Hi Yesterday i received from Wholesale Trains a Spectrum USRA 2-10-2 undecorated with Dcc and sound. Out of the box plugged tender in and plenty of sound but locomotive does not move in any direction. when the controller is advanced the chuffing sounds start but no motion. All functions are working whistle, bell ect. I unplugged it a few times and plugged it back in whilst trying to figure out what was wrong but nothing, plenty of sound but no movement. Today the symptom has changed. now when I switch the controller on i get a warning flashing OFF like when a short occurs. after looking round for a short i pressed the reset button and the rear light started flashing but no sound. whilst lifting the tender the sound suddenly started so i put it back on the rails,all sound functions were fine but still no movement. every time I switch power to the controller off it shows the same fault until the tender is tipped side to side then sound only. Any ideas what is going on? I don't want to have to delve inside to much as i don't want to void the warranty As this is an international on line purchase if I have to return it to Wholesale trains in the USA from the UK will I be expected to pay postage both ways? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks. Chris.
Chris, Check the tender trucks - one picks up from the left rail, one from the right rail. If one has spun around, or a wheelset is reversed, that will short out the loco.
It also picks up power from the drivers on both sides - so using a multi meter, you should be able to check continuity and match the correct tender pickups to the correct driver pickups.
Be sure the plugs are all the way in. The two wire plug is the driver pickups feeding back to the circuit board in the tender. The four wire plug is the motor and headlight feeds going from the tender to the loco.
The sound will respond with or without power actually going to the motor, so check the four wire plug as well.
Removing the tender shell to confirm the wiring connections will not void the warranty and no other disassembly should be needed to find the problem if it is just a loose or incorrect wire. There is very little, and very simple wiring in the loco itself - not likely to be the problem - problem is most likely in the tender, one way or another.
I don't know what their international policy is, but here in the states Bachmann pays shipping from them back to you, all you need do is get it back to Phily. Returning it directly to Bachmann would be a better warranty move than returning it to the seller.
Hope this helps.
Sheldon
Chris
Sorry to hear about the problem. If you can not find a problem from Sheldon's suggestions then an Email to Bachmanns service center is in order. There may be a UK or European authorized service center you can send it to. If not then they may pick up most if not all of the shipping charges.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
TA462 I own a few Bachmann Steam loco's and I have removed the factory decoders in all of them. I don't know why but Bachmann factory installed decoders in their Steam loco's are very poor in quality.
I own a few Bachmann Steam loco's and I have removed the factory decoders in all of them. I don't know why but Bachmann factory installed decoders in their Steam loco's are very poor in quality.
His model does not have a Bachmann (Lenz) motor control decoder -- it is sound, so the decoder is a SoundTraxx Tsunami. Still, he could have a bad decoder -- it happens to the best of them.
Another possibility -- the speed settings in CV 29 -- if the decoder is set for 28/128 speed steps and his DCC system is set for 14, that could possibly be the problem. Or if CV 29 is not set to the correct value at all, the motor won't run. For example, CV 29 may be set to run on a short address, but he is trying to run it on a long address. CV 29 should be set to a value of 34 for a long address.
Hi
Iv'e done all the testing with a multi meter. i have 11.5v at the orange and grey wires on the back of the 8 pin plug so decoder is working ok. nothing comes out of the Bachmann circuit board though.
I have spoken to Bachmann customer services and its on its way back to them in Phily.
Chris.