Hawks Rule I doubt that it is an old decoder. There was an estate sale last week, 90 % of the model trains had been purchased in the last 10 years and almost all of them were still new in the box and never run, including the two that I purchased. There is still a bill of sale that is dated 2011!
I doubt that it is an old decoder. There was an estate sale last week, 90 % of the model trains had been purchased in the last 10 years and almost all of them were still new in the box and never run, including the two that I purchased. There is still a bill of sale that is dated 2011!
I recall Athearn stopped using MRC sound decoders around 2008 or 2009. Athearn engines easily could have had MRC decoders sold new with MRC sound a couple years after the change to Soundtraxx decoders.
I was aware of the short comings of the MRC decoders 15 years ago and purposely avoided buying any sound equipped Athearns during the MRC period.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Well, I connected the Loco to the tender on a DC track.
The Loco does not move when I increase the speed on the throttle.
The tender has all the sounds and it works.
I guess the next step would be to remove the boiler, but from what I see on the poor schematic provided by Athearn and what I have read, I am not looking forward to it
rrinker It took Atrhearn a while to realize that using a cheap decoder it what was otherwise a premium model, with excellent detail and a far better motor than any priot Athearn model wasn't doing them any favors.
This thread from 2007 already has many potential buyers steering away because of the MRC decoder.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/96016.aspx
Unfortunately, there are dogs out there and has been mentioned, the potential buyer has to do a little research to weed out the chaff.
Athearn may offer some relief but they may shy away from offering warranty repair on a thirteen year old product.
Good Luck, Ed
Since this decoder will operate on DC, and you have the rmeote control - does the loco move on DC track power?
The red wire angled up fromt he back of the tender is definitely the antenna - see the round white component at the rear corner near where the red wire attaches? That's a tuning capacitor for the remote control radio.
All those MRC decoders have something that says cheap - see in the very middle, the black 'blob' - yeah, the main chip is what's called "chip on board", the actual ic is bonded right to the PCB and then covered in a protective layer of epoxy (compared to a standard IC like those around it, black squares with legs soldered o the board). You know where you find such chip on board construction? Cheap toys. It took Atrhearn a while to realize that using a cheap decoder it what was otherwise a premium model, with excellent detail and a far better motor than any priot Athearn model wasn't doing them any favors. And they only recently realized that sticking with incandescent bulbs that in many cases protruded out of the headlight castings on their locos when every other manufacturers has long switched to LEDs was also something they had to change.
What Sheldon says is true. What he didn't exactly say is - if buying something used, or even new old stock, it pays to do a little research and not jump on impulse. Not a lot, at least stuff made in the past 20 years, is so rare that you will never see another one if you miss out because you took some time to make sure of what you were getting in to. Assuming the motor turns and it will otherwise run, you WILL end up with an operating sound loco when all is said and done, but maybe not quite in the easy "open box, put on track" way you were hoping.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Well, I hope you get it figured out.
Anytime you buy something "used" there is some risk. While it may appear to be unused, there is no assurance of how it has been stored or handled. And yes, sometimes products are defective, and if you don't use them right away you don't know that.
In the evolving world of DCC decoders, 9 years ago is a long time, and a newer, better decoder may be the best answer.
I do remember those locos advertized with the remotes, just another example of the evolution of model train controls.
Sheldon
I hate to sound like a pessimist, but I think I paid good money for a klunker. Even if it is the decoder, I still will have to fork out $100-$150 for a decent sound decoder.
Ahh... if only these model train companies learned about quality control in their factories, we would not be going through these frustrating situations epecially when people are paying huge amounts of money for this hobby!!
My last hope might be Athearn, who I reached out to last wedneday and they emailed me back with a promise of an answer this coming week.
Send me a PM with your email, I really want to see you get it running.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
You will need to remove the boiler to get to the motor wires. They should be the same color all the way back to the decoder. You need to check the voltage on the motor wires at the decoder, no voltage with the throttle run up the decoder is defective. If there is voltage on the motor wires at the decoder measure the terminals on the motor, the voltage should be the same. If you measure voltage on the motor the motor should be running. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
So, you are saying to connect the engine to the tender with the Male/Female plug. There are no bent pins as far as I can see. Once on the tarck I move the throttle and see what happens?
