight but that did not help.  The problem manifests itself in DC or DCC operation.  Does anyone have a similar problem?  Is it electrical pick-up?  It does seem better if you clean the track and wheels before running them as a group.  I do not have to do this for any other loco's that I have and run trains quite a bit.

Anyone else get past this problem short of modeling a dead-line or scrapping scene?

[jward]

try running them at the same time but not coupled together. is one slower or faster than the others? if so you may have to adjust the top speed cv 5 for this locomotive so it runs the same as the others. some decoders do not support cv5. if this is the case, replace the decoder with one that does.

[Doneldon]

p t-

One would expect identical locomotives to perform identically but they often don't, due to manufacturing variables, the weather or who knows
what. There's also the possibility that your locos were previously test run and someone fiddled with the CVs, making them run differently. I suggest
that you carefully test run your locos one at a time and time them. Then reset the CVs until yoou have compatible performance. This may take a
few trials to get thinngs right on spot. Good luck!

                                                                           -- D

[part throttle]

Thanks for the feedback.  I will have to mess around with the DCC.  We have an NCE system and stock B-mann decoders.  Not sure what to do but 1 thing for sure, the units were new in the box and I only changed the address.

Here is a question: I can imagine that I will have to "tune" the starting, midrange, and top speed/voltage CV's.  What do you think?

[jward]

that's where i'd start.

some bachmann decoders do not support cvs 5 & 6 which are your vmax & vmid. if this is the case with yours, you'll have to replace them.

[utdave]

 i do what Jward does  run them to see whos fast and slow at different speeds   i also change locos covers from a different road name to match  and hopefully get close  and they run fine afterwards  i get alot that run the same  but once in a while i get a fast one  and a slow one   i run them alone for a few hours and see if they change  some do some dont  and running a different direction can change the speed also.    so it could be that you reverse your consist locos around and play could be the answer.   DAve