2-10-0 shorting problem

[LarrySmith]

I have just received a new Spec HO 2-10-0 unlettered #81701 that ran beautifully for a whole day - no problems.  I then installed the head light and tender light, and now the engine is dead.  Through limited testing, I determined that there is a short circuit in the engine, the tender is fine.  Is this the problem described in the Feb. forum about a wiper shorting the rear drive wheel axle?  If it is I do not want to take a brand new engine apart and start soldering on PC boards to make it run.  I do not have the equipment and my hands are not as steady as they once were.

This is the third 2-10-0 I purchased.  At least it ran for a while before quiting.  My first two were dead when I received them and are now at Bachmann for repair at 8+ weeks.  While I was hoping to get 3-5 2-10-0 engines for my fleet, 3 duds in a row make this seem unlikely.  I was wondering if I could trade them in to Bachmann for 2-8-0 engines, I have these and they work great.

Anyhow, if someone could say where they think the short circuit is in the engine I would appreciate it.  If it involves soldering boards then this engine will have to go back to Backmann and join the first two.

Sincerely,
Larry

[cmgn9712]

This is easy. Go back and cut out the lights you installed. If the short goes away, you did something wrong. If these have a circuit board, you are hooked to the wrong place.

[CJCrescent]

This is easy. Go back and cut out the lights you installed. If the short goes away, you did something wrong. If these have a circuit board, you are hooked to the wrong place.

This is good advice. If something was working prior to a change, and now it doesn't work, go back and undo the change. If a circuit board is involved, could you have bridged across some terminals with solder?

[morrisf]

I strongly suspect that your addition of lights is nothing more than a coincidence with the shorting problem.

These engines (the ones without sound) have a design problem with the pickup system that's held in place by the cover plate under the drivers.

Bachmann may not be in a position to fix this quickly, because the problem can not be solved by replacing the locomotive; rather, some sort of a thin insulation sheet must be installed between the bronze wiper system on the cover plate and the axles. (This is what remedied the problem with the sound versions).

If you're real handly, you can do this yourself with some clear plastic sheet (such as that used for windows) and a modelers knife. And if you're quite good, you may be able to do this with less time and effort than to pack up the engine for return to Bachmann.


Morris

[oldline1]

Larry,

If the engine ran fine when you first got it but has a short after adding the headlight and backup lights it sounds like you did something wrong. Why did you add the lights? I have 5 of the Bachmann Russians and they all came with lights factory installed. I have one of the undecs, 3 WM and one Susy Q.

All 5 of mine run fine and have been perfect right out of the boxes. I have had none of the problems everyone seems to have with shorting and drive bands.

Sending it back to Bachmann is probably your best bet.

Roger

[martin_lumber]

My 2-10-0 had the same problem. By saying that by him installing lights (better ones than Bachmann has) caused the problem, just says that you don't know what the problem is.

My 2-10-0 ran for a while when I got it, and then stopped running. When I hit it, uhhh, tapped it a few times, it ran again. It would repeativly have this problem. It seamed that the wiper was shorting out on the blind driver for some reason. What did I do? I cut them off. Never had the problem again.

I'm not saying that you should do this, as you could mess something up with the engine.

The engine does have less pick-ups, so you might have to clean the track a little more often--something you should do anyways.

More on the light issue--Why does the Shay have a square headlight, the Climax have a orange headlight, and the 4-6-0 have a blue headlight? The 2-10-0 is the best so far, with having a white(r) headlight

Phil

[DUCKY01]

This is from a previous thread concerning the shorting problem with the
Bachmann 2-10-0 Decapod. I have two of them, both undecorated.
The first unit has run flawlessly since it's purchase. The second one
developed the shorting problem only after a few hours of operation.
I isolated the "short" to the locomotive by unpluging the two connector
plug (red and black wires) that connects the loco and the tender. This
is the rail pick-up from both sides of the wheels. It is also the same
feed from the wheel "wipers", or track pick-up via the wheels. There
are two pick-up rails that are attached to the bottom cover. Inside this
cover, the red and black wires attach to the pick-up rails via solder. These
solder joints are what are causing your loco to short out. As an Electronic
Technician, I was able to resolder the connections, with less solder, as well
as file down the connection so it would not short out against the loco's
frame. Add a small, thin piece of electrical tape over the solder connections
and carefully reinstall the cover plate (aligning the wiper "fingers" as you go) and you should be able to run the loco without it "shorting out"

[Ohmisterporter]

My new 2-10-0 has just the pick up problems described by morrisf. And the cure he suggested works for me! The problem seems to be that the contact strips are slightly too long, which causes them to be bowed upwards in the middle when fixed in place at the factory.
To make a suitable insulating shim I first cut one out of paper, it's cheaper than plastic sheet when trying something for the first time. Cut it to fit inside the cover plate and cut out sections to avoid the location screw bosses and strips up the centreline of the cover. Once I had installed this and found it worked, I used it as a template to cut one out of 0.010" plastic card, the only thickness I had to hand. Be carefull not to bend or damage the contact strips when re-assembling the cover plate.
With this in place the loco runs like a dream. Thanks morrisf and everyone else with sound advice on this forum.
Geoff.

[Yampa Bob]

Larry
I am a bit confused (as usual).  I read the listing in the catalog, it just says "operating headlight"...was the light separate in the box?  That seems odd.

Since  you have done some work on it, you probably can't get a refund, and will just have to send it back to Bachmann.   May I ask where you bought it?

This is the reason I only buy locos from Tower Hobbies.  I have had 3 defective Bachmann locos, 2 out of the  box, the third going bad after a few days.  Within 30 days after purchase Tower will replace the defective item, even send a prepaid UPS label, or just give you a refund, even if  you change  your mind and don't want it.  No questions, no hassle.   I don't know of any other source that has this guarantee, most just say send it back to the factory. 

During the first 20 days or so, I check everything.  Of course after the 30 days it then has to go to Bachmann. 

I have not seen anyone else recommending Tower and I don't understand why.   They are not just an airplane and car source anymore, they have a full line of Bachmann and Atlas, although Bachmann seems to be in stock better.  Their pricing is as good or better than other so called discount houses.  I have been dealing with them for 37 years without a single complaint.

Bob