ATLS Crossing Troubles: ATLS behaves differently for different trains

[JonMyrlennBailey]

There is a particular grade crossing on my layout that works normal when tested with just a single loco.

When the same crossing is tested with a longer Santa Fe Superchief passenger train with a pair of f7 units on either end of the train, the crossing acts goofy.

As soon as the train passes the gates go back up again. Good.

The bad. About 5-10 seconds later, the gates come down again for about 5-10 seconds then go back up again.

What's up with this?


I am using the 4-trigger, two way mode.

The train approaches the crossing then goes through a junction, diverging tracks following the crossing.

The final trigger the train runs over is beyond the switch points.

Still a single locomotive with no other train cars works normally.

Does having end helper engines on trains create special problems for ATLS?

Is ATLS sensitive to the makeup or size of a consist?

Should ATLS track triggers NOT have a switch in between them?

 

[stagecoach]

Junctions should not make any difference unless a train passes the first triggers and goes on the diverge with no triggers. All trains must pass 4 triggers each set to 4 trigger mode. Don't place a trigger to near the junction because if the junction changes it can see the train several times causing the ATLS to be out of sync.

 

[maruffijd]

Length of train should not matter, nor should the addition of locos anywhere in the consist. Is there another nearby crossing with triggers on the wrong channel? As far as a junctions are concerned, as long as a train runs the correct number of triggers, there should be normal operation of a crossing. I would recommend putting a trigger on each diverge of the junction so any train hits 4 trigs no matter which way it turns. I cannot think of a reason why a single loco works fine while the full train acts goofy. I'm thinking the issue is in the trigger settings or the slaves.