Good Luck with replacing the headlight led. I had to tear down my brand new out of the box 2-6-6-2 after 45 minutes of running. The front trucks quit turning! But in tearing it down I did take notice of the front headlight led after all I had to cut the wires to the led to get to where I needed to go, but resoldered them when I put her back together and covered with heat shrink wrap. No other way! I do believe it is molded in the assembly. As I did my search on google to find out how to even find the screw that holds the boiler top on, I found this about the front led "[b]replacing the LED(light emitting diode)in the headlight, was real job!
One must remove the upper boiler shell, gain some slack in the wiring, and then
remove the pilot, to get to the LED, in the light casting! Ugh, what a job!
One must be very careful handling the loco, as most of the added on detail parts
are "VERY FRAGILE"! I broke the reverse linkage off the cylinders on the
engineer's side, just removing it from the plastic packaging! Also, I knocked
the "throttle" off the back head, getting the boiler shell off! I've got 50
years of modeling experience in HO, so be careful if you make the LED changes!"

My problem was it was brand new in the box I had for 3 or 4 years and never ran it, so I was sure if I sent it to Bachmann I wouldn't get it back for about 8 weeks. It was a huge job for my fix. Anyone trying or thinking they can remove the gear box covers to lube it is gonna be in for a big surprise. The wiper wires are also molded in the gear box covers and if you force it the wires pull out of the solder and you must strip it, and I mean all the wiring for the whole loco to fix it. I had to stripout all the wiring to get to the drivegear tower anyhow so resoldering the wires in the gear pan cover was not a problem at that point. The universal ball on the worm gear shaft on top of the tower was my problem. It just spun on the shaft. I saw no replacement part for it on the parts site here, so I used professional super glue for the fix. Most frustrating was the wiring, bachmann uses only black and red wires and all the wires are woven throughout the weight, with no slack., along with the detail parts falling off during my disassembly. But I got her all back together and all is fine, no parts left over, and it runs excellent.

But I did take notice of the front headlight led and even tried to take the screw out but it would not simply come apart. And thought to myself if it ever "burns out", it's gonna stay out, too much to take apart to fix it.

If you're using EZ Command try turning it on with the function then number 10 key! Hope that's all it is for you! Jim

Hey thanks Tom, I tried soundtraxx a while ago looking for these connections, but after your post I did a google search for soundtraxx harness/ socket and found it. I used the wrong wording for my google search before. That's a good one too! bookmarked it! Jim

http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/Images/DBX-9000.jpg

   
I guess another respected member  a different site who's been doing it wrong!

Re: Bachmann E-Z Track Turnout Reliability
jeffrey-wimberly replied on Sat, Apr 24 2010 8:20 PM  Reply 

I use Bachmann EZ-Track on my own layout, incuding several #4 and #5 turnouts. The track connecting to the turnout must be level in relation to the turnout. Do not lay the turnout right after a curve. You'll get a derailment almost every time. There must be a section of track level with the turnout before the start or end of a grade. Many of the turnouts have a blunt end on the point rail. File this with a fine file so it becomes flush with the stock rail. If the point rail doesn't quite reach the stock rail (known to happen) you can bend the end of the point rail slightly so that it does. If the frog seems a little high (another common problem) it can be filed down the height of the rails. I've used all these to correct the problems as best I can and I rarely have a derailment due to turnout problems.

And one more, enough said!

Bachmann turnouts blunt point fix
The sharp point rails...place a wooden matchstick between the point and the stock rail against which they lie so that the point is held away from the stock rail.  Pressing lightly with a thumb, keep the point rail against the match, which is butted against the inner stock rail face, and using a small metal needle file, begin a series of long gentle strokes with the file held at a very shallow angle to the tip.  You are stroking from the frog toward the tip and beyond.  Your aim is to file that tip to a very thin blade.  In doing this, you may improve any narrow gauge sufficiently that nothing else needs to be done, but you will also reduce the probability of any one flange picking the blunt point and lifting the entire truck or engine off the rails.

One or all of these things is the problem, assuming that all your wheels on the rolling items are in gauge...also verifiable with your trusty NMRA gauge.