If you look at pages 9 and 10 of the manual, you will see black wires from the connector going to inside the engine.
The only way for me to follow the wire is to remove the engine body as well.
Yes the motor voltage from the decoder is DC. You might have to follow the wires all the way to the motor to make sure you are measuring the correct wires.If there is a connector between the tender and locomotive make sure all wires are firm and connected. Look for a bent pin on the connector.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Hello Mel, I am asuming you mean in DC still? Also, I am not that good with electronics, even though I have a multimeter. As I look at the Decoder on the tender, there is an orange wire amd a black wire that go to the wheel, not a grey wire.
Run the throttle up with the remote and check the voltage on the wires going to the motor. Check the wire connections on the decoder.If you don’t see any voltage on the motor wires the decoder is defective, if there is voltage on the motor and it doesn’t run the motor is defective.I keep a #1445 bulb with short wires with clips handy for checking the decoder motor output. The 1445 is a 14 volt 120ma bulb.Easy quick check for motor voltage.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Here is a copy of the manual. Scroll to page 4 and there is a picture of the remote.
http://www.athearn.com/ProdInfo/Files/Genesis_FEF_Northern_Manual.pdf
Also, I do have a multimeter
My remotes have 9 buttons. Does your remote have ↑ and ↓ buttons and a ← → button?Does the ←→ button toggle the headlight?If you have a multimeter check the orange and grey wires to the motor for voltage.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I have the instruction book in front of me. Buttons 1. Bell, 2. Whistle, 3. Speed down, 4. Speed up, 5. Direction and Stop Button
No response from 7 or 8? Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
The red wire is an antenna. That decoder is a MRC Wireless decoder, try the remote and see if that works. The MRC Wireless decoders I have work on either my Prodigy controller from the track or with the remote.
If the function buttons work on the remote the problem is either the motor or the decoder is defective. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Yes but motor control part could be damaged. You will know that if you test it with spare motor as I explained earlier - but only after MRC confirms what pads marked "MT" are used for.
Hrvoje
If screw was free to "jump" inside the tender shell and locomotive was under power -then it could also cause decoder to mailfunction.
If you finally find out that decoder is fried/dead - well, FEF is a beautiful locomotive that probably deserves much better decoder and speaker arrangement. Either ESU 5 Loksound, Tsunami 2 or TCS WOW will deliver much better sound and options if combined with better speaker/speakers. Which decoder to choose is personal - I have both Tsunami 2 and TCS WOW, I must admit I am now tempted to try one of ESU 5th generation - not because first two and not good, but - I want to know all of them -:).
You could try to test if motor or motor wiring is faulty or not, because although unlikely, it also can be a cause of your problem. If I understand your first post, the locomotive never moved when you tried to run it? You just hear the sound?
If MRC representative can confirm that wires connected to pads marked with "MT" (on picure below) are wires running directly to motor, than you could use these wires to test the motor with pure DC. First unsolder the two wires (blue & yellow?), and then connect them to DC powerpack. Wheels should start to rotate (of course, tender must be connected to locomotive). If not, then something it bad either with wiring to motor, or motor itself. Be very careful not to touch any part of PCB because you can destroy the decoder completely. You just have to connect powerpack to two free wires that you unsoldered.
You can then also try to connect other (external) motor to pads marked "MT", and try to "run" on DCC (tender on tracks, and try to run the locomotive). If this test motor starts to rotate, than motor part of decoder is ok, but there is a failure as explained above - either wiring to motor, or motor itself. Again, be very careful not to make any short circuit.
But first - MRC must confirm that "MT" pads and blue and yellow wires are used for motor. If they are used for front light, you will blow the bulb/LED. And of course, the question if red wire is lose or not must be solved first.
And - speakers should be somehow fixed to tender shell "roof". At least this was the case with my BB - they had a screw hoding them on the post protruding from tender shell above.
It is very similar, but not the same. I have been trying to find info on MRC Sound decoders installed in Athearn Genesis steam engines on the internet, but no success yet.
I found a picture of my Athearn Big Boy tender before I removed original MRC decoder. Maybe it can be of some help, I asume FEF tender has very similar internal design.
I admit, I do not see any "antenna" here. So it may be that one wire is really lose.