Lionel F3 will not change direction

[Flintlock76]

Outstanding!  Well done!  

[mediaprof]

I figured it out! I located the instruction manual on the Lionel support page. The process was not intuitive. I had to use the "Look or product or part" search box, and enter the only the SKU#, complete with the hyphen. (The "Know just what you're looking for" search box seems to be inoperable.) After clicking through a couple of additional pages I got to the PDF instructions. On page 3, instruction #3 explains how to deactivate the Liontech Command Receiver Unit and operate the loco conventionally. Problem solved!

[Flintlock76]

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Thanks Flintlock76. At least I know I'm not suffering alone.

 

I'll tell you, I was getting to the point with the thing I was seriously thinking of "gutting" it of all the electronics and replacing them with a conventional-only Dallee Electronics drop-in board which I've done in the past on others but in the end I just didn't want to put any money into it.  When I got a good offer at a show after explaining what the problems were to the purchaser I took it.  

[mediaprof]

WJStix - If all else fails I'll try my "local" Lionel dealer. He's 30 miles away and an hour's drive.

[mediaprof]

Thanks Flintlock76. At least I know I'm not suffering alone.

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Michael 6268 - I swear there's no second switch, but maybe I'll try looking with a magnifying glass.  Thanks!

[wjstix]

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I'm running a small layout powered with a Lionel CW-80 - nothing complicated.

Maybe see if you can find someone - a friend, club, or a local hobby shop - where they could try running it on TMCC? Should work on both conventional and TMCC, but who knows.

[Flintlock76]

I had a Lionel NYC Pacific that did the same, late 1990's, early 2000's production, I'm not sure, I bought it used at a train show in 2012 and it didn't have an owners manual either.  It worked fine at first and then locked itself in forward only. It had the FWD/RUN, PROG/LOCK switch under the cab and a "SMK ON-OFF" switch but no reversing unit switch of any kind I could find, it was stuck in forward-only and I never could get it to unstick. "Trainsounds" were wonky as well and the smoke unit was "on-again, off-again,"  whatever if felt like doing.  I blew it away cheap at a train show when the exorcism ritual didn't work!  

I don't have any advice to give except to say it could be worse.  If you're going to be stuck in any direction at least you're stuck in "Forward."

[Michael6268]

There should be another switch underneath that locks out the reversing unit. If you find it try it in the other position.

[mediaprof]

I have a Lionel 6-18128 F3 that will only run in the forward direction. I'm running a small layout powered with a Lionel CW-80 - nothing complicated. There is a small slide switch on the bottom of the loco with two positions - FWD/RUN and PROG/LOCK. Switching between the two positions makes no difference. The loco came without instructions, and I can't locate a manual online. I feel like like I'm missing something really simple here, but I can't figure out what it is. If you can help, I'd be grateful for your reply. Thanks!