Intermountain ES44 DC mode slow?

[AC4400]

I just bought a new Intermountain ES44AC in DC/DCC ready mode. I'm using Railpower 1300 as the power pack. My other locomotives run at 35mph, but ES44AC starts running at almost 75mph, though the lights go on at 30mph. I don't know if anyone else has the same problem.

[D&J RailRoad]

Are all the locomotives DCC or DC?

[AC4400]

Originally Posted by D&J RailRoad

Are all the locomotives DCC or DC?

All my locomotives are DC.

[Motley]

Yes this is a known issue with the Intermountain ES44s, they just don't run that good in DC mode.

Sorry, you'll have to live with it, or go to DCC.

[bnsf971]

Originally Posted by AC4400

I just bought a new Intermountain ES44AC in DC/DCC ready mode. I'm using Railpower 1300 as the power pack. My other locomotives run at 35mph, but ES44AC starts running at almost 75mph, though the lights go on at 30mph. I don't know if anyone else has the same problem.

That doesn't make any sense. You say the lights don't go on until the engine is running at 30 mph, but it doesn't start moving until it suddenly accelerates to 75 mph.
If you are talking about the little numbers around the knob on the power pack, they have no basis in reality.
Now, if you are talking about not mving until the throttle is turned way up, Intermountain deliberately did that so the non sound engines will run at the same speed at the same throttle setting as the sound equipped engines on straight DC.

[AC4400]

Thanks everybody's answer. Now I'm considering switch to DCC....

[Motley]

Originally Posted by AC4400

Thanks everybody's answer. Now I'm considering switch to DCC....

It really cheap too. And unless you have a huge sophisticated layout, then it's easy to wire up also.

I think the NCE systems are the most user friendly. I have the NCE Power House Pro wireless, and love it.

But you can get the NCE Power cab for less than what you just paid for that locomotive. Around $150 at LHS or cheaper on ebay.

http://www.ncedcc.com/component/virt...&category_id=1

[Hergy]

NCE Powercab is an excellent starter set. I have added a 2nd throttle to mine (grand kids throttle). It will program any loco you may have and read back CV's on most any decoder without needing a booster. I'm sure you'll be pleased. Very user friendly. The dual mode decoders are a compromise at best. DC performance seems always to suffer.