Problem with a 2-8-4

[Limey]

A while back I bought a 2-8-4 Berkshire, Bachmann # 50948.  This loco is DCC equipped.  My layout is still under construction so I didn't get chance to try the loco when I first got it.  Yesterday I put on the test track ( Program Mode ) and could read back the address as 03.   So I switched to (Run Mode) and tried to power it up,  Nothing,  no lights no sounds from the motor nothing.
This loco is brand new out of the box, I checked the plugs and both are in securely.  Any suggestions plse.

BTW.  The power to the run mode is O.K. as I tried other units and they work fine, both in 03 and 4 digit addresses.

Regards, Limey

[bapguy]

Remove the tender shell and make sure the DCC decoder is pluged in. The other option is to put in the dummy plug and see if the loco works on DC. If your DCC system doesn't alow running DC locos,with the loco upside down place a 9V battery on the drivers or tender wheels to see if the loco works. The dummy plug should be in a small plastic bag in the box. I think the plug is 2 pieces of metal with 3 prongs each. Go to the product info page and click on the diagram for you loco. Scroll down to the diagram of the tender. It shows how the dummy plug should be hooked up.  Joe   

[Limey]

Hi Bapguy,
                  Thanks for the tips, I removed the tender shell, all looks good there, the decoder is plugged in. I tried the 9 volt battery test and the loco wheels turn when battery power is applied to the tender pick up wheels. So I put all back together again and retried on the layout. Still nothing, no lights no motor noise.  I have other decoders ( not Bachmann ) would it damage the other manufacturers decoder if I switched them???

Thanks Limey.

[Joe Satnik]

Limey,

Is a truck turned around on the tender?

IIRC, one truck should pick up one rail, the other truck the other rail.

Left side loco pickups should be tethered to the left side tender pickups.

Right side loco pickups should be tethered to the right side tender pickups.

Use an Ohm-meter to check for correct connection of the pickups.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Grammar

[bapguy]

One other thing is the decoder might have gotten set up to run on DC only. The other is the decoder was put in wrong from the factory but I don't know if this happened it would run on DC. It should have an 8 pin plug on the board. pin 1 should be marked some hhhow on the board. pin 1 is the orange wire. On 8 pin plugs, the decoder will plug in the wrong way as the pins are not off set. If the decoder is plugged in correct, try a decoder reset. Usually a value of 8in CV8 works. In none of the above work,try any dcc decoder with an 8pin plug. Bachmann decoders aren't the best ones anyhow. Joe   

[Limey]

Hi guys,
             I think I have found the trouble, when I checked the truck pick ups on the tender they are wired correctly, however,
     when I put the ohm meter on the wheels to the board there is no response, likewise from the axles that the wipers are touching , no response. I checked the wire from the pickups to the board and that reads O.K.  but for some reason the wipers are not making good contact.  Yep tried the meter again, still no reading btn. the solder pad on the pickups and the wheels or axle. Is there some coating that Bachmann puts on those parts   they look O.K.
Limey.

[bapguy]

Use your OHM meter to check the axle. See if you get contennuity accross them.
You may try removing the outer axles and wiping them down with a cleaner. Then cafefully bend the wipers a little to make better contact on the axles. Joe

[Limey]

Hi Bapguy,
 
Before I got your last message I tried one more thing, I put the tender back together and set it on the track, turned the track power on ( It reads 12v. on the AC scale which is the output of my Zephyr.) Then I measured the voltage from the solder pads on the board where the track power comes into the board, 12v. AC. so that would indicate that the pickups ARE working. I tried this with the decoder connected and disconnected and got the same 12v. reading both ways.  So now I am thinking it is either a bad decoder or something wrong with the board.

          You mentioned about the decoder being set up for DC only, how would I check for that.

[bapguy]

See if you can read CV8. On most decoders setting a value of 8 to CV8 resets it to factory defaults. Try this. Also try and read CV29. Is your loco a 2 or 4 digit address? 2= 1 thru 127,4= 128 thru 9999. If 2 digit address CV29 for DC disable is 2, 3 for a 4 digit address. If this makes the loco run backwards add a 1 to the CV value: 3 for 2 digit adress or 35 for 4 digit adress. Hopefully this works or you have a bad decoder.  Joe   

[Limey]

I finally cracked it, I changed out the decoder for a Digitrax DH123 and every thing works great.
Thanks to all for suggestions. 
   Better have a word with the quality control boys Mr.Bachmann, this unit was brand new out of the box.

Regards Limey.

[railtwister]

Hi Limey,

Have you tried to reset the decoder to factory defaults? Your instruction sheet should tell how to do this. I've only had two bad decoders that resetting to factory defaults didn't fix, out of over 30. The two problem units were returned to the factory and exchanged for new replacements.

If you are going to do much decoder installing, you might want to keep a diesel loco with an NMRA 8 pin DCC socket near your workbench (one that you know works well) for testing problem decoders. I find this especially useful for working on locos with Blueline sound boards that don't always want to program in sync with the motor decoder.

Bill in FtL

[richg]

Is the loco from a LHS or private sale. It is a known fact that a decoder setup up for dual mode can cause a runaway when run under DCC. Quite a few users have run into this and blame the company.
Many times a decoder reset can take care of any problems. Many new users are quite clueless when it comes to DCC.
Two wire DC is a lot easier than seven or more wires and digital programing for DCC.

Rich

[utdave]

Rich     when you said runaway     does that mean  why sitting there it moves a few feett at a time with calling it .   i have one loco that does this  and leaves the yard and parks itself on the main .     then you know what happens   lol
Dave

[baldwinmikado]

 I have some what expierenced the same problem here. i purchased the same loco at a train show, had it tested in all before i made the purchase and all went well. this was about September of last year. the loco has worked just fine until now. 2 nights ago i had it on the track and it ran like a charm, the next morning i put it back on and well nothing. pretty much the same, no lights, no motor sound, no movement. I tried the possible solutions given, 9 volt to the drivers, tender pickups, i have even tried on dc track, and nothing. As of now i dont have any spare decoders to test. Should i send it to bachmann for possible repairs, or what? i have no clue what to do. Any help? 

[Limey]

Hi Baldwinmikado,
                             I still don't know what the problem was with my unit, but I thought it was a bad decoder so I swapped out the Bachmann decoder for a Digitrax  DH123P. and programmed it O.K.
     
  However,I reused the Bachmann decoder in another unit, a Bachmann F2B DCC Ready and it checked out O.K. too.

        I have a feeling that one of the wires on the 8 pin socket was not making a good connection as it came off when I was switching the decoder on the 2-8-4 and I had to re-solder it.

Regards, Limey.