Hi, Nanaimo. I'm in Comox.
1. You have to inspect the tiny pins in the receptacle to ensure none are bent. It happens. That could be the trouble all by itself.
2. Make sure the plug is oriented correctly, upside up. Look at the plug to see where the pin holes are, toward the top or bottom, and then check the receptacle to see if the pins are aligned toward the top/bottom. Orient the plug accordingly.
3. I tilt the tender's back end upward, out the way, and deal with the increased room to get the tether into the receptacle. I use bent needle-nosed pliers to get an initial purchase (hoping against hope that the plug will stay put), then either turn the tines, or pick up a larger bamboo kabob skewer, and try to rock the back of the plug into the socket. The spread tines are the best for this, but you have to overcome your tendency to close them as you increase force..you do NOT want to break any of the wires.
You'll know when you have the plug fully home. A two-pronged implement simply won't budge it inward any more, and the back of the plug will be aligned, parallel, with the rim of the receptacle.
If you still get no proper control, you have a broken tether wire, pin, solder, internal wire, circuit board,decoder.
I'm certitanly not an expert on inserting those plugs, but I've done a couple. I found it's easiest to do it before coupling the tender to the engine. That way you can sort of have the two at 90 degree right angles to each other and see what you're doing. Once it's firmly in place, you can upright the two and couple to the engine.
I'd be willing to guess that the reason the engine wouldn't run was you didn't have the plug inserted so that it was making good contact on all pins.
to the forum. Your initial posts are moderated, and it took until today for us to see your post, so I am giving it a bump.
Bachmann connectors are a pain. Don't know about Athearn but someone does. I'm sure there are lots of Big Boy owners around the forum
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I just purchased a Big Boy (No. 4019). Did the electrical connection between the loco and tender (was not easy) and found the engine was not working properly on either DC or DCC. After some discussion with Athearn it was suggested that I return the engine in the original packaging, which involves separating the engine from the tender. The plug virtually fell out of the socket, which suggests that it was not inserted properly in the first place. I am having a hard time reinstalling the plug in the socket. Is there some technicque of which I am not aware?
Helpful suggestions will be appreciated. Shipping the engine to Athearn from Canada will be very expensive, and of course, if I do not have the correct technique for makinng the connection, the process will be useless.
Help will be welcome.