im working inN scale......using a railpower 1370 power pack (MRC). I have two Bachmann s-4 locos. either of them will not move til abot 80 percent throttle. The they opeate a t ne speed only.....power is either of or on. no control.I aaasume he low opeaing speed isdeliberate as these are switch engines. I alsohave an ATLAS rs3. it likewise does not move til about 80 percent throttle the takes off a great speed . again no control.AM i using the wrong power pack?
That sort of tells me there's something wrong with the power pack. You shouldn't have to go all the way to 80% throttle to get a loco moving, and then have it take off at one speed. That 3 different locos have the problem say it isn't a loco issue.
Try touching a known good 9V battery to the track - the locos should move pretty fast. Or of you have a voltmeter, the cheap Harbor Freight one will do, measure the voltage on the rails with one of the locos on, and turn up the throttle. It shoudl smoothly increase, but I suspect you will see little if anything until you hit the 80% point, then you will get about what it should be at that postion - somewhere around 10 volts or so.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
good advice.......ill check it out today
I used a railpower 1370 as the Tortoise supply on my last layout. I kept it at about 1/2 throttle.
One day the Tortoises all started moving much faster. I checked the power pack, and it failed similar to yours. It was either off or full voltage. The voltage would go from zero to full at about 3/4 throttle.
I replaced it with a used MRC Tech II 1500, and all was fine.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
i checkd voltage today. AT 87 percent it is putting out 13-14 volts. At 85 the voltage is 1 volt. sound like a new powerpack is in order