These gen rangers always got some funky electrical issues going on. Any little electrical issue will shut down the transmission controller. I had this EXACT same issue and it was being caused by an oxygen sensor melting and shorting out on the exhaust manifold. I dont know how well versed you are in mechanics but ive owned two of these so heres what id do. First, check your grounds. You live in a rusty part of the country and corrosion will kill good grounds over time. Second, check your fuses for any burnt ones. Check the ranger station website for a fuse diagram and see if youre missing any while youre at it. Third, id give the truck a good look around. Make sure no wires are melting or cutting into anything. Yes, itll take a while to go through the entire harness but its worth knowing the condition of everything. Im pretty sure your problem is lectrical in nature but if you cant find anything or not experienced enough to figure it out, take it to a mechanic. Used transmissions for these trucks are a dime a dozen but like i said, im sure its electrical. Remember rangers are popular because theyre cheap, not because theyre good but we love em anyway