Lionel Docksider Reverse quit after less than 2 weeks use Any Ideas ?

[Anonymous]

My reverse suddenly stopped on my Lionel Docksider. It's only about 2 weeks old. If I turn the reverse switch off it will run backwords only. If I turn it on, the reverse light lights but it goes nowhere. Tried with two tracks two different CW-80's. Heres the weird thing if I put in on a track with my K-line Plymouth Diesle the reverse works. Take the plymouth off the track, the docksider sits there. I take it that it has an electronic E-unit and it fried somehow ? Any other thoughts ? Thanks, Dave

[otftch]

Go somewhere else on the same section of track and put a lighted caboose on the track.Make sure you have contact on the caboose so the light is on.Now check the engine for forward and reverse.If it works remove the caboose and try again.If it stops working put the caboose back on.if it works now you need to install a light bulb (socket or acc. ) in the circuit.I can't tell you why but some Lionels will need this bulb and some don't.It has something to do with resistance caused by the bulb.I've run into the same problem with K-Line and MTH engines.I finally put a light on all of my tracks and have no more problems.Magic , I guess.
Ed

[Anonymous]

I don't have a lighted caboose. What size bulb should I use ? Thanks.. Dave

[otftch]

Just wire any "o" guage acesory to the section. 12 V to 18 V should work.An old pigtail works just fine.I'm not sure about a grain of wheat. Passenger car ?
Ed

[Anonymous]

Dave, if what he is saying works, you can always use a lighted lock-on to make sure a light is on each track. Just make sure each "loop" of track has a siding or something somewhere that has a lighted lock-on. I do use those on my layout, so maybe that's why my docksider works OK. Mayeb, but then again, maybe not.

I know the problem sounds electrical instead of mechanical, since it works fine with the Plymouth switcher on the track, but what you describe sounds a lot like the problems people were having with the Lionel Docksider last year. Interestingly, I did not see anyone posting this problem when the second generation of these came out (NYC, Bethlehem Steel, Santa Central). Maybe Lionel fixed it.

There was a problem with some of the Reading Docksiders. I read about thsi right after they were real hot and popular, probably around December 04 or January-February 05. If you scan the search features of the MTJ, CTT, and OGR forums, you can probably find people discussing this issue. As I recall, there's a little plastic gear or some sort of plastic mechanism that makes the smoke puff as the engine rolls along, I guess they call that synchronized puffing or something like that. I think it's a little pin that pushes into a tiny hole on the smoke unit as the wheels go around. Anyway, that gear, or part, or pin can get jammed up or broken or something like that. Bottom line was that it needed to be repaired by a professional at a Lionel service center. Nicholas Smith in Broomall (right off I-476) www.nstrains.com is a Lionel authorized service center. Ted at Cool Trains amy have someone who can do service on this too, I'm not sure.