RailKing Challenger rk-1107 Dead Smoke Unit

[BigEunit]

Hello all,

This is my first post. I have been collecting Lionel trains since I was two, thirty now model trains have brought me many of hours of fun. My father and I have been postwar only collectors, die-hard to the Lionel name until we got a modern polar express berk and were completely unimpressed.

 So on a fluke we bought a rail king N&W "j" and we were blown away by the performance, we had to see more...... 

Now to the topic, we bought a Rail king challenger (rk-1107) our first articulated loco (if you don't count gg1's). We got it off Evil-bay as "untested" (ask me if I hate that word) took a chance and I think we did alright. Well it runs, cycles through just fine but no smoke! I pulled the shell off and inspected the unit only to find it is totally fried. I'm looking for a replacement smoke unit but I think it is pre-proto 1. I need a replacement part # if any one can help I would appreciate any helpful info.

On one other note it doesn't whistle, is there a battery, if its dead would that explain things. I run a tvs protected pure sine KW, do i need that sound activation button. I have ordered a replacement kw whistle rectifier but I have a feeling I need that button.

Kevin

[phillyreading]

Kevin,

The MTH(Mike's Train House) steam engines if it is Proto Sounds uses a battery in the tender, so open the tender up and look for either; a 9 volt battery, or a small battery pack of three batteries(2.7 volts). If it is a diesel engine the battery is under the shell of the diesel engine. These batteries are re-chargeable types that must be fully charged before being installed. PS-2 has a plug-in that you can wall charge the battery with, also MTH says you can track charge the PS-2 battery, however I don't like that idea because a power loss could send your engine flying down your track when you are not there. I live in south Florida and I don't take chances with the electric down here, as FPL can fry your electronics quickly. The older PS-1 must have the battery removed in order to charge it.

Not 100% sure, but I don't think that you need the battery charged up for the smoke unit to work.

FYI, MTH is working on PS-3.

Make sure that the place is knowledgeable about MTH repairs, if you take your engine for repairs.

Lee F.

[BigEunit]

/img]

So I went to MTH parts online and got this...

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/30-1107-0

There's no parts diagram.

Thank you for your response. Here is inside the tender.

I don't see a battery like you described, but I do see what looks like a really big watch battery wedged in between the board and the chassis. There's what looks like leakage on the sticker side.

[img

And the smoke unit.

Those little springs make contact to this;

[img[/img]

Most of the damage looks like it only on the board.

I looked at the bottom of the board this is what it reads;

Lot-22

3R S/U

96,5,2

Inside I found it burnt, but just around the diode. (or what ever that is)

 

This is hands down the best loco I have, it be nice if it smoked........May have to go aftermarket mod smoke.

[phillyreading]

I looked at the photos and I didn't see a battery, but did see a few diodes, they are black electronic parts with a silver ring around the top of them. If the circuit board on the tender is fried, there are a few ways to make your engine useable again. The first thing is to remove the circuit board and replace it with either another circuit board or a bridge rectifier, however with the rectifier only you will direction control. I think that either Electric RR or Williams by Bachmann sells circuit boards to control D.C. motors. MTH uses D.C. motors even though you aplly A.C voltage to them.

Lee F.

[BigEunit]

Thanks for your responses. MTH tec is all new to me but I'm learning as I go. The challenger runs just fine, the smoke unit is my big problem.

 There was that post about the polar express smoker mod, but if I can I'm going to try to get a replacement original board or just get the hole thing fixed/refurbished. but I have more calls to make.

If anyone has the part # of the whole smoke unit or the part # of the smoke unit board would be very appreciated.