Good evening. I won a 70 ton switcher off eBay. Its used and was sold as is. The seller said the unit did run just needed wheels cleaned and lubed. Once I tried to operate this switcher nothing. This is a dcc switcher. Any advice on what could be going on would be great. Thank you
Welcome to the forums.
Is your decoder working? I understand they can get "fried" fairly easily. Is the DCC soldered in or a plug in? Check the connections.
Maybe if you give the make of the loco and decoder, some of the more knowledgeable folks can give you some better suggestions.
Just a couple of thoughts.
Good luck,
Richard
Since you have a 70 tonner I will assume it is a Bachmann.Since that is only MRcompany I know of making a 70.Do you have a programming track? if so set on there give it some juice and see if it will do anything.You may have to reset the decoder.You might also check to see if it programmed to a 2 or 4 digit address,and reset it the decoder to either what you DCC system uses or what type your decoder uses.
If all that fails go ask the Bach-Mann.
Darren:
I am assuming that you did clean the wheels and lube the engine.
Did the seller give you the loco #. I just bought an Intermountain Canadian Pacific FP7 and it came with no instructions whatsoever. When put on the tracks it made engine sounds but would not respond to anything else. Then I had the bright idea that maybe the previous owner had actually done the right thing by programming the loco to its actual engine number. So, I put the engine number into the controller and away it went! (All you DCC experts please stop laughing - these things take time for me!).
The other thing you might try is resetting the decoder to its original factory settings. I believe that can be done on most decoders by resetting CV 08 to 08. Others with more knowledge might be able to elaborate if I am wrong.
I would also mention that there is a forum specifically targeted at DCC. You might want to re-post there to get more answers.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Darren!!
I forgot the most important part of the answer!
Lots of great people here with a lot of knowledge they are quite willing to share..
We need more info.
Have you removed the shell and looked inside first? I always do that with a loco from ebay or private sale.
A DCC ready loco will have a different PC board than a loco with DCC decoder on board.
Buying a DCC loco of ebay or private sale can be iffy at best if no DCC knowledge.
Running using a DC power pack or DCC controller?
If you are using a DCC controller, do a decoder reset.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Yes I have removed the shell and checked all the wiring. I run dcc. I have cleaned and lubed the wheels. `am using the bachmann EZ- Command. the unit is wired to the loco its self. No plug and play. I`am unsure of the # or the maker of the the swicther. As of now i`am waiting for a reply from the seller trying to get more info on the unit.
I am quite sure you have the Bachmann Spectrum 70 ton.
Get your multimeter out and check for about 14 VAC on either end of the decoder board. You can see where the pickups connect on either end.
The motor leads are the center pair where you would see DC voltage if you had the meter connected with the loco moving.
This is my old decoder board that I replaced with a LokSound in my 70 ton.
Do the lights work, just no motor action? If so, check the two motor lead connections. Many solder those leasd.
Again, did you do a decoder reset. CV8, enter 8. Do not know much about the EZ Command controller.
You can also ask at the Bachmann forums. Many users there. At least be aware there is a active forum there with EZ Command users.
[url]http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php[/uel]
Consider the DCC Electronics forum in the future for DCC Electronics questions for those who might only monitor that forum.
richg1998did you do a decoder reset. CV8, enter 8.Rich
RIch, are you sure that this is the Bachmann decoder setting for a factory reset? Decoders from different manufacturers have different values and sometimes different CVs for factory resets. This article from Tony's train Exchange lists some factory reset values, but does not list Bachmann. Who makes their decoder??
http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/dec_rescue.htm
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Low end Lenz decoders are used in the Bachmann non sound locos.
I use the NCE Power Cab and most, not all, decoders use CV8 and enter 8 for a reset. I have done that reset with my 70 ton before pulling the decoders.
Check you EZ Command manual. All the EZ Command manuals are at the Bachmann site. I gave you the link. Go look.
The Bachmann rep at the site says CV8 enter 8. Go to the Bachmann site and search for reset decoder. You do not have to join if afraid of joining the site. I do understand some people are fearful of too much Internet use.
