Since it started to hesitate and shudder, and the controller says poor signal, then, it seems to me, that you have a problem with dirty wheels and/or track. I would clean them both, and then try it again.
In HO with DCC, when the locomotives start acting like this, its always dirty wheels, dirty track, or both. Since the locomotives with all the newer electronics and stuff in them are relying on what is actually a very small area of contact through the wheels for communication between the command stations, and the onboard decoder, any dirt can cause the degradation or even total loss of that communication. Dirty track and wheels became more of a problem with this digital control, and it has become extremely important to have clean contact with the rails.
You can clean the track with a "Bright Boy", an abrasive type cleaner, various solvents spread on the rails by track cleaning cars, or even with cloths. Wheels can be cleaned using the same solvents, or by using an electronics cleaner like CRC, sprayed onto the wheels and removed by either cloths, paper towels or pipe cleaners. I would suggest that you do go to the OGR forums as was suggested earlier, and ask over there.
