Trying to find a replacement board for my 2-6-6-2

[Chesticus]

Hello Mr. Bachmann.
I have an H-4 2-6-6-2 with a Vanderbuit tender. I was having power pick up problems with it so I took it apart to see if there was a loose wire. It turns out it is a bad board. That is the easy part...

1) The has DCC and sound. It has a sound module that plugs in to this board. The sound is fine. It is the board that it plugs into that needs to be replaced.

2) Here is the odd part. I ahve worked with 4 Bachmann engines that have had these plug in sound modules, but they all had 8 pin plugs. This thing has a plu g with 21 pins.

3) I talked to the guy from Bachman at the big train show this weekend in Ontario California. He said that board is only used in engines that are from Europe. I don't know if this is true, but it does have 21 pins and I have never seen it before. Also, it is an undecorated version with a Vanderbuilt tender. This might be why. But I did buy it on line from an America hobby shop. Ofcourse, I am assuming that it was. It was on line.

4) The board has these numbers on it H826Y # PCB02. Also, while I am not sure this matters, I also found LEDXX # 10136.

5) If I can get the correct board this will be an easy fix. Or if I can get a new board with an 8 pin board and module and trade what I have with you guys that would be great too.

I really do not want to pull all of this out and place a new $120 system into this engine if I can help it.

Thanks. Love this little engine, and I want to get it back up and running.

Jim Lowery

[richg]

I am curious what you mean by, "board that needs to be replaced"?

Is this , new, out of the box from a reputable supplier or private sale?

Have you tried contacting the Parts department? Email or Phone?

Rich

[Chesticus]

I bought it from an online store.

It was new when I bought it.

But it is about three years old.

There are two borads in this engines tender. There is the plug in sound module, and the board the module plugs into.

I did contact parts, but they refered me to a non vanderbuilt tender, and did not respond to me e mail when I tried to point this out.

I think I will ahve to just swallow the $100 and by a new sound traxx decoder and install it. I am not happy about, but I may just have to do it.

But we will see.

[richg]

Interesting about the Vanderbilt tender. I did see in the Parts page a tender for this loco but not the Vandy tender. It has the 8 pin PC board.

What is the issue with the PC board in the loco? You have not given any details about the PC board.
That should be solvable for you unless the PC board is broke or one of the 21 pins is broke off.

Rich

[West Bound]

Do you have the sound module plugged in the top of the board or the bottom of the board?

[Chesticus]

The problem...

Where the 2 wires come into the tender from the engine the wire that is labed "L" is attatched to the board faollow under neath the entire length of the board that feads power to the next section has detathced from the board. While I can try to jump this section to the location of the "L" coming from the tender, I cannot be sure that other sections of the board are not damaged.

Prior to removal, the engine still worked, and the sound still worked. At this point the engine is dead. The sound module seems to be fine, but this board seems bad.

Not a tough fix if I can get the board. Otherwise I will have to buy a new decoder. But it what it is.

[Chesticus]

Also there is only one way to plug this module into the afore mentioned board.

[West Bound]

I have 2 of these locos. There is a smaller board piggybacked on top of the main board located on the front or coal bunker end of of the tender. The sound module is plugged in on the undrside of the piggybacked board. I had mine apart to repair the plug between tender and loco. When I put it back together I plugged the module on top of the board and nothing worked. I thought I had messed up the plug. I opened up the other tender and discovered the sound module was upside down. After a reset everthing worked ok. Hope this sounds like the one you have and this helps. - John

[Chesticus]

Well I have the board rewired and the sound is responding. I placed the tender back onto the engine and it is working now. And yes I do have module plugged in correctly now. That was a problem before.

BUT NOW THE GEARS ARE BINDING IN THE DRIVE SYSTEM. MAN IT IS ONE THING AFETER ANOTHER.

FUNNY!

I will go to the exploded view of the set up tomorrow. Why is it a simple fix always turns into the third level of hell with me?

Thanks

Jim Lowery

[Chesticus]

Well this has been a fun thread. THE ENGINE IS BACK TOGETHER AND RUNNING FINE.

1) The electrical problem was the board. The left pickup from the engine was "toast". So I wired a jumper around the bad section of the board. Pick up is fine now.

2) The front drivers were suddenly grinding. This wa odd as it was perfect when I palced it in the box and sent it off. I pulled the engine apart... Glad I did. Many of the wires were "frayed." I had to replace and fix many of the wires I encountered. The screw holding the front drive wheels on was loose causing the drive shaft to bind. That was the easy fix...

3) due to the binding, the "slide for the piston" became bent. While trying to fix IT BROKE OFF. Terrifying! My only recourse was to try and attach it with CA. I have some really strong stuff, and it is holding just fine. In the future I will get some parts and replace it the correct way.

4) This has been a great learning experience. I ahve a 2-10-2 that is not working. I think instead of sending it in I might try to fix this myself.

Anyway that is my update... Oh, my next work on this engine will be to turn it into a Souther Pacific MM-2 or 5.

Now that I know how to take this thing apart, that will be a fun project.

Jim Lowery