DCC vs DC

[EBT17]

I did change the wheelsets as they show on the diagram from Yampa Bob and the problem still exists. The confusing part is that when I place the loco on the tracks, it acts as if there is a short, but when I apply power leads to the loco when it is on its side, it acts as if there is an open between the rear tender truck and the drivers.

[Yampa Bob]

Did you trace the wiring from the tender trucks to the PC Board? Note in the diagram that all right wheel pickups/wiring (loco and tender) must lead to one input terminal, all left wheel wiring to the other input terminal. If the wiring is wrong, you will have a dead short. 

[EBT17]

All the wiring is correct that I can see. There was a broken wire on the rear truck which I fixed. If I lay the loco on its side and touch leads to a tender truck and the corrasponding drivers, the drivers turn very nice. If I place the loco just over the track and lower it gently so there is no weight on the track, the drivers run well, but as soon as I put the full weight of the loco on the track, it shorts out.

[Yampa Bob]

If you are touching one lead to a driver, and the other lead to the same rail tender wheel, you should have a dead short.

Remove the tender pickup wipers by removing one wheelset on each truck, take the wipers off, then replace wheels. Be sure the two connector plugs between loco and tender are firmly seated.  The loco should run using only driver wiper pickups. If it does, note if the loco direction corresponds to the forward/reverse indicator on the controller.

Keep us posted on the results. It may require an Ohmmeter to find the problem.

[EBT17]

I have removed the tender pickup wipers, and the loco does run on its own 10 feet. It does run in the proper direction according to the power pack and my other locos. It does not take turnouts very well at slow speeds because it only has driver pickup. What do you think the problem is with the tender pickup?

[richG]

Here is some wiring info by Yampa Bob. If you it trace out, you can see where a short can occur.
So far, it seems like the locos are wired correctly. The problem is in the tender.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,7439.0.html

Get out your soldering iron and make sure you have a multimeter for trouble shooting.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php?action=search2

I think some people are tiring of this issue. It is showing up a lot with different subject so many new people miss or only read what interest them. Bob and a couple others have discussed the Spectrum steamer not running issue. I almost quit answering this issue but I got some cheese to go with my whine and all is well now.

Rich