North Pole & Southern connection

[medicalmannow]

I inherited the above mention G scale train with no instructions.  I cannot get the white plug to plug into the engine.  What is it for anyway and what is the knob for on the bottom of the coal hopper that is next to the engine.

Thanks,

Monty

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Monty,

The white plug connects the chuff trigger (on the front set of driver wheels in the loco) to the sound board in the tender. 

The the back side of the engine should have 2 parallel pins in a socket just under the cab floor.

The tender should have a plug with 2 mating pins.  If they don't fit, twist the connector around 180 degrees and try again.

Put a 9V rectangular battery under the water hatch, observing polarity.  Do not try to force the battery down with the hatch lid, as it will bust the hinge.  (I refuse to tell you why I know that.) 

Twist the knob under the tender until a click is heard.  It is supposed to be an adjustable chuff volume knob with an on/off switch.  There have been volume knobs that had no audible effect throughout their adjustment range, though.  (Manufacturing error?)

There is a switch on the back of the engine for the chuff.  My engines were "down" for chuff on, "up" for chuff off.

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik