Static in my trainsounds tender

[Steamer Man]

I have a Polar Express Trainsounds tender with a lot of static.  Thr locomotive has been upgraded to TMCC with an ERR mini-commander II.  I programmed the loco with my Legacy System.  I was using a CW-80 transformer.  When I went to conventional mode the loco would not go into reverse.  I attemped many times, then the tedder started squealing.  After i disconnecterd everything the tender finally stopped squealing but had a lot of static.  I replaced the trainsounds board with a new one from Lionel, still have static.  Now with the CW-80 the wistle blows when power applied or reverse button is pressed.  It's OK with 1044 transformer, but still a lot of static.  I am becoming less and less enamored with Lionel products at the prices they are charging now.

[Stourbridge Lion]

Steamer Man - Welcome to trains.com!

[Seayakbill]

have you tied another transformer besides the CW-80. Seems like a problems with Lionel's CW-80 transformers.

[Steamer Man]

I Have used a restored Lionel 1044 and a new ZW also.  Still havea lot of static.  I will try to call Lionel Tech service today.

[jwse30]

Was the TMCC stuff in the tender too? Does it still squeal when you place the tender on the track without the engine? You may have to place a lighted car on the track to help with the whistle; I seem to remember having a problem with that once. Does the whistle work when you pull the whistle lever on the 1044? Are you sure there's no pinched wires or a bad speaker? When you say squealing, is it the brake squealing sound that it's playing when it's not supposed to, or is it just a noise?

if there's lots of static still, does it still chuff when the car rolls? I have an old Railsounds tender that will play static through the speaker if the sensor is in just the right position when the car stops. If you're getting static noise and the thing doesn't chuff anymore, I would look at the sensor on the (front?) truck and the wiring going to the board.

Hopefully the fix for this is going to be simple enough that you think "well, why didn't I think of that?"

 

J White

 

[Steamer Man]

Thanks for your reply.  The chuff is still there along with the bell and whistle. The squeal was just a LOUD NOISE but not the brake squeal.  I talked to a Lionel tech and he said that it  was the speaker or the pot.  I had another speaker and changed it. No luck still have static.  I have also replaced the board. The tmcc board is in the loco.  If I switch to Signal sounds then there is no static.  I am beginning to think that the problem may lie in the chuff switch circuit.  I will ry to talk to Lionel again next week.