DCC shortcuts card.
http://00200530.pdl.pscdn.net/002/00530/MRH04/DCC%20Shortcuts%20Card.pdf
I believe that there is a procedure to do a loco reset with the EZ command. If so try that first.
Chances are the loco is programmed to the number on the side (Cab Number) The EZ command only goes to address 9 which makes it unusable until reset. Once reset the address will be 3
Springfield PA
I was able to rest the loco and program it to the address I wanted. Works great..Just has no lighting to it. But I hope to have that fixed soon. Thanks for all your help and the warm welcome.
Glad that worked out. The decoders in the 70-tonners have been an issue for me. I convert them to HOn3 with NWSL wheelsets. Although things seem good, the decoders seem to have a mind of their own. They'll work for awhile, then start acting all hinky.
You'll see a cluster of orange capacitors soldered to the motor case. Just cut 'em off. That helps with the funky decoder some, as they're only there for radio interference suppression purposes in the European Union, but tend to confuse the decoder. Unfortunately, that's not all that is wrong.
This just happens to find me with the install of a NCE decoder, a BachDSL, on my workbench. There are lots of other small decoders that will work. I ordered these, hoping it was a drop-in. Unfortunately, not in the 70-tonner (it's made to fit the longer road diesels). It's too short. However, it's easy to hack to fit into the 70-tonner while making provision to hold the lighting in place properly. I'm hoping to have some pics up soon on how to do this. It'll work fine, even if your diesel is going to stay standard gauge, if you want to consider other options with the beastie.
Too bad that Bachmann can't get this decoder to work better. They're fine little locos except for that. But if you think of the decoder as a freebie -- because you're going to replace it anyway -- it's worth what you paid for it, right?
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Possible solution. I made a styrene shelf. Used the front and rear lights with a resistor for each. Some may like a brighter LED.
A thin decoder might fit between the upper weight and styrene/decoder shelf. Maybe a DZ125 decoder which I use in a couple non sound locos.
I did not use the upper weight. Poured my own and installed them just under the shell with Walther's Goo nest to the speaker baffle.
Here's a series of pics of how I hacked the NCE BachDSL decoder to work in the Bachmann GE 70-tonner.
[under constructions; please be patient with the mess as I get some pics and narrative up]
This shows the NCE BachDSL decoder. It is too long to drop into the Bachmann 70-tonner, but that won't stop it being hacked to fit.
Cut that thing right off the <-- Rear of the decoder. It's marked like that if you need an easy way to tell You can also see where I picked at the common trace to the original headlamp pads on the NCE decoder. We'll eventually solder the common lead of the LED to it.
The perpendicular mark of the razor saw blade shows where to make the careful cut needed to bend the rear of the hacked decoder up in order to hold the rear lamp assembly. Cut from the BOTTOM up. Be careful that you stop BEFORE cutting through the trace on top of the board that that we need to take the common up to the lamp.
Here's the rear end of the board being bent up. At this point, the end is hanging only by the (hopefully) uncut trace we're trying to leave intact and the film surface of the top of the board. Treat it gently, but it should be OK if you didn't cut too deep.
Now we need to cut the front end of the decoder to allow the fitting that holds the front LED in place to fit. Look over carefully the factory board and you'll see where everything needs to sit it you want to re-use the factory LED. This is easy and simple, so no need to use either of the two LEDs that NCE supplies with the BachDSL decoder (they can go into stock for use on another project.)
Here is the front LED reinstalled the hacked board.
You want the total length of the hacked board, along with the rear LED lamp assembly you've desoldered from the factory board (again easier than using the NCE-supplied LEDs) to be no more than the factory board -- and not a whole lot less, either. Use a little care and things should be OK. Measure twice -- cut once.
Mix some 5 minute epoxy, prop the board so that the cut-and-bent end is square, and swab the open wound with the epoxy. Once it dries, it'll lock the bent piece permanently upright at 90 degrees. This forms the place where the rear headlight is installed, as well as preserving the pads for the truck pickups at the rear of the loco.
