Troubleshooting Help for HO EZ-Track Train Set

[NewNWModelTrain]

My son has loved trains forever and finally for his 13th birthday last week he got a Bachmann EZ-Track Pacific Flyer set (HO).  Both he and I (his father) are new to model trains.  When we set it up, we were not able to get the thing operational.  I have searched the internet and found a few helpful videos and done some troubleshooting, but we are stuck!  Here is what I have tried so far.

1.  With a multimeter, I have verified the AC/DC wall adapter is working and there is current (17 V output).

2.  With a 9V battery, I tested the train engine and it worked.  I also used a 9V battery with the engine on the tracks, and it took worked.

3.  When I plug the adapter into the control box, there is a red light that is illuminated.  I do not know how to test the output thought the control box, or what to look for when I unscrew the back of it.

4.  The red wires that connect between the track and control box seem to be fine on inspection.  Again, I have no way of knowing it is or is not carrying a current.

He bought the set new online.  We live more than 1 hour away from the nearest model train place.  Any tips/tricks or things to try to make the set work for my son would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

[Fred Klein]

It sounds as though the problem lies in the connection from the controller to the track. Since this is a set, I'm going to assume that you have the standard beige EZ-Track controller with the big knob on top, and the red wire which connects the controller with the track. If my memory is correct, the red wire has a phone plug that plugs into the controller and a flat plug that plugs into the power-feeder track section. As it turns out, on newer EZ-Track, it takes a lot of force to insert the flat plug far enough into the track for it to make a connection. So you may just  want to take that section of track (usually a re-railer section) by itself and try inserting the plug with some force (almost to the point of hurting your fingers) and then connect the multimeter to both rails and see if you can read voltage across the track by turning the speed control knob on the controller. Sometimes, you may have to wiggle the flat plug while pushing on it to get it to seat correctly. Personally, I would not open up the controller box. You can check just the wire by plugging it into the controller and connecting your multimeter directly to the flat plug while varying the voltage by turning the knob. If all of this fails, since the set is new and under warranty, you may want to contact Bachmann's tech support for additional help. Hope this helps.

[bbmiroku]

You can always take a regular screwdriver with a plastic, rubber, or nylon handle and see if you can get a spark from the end of the connector that plugs into the track.
If you get a spark there, and it still doesn't want to power the track after jamming it in tight, you might have to turn it into a universal track connector. By which I mean clipping the little black box off, stripping the wire, and placing the ends of the wire on the electrical connectors before sliding another piece of rail into it.

[jward]

Are you telling him to loosen the rail joiners and shoehorn the wire inside the joiner? That's going to cause trouble down the road, especially if the track is taken apart and reassembled. Loose rail joiners are a major cause of the trains not running right in the first place.