2-10-0 PRoblem and fix

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

I recently figured out why my 2-10-0 was dead and overloading the powerpack.

Reason: The contacts touching the axles causing a short.

Fix: Peice of electrical tape around each side to insulate it from the wheel, or just tape the contacts up so they do not touch the axle. Runs fine now although the headlight appears to be a little dim(unde version)

To access the contacts just remove the plate holding the axles in place. The contacts are attached to each other via a peice of brass? to the wires that goes into the tender.

[trainstamp]

Wow, that was my problem too!. Thanks for the tip. If I hadn't read your post, I wouldn't have thought to check this out. My engine ran fine on DC but when I installed a DCC decoder it promptly burned "them" out. I was all set to buy a new set of drivers because I was getting a short indication between the chassis and one of the drivers.

When I removed the bottom cover plate that holds the drive wheels in place, I discovered that the little brass electrical strips were bowed out to where they were touching the axle of the middle driver, thereby causing the short. What I did to correct this was to super glue them back to the plate. If that doesn't hold then I will figure out something else. For now, it has fixed the problem. Many thanks for your post. I suspect that there may be many more engines out there with this problem.
Richard

[r.cprmier]

On the dim headlight: 
You can vary the headlight's top-end capacity to your satisfaction by changing the whole to a "yellow-glo" type LED, and the  resistance to suit your choice of light intensity.  I have found this to be a really good way to go in a lot of applications, besides headlamps.  I am building a coaling tower, and (am waiting for) the LEDS I am using for the general illumination will be white with a blue tint, as a carbon arc lamp will give a light colour similar to that.  HOWEVER:  I used two yellowglo under the tower where the chutes are to give a rather dim illumination that would simulate a typical incondescent lamp fixture with a reflector.  The resistors are about 750-Ohm 1/4-watt, run at about 5VDC.  it looks eerie, spooky, grungy and really good.  Now, if I can just get my hands on that other order, I can get the lights on the tower wired in, the tower assembled, the sound speakers under the whole shebang, and away I go!!

The Old Reprobate

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

The headlamp shines brightly but its just getting the light from teh bulb to the lense which i put on top of the smoke box to  be more like a B&O Locomotive.(Which is in B&O lettering to probably get a small vanderbuilt tender)

[ta152h0]

looks like i am going to have a need for a short track ( no pun intended ) to check for shorts before frying my DCC power system. ( I already smoked one ) I also have the 2-10-0 . Powewr up a 12v lightbulb in series with the track, and if the locomotive shorts out, the light shoud " incandess " i don't know the german compound word for that scenario. 

may I submit " acht du lieber schienenscheisskraputt "