Bachman Santa Fe Engine. No power to the wheels.

[monte1000]

I have had a Bachman Santa Fe Engine for 3 years.  All of a sudden it has stopped working.  There is power in the track, as the engine light works.  I have taken it apart and cleaned it , but still no power to the wheels?  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[dutchbuilder]

The light works so the wheels pick up power, as in electricity and not motive power.
See if you can get the motor working by applying a direct voltage to the motor.
If it doesn't turn , you found the problem.
If it does the problem is somewhere between the motor and the wheels.

Ton

Btw, before you start tearing the locomotive up, is it DC or DCC?

[monte1000]

Thanks for the reply. How do I apply direct voltage to the motor?  It is DCC.  Thanks agains

[ACY]

My opinion is that your problem is not at all with your motor. Your problem is either with your DCC decoder or with your wiring.
I suspect you possibly have a loose or broken wire somewhere, so check the wires going between the engine and the tender, check the wires going to the drive wheels and tender wheels. Also check to make sure a wire didn't become unsoldiered from the board or decoder. The last thing to check is that the decoder isn't damaged.
Good luck

[monte1000]

The decoder is fine.  My other engine works great on both tracks.  Wiring checked as well.  All good.  I will check the wires in the engine.  Can you buy new boards for these engines, or is it better to just buy a new engine?  Thanks very much!

[RAM]

Each locomotive has a decoder. 

[dutchbuilder]

You say the decoder is fine.
How do you know when the motor is not turning over?
Have you tried resetting the decoder?
Setting CV8 to 8.
the locomotive address will revert to 3.
Fault finding is a process of eliminating, what's left is probably the offending article.

Ton

[ACY]

Here is my advice to determine if the decoder is faulty...
Take the decoder out of the other locomotive you have and put it in the locomotive that won't run. Put the decoder from the locomotive that won't run into the locomotive that will run. Depending on which locomotives run will tell you if you have a problem with the decoder or if it is something else.