Mix up some more epoxy and glue the factory rear lamp assembly in place. make sure it's square. This is also the place to say that you can nip the outer corners of two large holes off at the beginning of this process or at another convenient point. Otherwise, they'll show in the windows of the back of the cab. Once they're off it'll look better through the cab windows
At this point the hacked board is done. Since it can't be screwed down with the weight on top like the factory board can be, you need to insulate the bottom of the decoder with the piece of yellow insulating tape that NCE supplies with the decoder. Solder up the truck and motor leads. Then I used some thin foam tape on the TOP of the weight (it'll sit better this way, trust me) and place upside down on top of the decoder. You may also want to tape everything down to hold things from shifting.
I'll leave that part up to you, just be careful so that nothing can short the decoder. Here are some more pics of how I wired the front LED.
The white wire is soldered to the common trace that we picked out earlier. Then the white wire goes over the top of the bent-up board and is soldered at the base of the factory LED holder. You can see the 1k resistor that is installed in place of the surface-mount one that was sacrificed when we cut the very end of the NCE board off at the start.
You can also see the pads for the rear truck power pickups with the red and black wires soldered to them on the bent-up part of the hacked board.
Here's the rear LED hookups at the bottom of the factory lamp holder.
And we close with a side view. You can see where the resistor loops back, then has a short balck wire soldered to it. This wire goes to another spot on the board that is further back along the trace of the No 2 ground to the rear headlight and down through the board, soldered from the bottom. Be sure to insulate this circuit carefully.
Pop the shell back on with the weight in place, take it to the program track to check that it's all wired OK and then program. Your little 70-tonner will take on a whole better life of vastly improved performance.
Great idea. I really enjoy it when I see someone who is not afraid to jump right into a project like this. Very good presentation.
I wonder if this would work for the 44 ton Spectrum? I do not plan to try but just wondering. All my 44 tonners are sound.
Good chance Bachmann is working on a non sound decoder for future models.
I see the same complaints about the on board non sound decoders in the Bachmann forums and other forums.
Right now Bachmann has the SoundTraxx Tsunami in there sound locos
Recently SoundTraxx came up with a new non sound decoder and I am guessing Bachmann might start using that decoder in non sound models. Again, just a guess.
If it's from Soundtraxx, it'll be a killer app. Problem solved and good move Bachmann!
Not sure on doing this with a 44-tonner. I haven't seen one of the new ones undressed yet. All I have around are some of the old 2-motor versions. That's likely a situation that I'd go with one of the small decoders, especially with sound. I have a Mini Tsu that's waiting to go into a Westside C-25. It'll be sweet when it's done. I remotored with a LocoDoc kit and it runs sweet, just needs some bark now.
That's a lot of cake to invest in a lowly 44- or 70-tonner, though, but a Mini Tsu would likely make the job easy.
With my HOn3 hack, my little diesels sound sorta growly anyway -- poor railroader's sound!
I use the Micro LokSound in my 44 tonners and the 70 tonner with 16mm x 35mm speakers. They start at almost 1 mph.
I use to have a two motor 44 ton with DZ125 that was an excellant runner until a gear cracked.
I have the single motor 44 tonners that are pretty much like the single motor 70 tonner for drive train.
Both use to be two motor until maybe two or three years ago.
Once in a while someone buys a 44 tonner on ebay and do not know what they are buying and end up with a two motor version.
Anyone here who like this install, with the full size picture selected, right click and download it to your PC. Copy the text into a Word Document.
Do this in case the forum ever gets modified. The pages could disappears. It has happened before.
I fiddled with the NCE decoder motor settings some, dialed in some higher kick rate and she purrs along really well now. I also dropped one into my other HOn3 70-tonner and it runs even better. That one only took an hour to do, now that I've got the drill down, and a part of that is letting the epoxy set.
I've got two more 70-tonners and the wheelsets to convert to HOn3. That's a little more involved, including a paint job, but I'm looking forward to adding a couple more of these beasties to the fleet in the future. The 70-tonner is about the cheapest HOn3 loco you can build. I love my Blackstone K-27 and C-19 locos, but I'm pretty proud of my diesels now that they have decent decoders in them.