on30 light out in passenger car

[masska]

I have a on30 North Pole Express and the light is out in the first passenger car.Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix or can/do I send it to Bachmann to be repaired.

[Tomcat]

masska, best, please check this:

- did the light burn before?
- had there been a derailment where you may have lost the wheelsets out of the truck?
- you could check the position of the wheelsets, they are isolated, which you should be
  able to make out - there is a little isolation arround the axle.
- you can pull the trucks out of their bolsters - pls. do this very,very careful (!!!)
  Check if the cables are still connected, they go into the car body.
- Pry the roof off - check the cables there too!

you can send your car in to the Bachmann experts, but in most cases you can solve the problem yourself by going through this checklist. Please get back to us, we all out there are here to help! Don´t you worry!

Cheers, Tom

[masska]

Hi Tom,
Thank you for the early reply. The light was working yearetday and today I ran it and it was out. The train has not had a derailment since I have it. I bought it second hand and it was working fine for the past week.
I am a novice at this and not sure what it is you want me to check. Not understanding the lingo too well. I understand it is the wheels you want me to check but what am I looking for to be wrong. You also want me to take the body off the chassis and check the connections. If you could explain further it would be great.

[SideTracked]

Hi Masska,

The Bachmann passenger cars are designed to provide access to replace the light bulb. You simply unsnap the roof assembly. With the roof off you'll see the lamp fixture, it's a printed circuit the size of a postage stamp. The bulb and the supply wires are soldered to this unit. There will probably be some clear tape locating the bulb in place.

Before you do anything drastic, let's do a simple check: (Don't worry the voltage, there isn't enough to hurt you and I assume you don't have a meter to measure current). With the locomotive off track.  Place the car with the bad lamp (with its roof removed) and a car with a good lamp on the track and apply power. The good lamp car is just to verify the power is working. Take a new bulb and touch its wires simultaneously to the two connection points where the existing bulb wires are soldered. If the new bulb illuminates, then the old one is bad. If the new bulb doesn't illuminate, then your problem is elsewhere. If it doesn't immediately illuminate try moving the car along the track.

Let's assume the bulb is bad. The clean fix is to solder the new bulb in place of the old one. But, if you are a newbie, this is probably not the best place to learn how to solder. Remove the car from the track and relocate to a well illuminated work space. Now you're going to attach the new bulb without soldering. Fully extend the old bulb and cut the wires as close to the glass as possible, now remove the insulation for a third to about half the the length of each wire. Expose a similar length of wire from the ends of the new bulb's wires. Now, simply TTTSA (twist together to stay attached) the old wires to the new. Apply some tape around each of the twisted splices to isolate them. Another bit of tape will anchor the bulb in the original location. Test again to make sure all is well and snap the roof back in place.

Good luck,
Pete

[masska]

Hi Pete,
Thanks for the great advice. I can do what you have said. I do have a meter and I do have a needle piont soldering iron. I did a bit of radio control racing, both electric and gas. So while I am a novice with trains I am not without experience with small electronics.
I will do as you say and test the continuity and see if it actually the bulb or the wires leading to the bulb. If it the bulb where do I get the bulb and if it not what else could it be?
Thakns very much again and looking forward to your reply.

[SideTracked]

Great, seems I over newbiefied you. With your experience, and the roof off, you'll have no problems.

[masska]

Hi Tom,
WOW. I did not expect such a quick response. Thanks.
I took the roof off and checked the wires. I am getting continunity from the two outer black wires that lead down the side of the car to the front set of wheels only.
Is this how it should be? Where can I get a bulb to purchase?

[masska]

Hi Pete,
Sorry man, the last message was for you and not Tom.
So I took the top off and tested the wires and was not getting any continunity on one set of the wheels. I disassembled it and found that the wire leading to the wheels was broken from the eye end that is bolted to the wheel set. That fixed the problem. Thank you very much.

Hi Tom,
Thank you as well for your advice and input.

Its guys like the both of you that makes this hobby so enjoyable and less frustrating.

Thanks again guys and HAPPY 2010