So I found something on my car that might shed light on this. Was driving and the electrical gauges went out all but the ammeter...did all sourts of checking and the steering column harness had partly came loose. I'm not usggesting that's your problem though. Later on I had a new set of Mopar keys made for my car and when I used them the car would start and run BUT it had the same effect of the gauges not working. I immediately went to the steering column harness but it was connected just fine. So, I turned off the car and used my old dull key set and guess what....everything worked. The new key would turn the ignition, free the column lock but somehow not switch the electrical part of the switch. So for all of that lead up I am suggesting you may be having ignition switch problems, not like me because of the key but because the switch might be on the fritz. That it works when the switch in in another position is what makes it sound familar to me.
Just a suggestion.