Switching the wires shouldn't be necessary. Under DC control, "forward" and "reverse" are relative to the track, not the way the locomotive is facing. If you turn the engine around, you'd find it runs the "right way." Likewise, if you switch the wires, next time you turn the engine around you'd find it running "backward" again. Just think of that little switch on your power pack as "this way" and "the other" instead of "forward" and "reverse" and you'll do fine.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Hello again,
I'm back with a question on my second ebay purchase.
I got a Life Like HO AHM Penn Central #5050 FM Diesel Powered Locomotive Engine and it is running backwards.
When the pwr sply knob is if forward, it goes in reverse - reverse it goes forward and in relation to the other engines on the same track.
I removed the shell and saw that there were 2 wires (red/white) coming from the motor to the front wheels.
If I just switched those wires around, wouldn't it run correct then?
Thanks (again),
cplmckenzie