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Buzzing sound coming from Bachmann DCC locomotive

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  • Member since
    February 2013
  • 24 posts
Buzzing sound coming from Bachmann DCC locomotive
Posted by dslack490 on Monday, November 20, 2017 8:46 PM

Hello!

I have a Bachmann 2-8-0 in HO scale with a TCS WOWSound decoder in it. I had to make repairs to one of the trucks as theykept falling out. After I repaired it, the engine now makes this buzzing noise, and won't respond to my commands. It does the same thing on DC power. 

I checked to see if the decoder was inserted properly and it was. The electrical pickups were fine, and I didn't see any loose wires. 

I use the NCC PowerCab as my DCC controller and when I try to reset the engine, it says "Short Circuit Detected". Is the problem the decoder? Is it the motor? 

I apologize that this post is long. 

 

TL;DR: Bachmann 2-8-0 w/ TCSWOWSound makes buzzing noise on NCE DCC after making simple repairs, makes the same noise on DC, didn't see anything weird as far as wiring. Also nonresponsive to DCC commands.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: Stratford, Ontario, Canada
  • 72 posts
Posted by tjerrard on Thursday, November 23, 2017 8:12 PM

Sounds like your drive train is jammed somewhere along the line. If you had the engine apart the internal gearing maybe be jammed or your wheels are not meshing properly or your quartering of the wheels is improper.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 23, 2017 8:37 PM

dslack490
I have a Bachmann 2-8-0 in HO scale with a TCS WOWSound decoder in it. I had to make repairs to one of the trucks as theykept falling out.

The locomotive picks up power through the tender trucks and through the drivers.  It is likely that you have spun a tender truck 180 degrees creating a dead short (and hence a buzzing).  The other possibility is that you have a set of wheels in the tender installed backwards.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,706 posts
Posted by zstripe on Thursday, November 23, 2017 8:39 PM

Dslack490,

Welcome To The Forums.......

You mention trucks...so I'm assuming You mean the trucks on the tender.

If You had them off and then put them back on...You more than likely have one or both reversed/turned around, so they are picking power from the wrong rail and is shorting the system. One side of the wheels on the truck are insulated and You should be able to see and tell which one is and which one isn't.

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank 

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Thursday, November 23, 2017 11:19 PM

I would agree with zstripe.

I have had trucks off my Bachmann HO loco tender and one truck picks up from right rail and the other truck, the left rail. The pickup wires go to the decoder with the pickup wires from the loco. Reverse one truck and you will have a short.

If you took the wheels of the truck, check replacement carefully.

Edit.

I just checked the diagram for the tender and the front truck picks up from the right rail and the rear truck from the leff rail. The diagram at the Bachmann site is very clear.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H836-IS001.PDF

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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