bad day for running trains

[union pacific 844]

my only controller just went up in smoke i can't run any trains now until i make some money  to get a new one

[Joe Satnik]

Dear UP,

Do you have a "Local Hobby Shop" (LHS) nearby?

If your controller is an analog DC power pack,

your LHS might have some used (under the counter) for a very reasonable price.

As an example:

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRF08J0dShkAu32kZwudnu4HWQhBNbPLW5auPmswJ5BWBT0OqJx

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[union pacific 844]

there no local place here to buy train stuff   

[Joe Satnik]

Any other model train fans nearby?

They could have old power packs they're not using. 

[jward]

how did you burn it up?

[union pacific 844]

i think im the only train fan here when i put it  in reverse on 100% the engine is slower then a turtle it flys  when the is going forward  the controller been getting very  hot off and on for two years just never thought about it to much until now 

[sd24b]

my only controller just went up in smoke i can't run any trains now until i make some money  to get a new one

who makes the power pack?   have you checked out the terminals with a meter to be sure it is the pack.  also, do you have a volt/amp meter connected to your power supply?

[union pacific 844]

it made by bachmann here what mine is http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=209

[Morgun 30]

You did better than me. I got just over 1 year of very limited use out of mine.

[jbrock27]

Matt, see my other post to you on the other thread you started regarding this issue.

Between the experience you and Morgun had, this would tell me something about the quality of the power pack.  I don't know what the warranty is on the power packs you and Morgun have and far be it from me to critique Bachmann products, but the new MRC stuff, like the Railpower and MRC Tech 4s they make now, come with 5 year warranties.  I doubt though, that you would get the benefit of the warranty buying from Ebay, as opposed to somewhere else on line, like Amazon, even if off of Ebay it was new in box, bc it could be new in the box, but made 6 years ago.  Not 100% sure on that but that is what I suspect.  The written material that came in the one I talked about in my other post, said 1997 on it.

-jb

[richg]

I have seen the inside of the controllers. They are toy quality.
It is possible to abuse them by turning up the knob too high or to low.
Some exhibitors use them on small DC operated layouts at train shows but they do not get a lot  of use, I.e, a lot of knob adjustment. Or a lot of reversal switching.

Rich

[sd24b]

my only controller just went up in smoke i can't run any trains now until i make some money  to get a new one

who makes the power pack?   have you checked out the terminals with a meter to be sure it is the pack.  also, do you have a volt/amp meter connected to your power supply?

probably not going to win brownie points from bachmann but i would not waste time or money on their pack for repair or replacement.  suggest a mrc tech IV's are very nice and durable.  I have 2 mrc packs that are 25 and 32 y/o and still going strong.