First generation DCC ready tender with new DCC ready 2-8-0 Consolidation

[Phantomstrike]

I bought two new in the box Bachmann Medium Vanderbilt Tenders Marked DCC ready. I also have two New DCC ready Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidations that I have used on my small layout. I wanted to use these new Vanderbilt tenders with my 2-8-0 s and found that the position of the plugs in the Vanderbilt tenders was reversed from that on the ones in the tenders that came with the 2-8-0s . After getting them all plugged in and hooked up the engine won't run. The engine only runs with the tenders that came with it. Everything is marked DCC ready. What am I doing wrong . I am new at all this DCC Tech.    Tony

[Pacific Northern]

I contacted the Bachmann service department some time ago and asked the same question .

There was a change with the Bachmann PCB's that resulted in the earlier 2-8-0 engines not being compatible with the later medium vandy tenders. That is the tender series you have.

If you take out the PCB out of the original tender that came with the 2-8-0 and placed it in the medium vandy tender then the set will be compatible.

[richg]

Do a search of the General and HO forums. This has been discussed before. Some Bachmann tenders are not compatible with certain locos without conversion.
I have found when you have to use the two short jumpers, all three functions are reversed which will mean a dead loco. Been there, done that, have the T shirt.
Either re-wire the tender, I have done that, or swap the PC boards. I can work at the component level so I re-wire. Not an issue.
I had a tender that did not have the resistor for a LED headlight so I added the resistor. THe LED did not blow because the jumper swapped the track pickups which meant a dead loco.
Also, don't mess with DCC at this level without a multimeter. Too many do exactly that. There are thousands of places on the Internet with instructions on how to use a multimeter if you bother to do a little searching.
You will need it to do continuity checks with the ohms section of the multimeter. It helps to draw out the wiring diagram. I put on my Optivisor and trace out the PC board.

Rich