Why does my HO engine not work?

[NS1202]

I have a DCC equipped FT-A engine from my Digital Commander train set.
I was runing the engine erlier and I turned the power off. When I tryed to run my engine later that day, it wouldn't work. But when I used it on a DC track it did run.

What is wrong with my engine?
can I fix it?

What should I do?

[WoundedBear]

After powering up your EZC.....try pressing button #3 once....then try the loco.

I'll bet it is still on default address 3 and when you first turn on the EZC it lights up address 1.

Sid

[NS1202]

Sid-
thats not the problem!!!!! I got the engine (in the Digital Commander train set) months ago, and I have already re-programed the engine to adress #1. it gust doesn't respond when I try to control it. The head lights wont even turn on.

[WoundedBear]

Sid-
thats not the problem!!!!!

Excitable little fella, ain't ya?

I got the engine (in the Digital Commander train set) months ago, and I have already re-programed the engine to adress #1. it gust doesn't respond when I try to control it. The head lights wont even turn on.

Seeing as how you just registered for these forums on the 4th, I wrongly assumed you may have just received your set for Xmas. I didn't realize you had so much experience. (BTW....it really annoys me when people sign up for these forums and don't provide one whit of information about themselves in their profiles)

I'll try another guess then.....2 actually....either you have a cracked/broken/loose/poor connection somewhere in a wire or you fried the decoder and need to send it back to Bachmann for warranty.

Anyone else care to hazard a guess?

Sid

[James Hail]

Maybe it needs reset and re-programed?......some decoders (cheap ones esp) can "loose" their settings when shorted ect right?

[kevin2083]

Something that I've done is that the red wire coming out of the controller was plugged in half-way. Looked for a good 30 minutes for the problem that took half a second to fix.

[CHUG]

Looks like you got a spooky engine. A couple of things might be going on but it could be the problem that you changed your engine away from channel 3. A guy in my club talked to a guy once who was a big wig at bachman and he said they set there stuff on channel 3 because it gets the best reception from the controller. So alot of the guys in my club run there bachman engines on 3 to keep it on the best channel. You might not be gitting good reception on channel 1. Are there any obstructions between your controller and any parts of the layout where the the enginge craps out.

[WoundedBear]

Uhhh.....wrong......I believe NMRA standards say ALL decoders default to address 3. Brand makes no difference.

Sid

[Guilford Guy]

I dunno sid, My friend got a pair of Atlas engines, and their factory addresses wer 07, and 10, while their roadnumbers were 307, and 310. I don't know if when you reset the decoder they went to 03, or 07/10.

[SteamGene]

I think the norm is 3, but I believe that somebody - Atlas, I think, used the cab number as the default address for awhile.
Now, how can two people on the same layout control their own locomotive when both are using 3 as their address? 
Gene

[CHUG]

Steamgene, they dont because they cant. You will need to get you an ez companion and change the channel on one of the engines before you and somebody else can run your engines at the same time on the same track. Let us know how you make out.

[SteamGene]

Chug,
Excuse me.  I use Digitrax.  I use cab numbers for the address- watching carefully, as some C&O cab numbers are close to VT&P cab numbers.  But I've already exceeded what EZ-Command can handle.  Watch your mechanics and grammar.  Your second "you" is redundant.
Gene

[CHUG]

Steamgene, no need to be excused. Im afraid it dont matter what kind of tracks you use or how close you watch or whether you got 2 channel three engines because you picked cab numbers or because you picked numbers out your fez, the answer to your question is the same you see. Hope this helps. Good luck with it.

[SteamGene]

Chug,
You get an "F" on this composition.  If you disagree, show it to your language arts teacher. 
Gene

[WoundedBear]

LMAO

You are taking notes, right, Gene?

Sid