Train is only moving backwards...

[svenlandic]

 Hi everyone,

First post here. I'm trying to get my train running in time to set it up around the Christmas tree. It's a 50th Anniversary Lionel Pennsylvania Steam Locomotive. It was working fine, moving forward normally, not too long ago. Now it only moves in reverse. Seems like a simple fix but I can't find anything. I tried reversing wires and trying different settings of the two switches under the locomotive and nothing.

Another change I noticed which seems related is that the whistle in the coal car that used to be activated by the 'whistle' button on the control box, is now activated by the 'bell' button.

Any input would be awesome.

Thanks in advance,

svenlandic

 

[selector]

Hello, and welcome.  I suspect this is not an HO or an N scale engine, but would more properly fall under the "toy train" category, and there is a forum here called classic toy trains.  I will move this question of yours to the appropriate place.  You will receive an email informing you of this relocation of your thread.

Good luck.  The fellows over there are a helpful and knowledgeable bunch.

-Crandell

[Anonymous]

Funny how N and HO are trains, but O-Gauge are 'Toy Trains'. I don't consider my O-Gauge any more toys than my father's older HO stuff... to me they are all Model Trains.

Now for the issue at hand...

sven - [welcome] to the forum

If you could provide the model number for the engine that would be very helpful. This can be found on the box or on the bottom of the engine. probably 6-(some number)

The reason your whistle is being triggered by the bell button is because you have your electrical feed from the Transformer (control box) to the track swapped. All you need to do is reverse the wires at either the back of the Transformer or at the track (not both).

If there is a metal rod coming out of the top of the engine try moving it to the other side of the engine. This would indicate the engine has a mechanical reversing unit and not an e-unit. The difference is a manual can be locked in one direction and an e-unit is cycled via the transformer's direction button OR by cycling the power throttle.

[Texas Pete]

lionroar88

Funny how N and HO are trains, but O-Gauge are 'Toy Trains'. I don't consider my O-Gauge any more toys than my father's older HO stuff... to me they are all Model Trains.

Naw, from Z to G they're really all toys, it's just that some folks can't seem to admit it. 

To the original poster - I believe the loco for that set is the starter set 4-4-2.  If this is the case there are two switches under the left side of the locomotive cab.  The rearmost switch turns the reverse unit on and off, the switch towards the front of the engine controls the smoke.

To set the reverse unit to "on", make sure that the reverse unit switch is positioned towards the front of the locomotive.  If the switch was inadvertently turned off (towards the rear of the cab) the reverse unit would remain locked in the mode of operation following the one when the train was removed from the rails.  I suspect that this may be the case.

As to the opposite whistle/bell buttons, lionroar88 is correct in suggesting that you have reversed the power connection to the track.

Pete