-Crandell

Jim

I still have a few of those turnouts I bought 8 years ago brand new in the box. If I find them I'll post a picture of what I'm talking about, that perhaps you've never seen! Jim

And this is one of the guru's on this site, who I truly have a great deal of respect for from 7 years ago who posted this response, so I guess he's filing the wrong piece of track too! I removed his name with all do respect1
   Re: EZ track turnout problems, fixes
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2011, 12:21:32 AM »  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HH-

You can also file just the tiniest bit off of where the points touch the railheads. This will allow a knife thin edge to nestle flush with the railhead and eliminate any point picking in the future. The trick is to have exceedingly thin points to begin with and then remove a mere whisker of the stock rail. If you can see what you removed from more than a foot or so you took too much.

Well yea I am very serious, using a jewerly file and carefully filing worked for me, it's tight but I WOULD NEVER, EVER FILE WHERE THE WHEEL FLANGES CONTACT THE RAIL!

All your doing by filing the inside is widening the track space out of spec, if you file too much especially at the points. Well maybe if you saw the flat point that stuck out at the point, and believe me it wasn't simply "picking the point", it derailed like hitting a brick wall, you may have changed your opinion of where to file it. Like I said, I haven't had a failure with the Bachmann turnouts for 7 years. It could be you never used Bachmann turnouts! I don't know that!

If I could find the thread from 7 years ago on here and what was recommended is what I did and like I said never had a problem since!
Hey file yours wherever you like, seriously! Jim

Quote from: richg on March 06, 2012, 07:25:41 PM
I believe a question about this part has popped up in the past. Some here might be interested in this part for a DCC bash project.
I do know I have bought the matching connectors with attached wires in the past.

http://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_68_154&products_id=851

Rich

ME TOO......I've purchased 2 of matching connectors with the attached wires. For $15.00 it's worth it for the sockets. I enjoy converting the older especially steam  analog loco's to DCC.  Bachmann seems the only one that I know of that makes this connection available, though Braodway Limited, I own 3 steamers from them, use the same concept of the sockets attached to the tender. Otherwise the plug and socket for those wires hang between the connections and can be troublesome if the wires aren't sort of just the right length, and it just don't look good either. I thind if carefull enough I can cut the square hole in the tender with a dremel in order to fit the socket and CA it in place, I have to try it, I think it will work. Jim

I mentioned in my post about filing points on the Bachmann turnouts, switch's, whichever you choose to call them, they are the EZ Track switch's, I might add they have been on my layout subway for 7 years without a problem whatsoever with the exception of derailment when I first installed them. I came on this site and saw what was talked about with the point being cut square, I simply carefully filed the outside of the diverging rail point where the point lays against the stock rail, problem solved! NEVER FILE THE INSIDE OF THE POINT where the wheel flange rides!
Jim

The only problem I had with EZ track, track, was the points on their turnouts, simply filed them to a point, problem solved!

But I do believe that some problems have more to do with other things such as plastic wheels, guys who don't tune up the trucks with an appropriate  truck turning tool,  http://www.micromark.com/ho-truck-tuner,8241.html and sloppy truck to bolster fit either too loose or too tight or the real cheap push in type, and lubing axle points with grease or oil. Dry fine graphite is the appropriate lube!

Though the most common cause of derailments and unwanted uncoupling are cheap built couplers with plastic springs (not gonna mention the best), coupler height, trip pin clearance.

Only serious minded modelers even have or use the NMRA gauge, and though I do use the gauge I haven't found too many out of spec wheels, but I have found wheeels that turn on the axle with great disapointment because these were expensive cars, $40.00 each. but it is one of the things I check when I have a problem with any rolling stock or engine. I personally haven't found the track out of spec to the extent that it created a problem, and usually isn't, except with certain older Atlas snap switch's and older Atlas turnouts. But even those weren't hard to fix.

There are so many varibles that can cause derailment and poor train performance but still be a perfectionist when you lay track that's the start of trouble free railroading.
Jim

WOW what I know about wire color codes is this. The yellow wire usually is for the rear light. The blue wire is generally a common wire, probably for the smoke unit, but it used for headlight, rear light, or other functions, but like I said maybe the smoke unit since it doesn't work. The gray wire normally is the ground wire for the motor.

Well now....Did you try a factory reset even though they should be on 03 or 3. To do this put one loco on the track at a time, hold down button 3 and the big red stop button at the same time, the red led should flash. Let go of both buttons. Push button 3, the loco should jump sort of, and you should be good to go. The lights should come on using the function button, then 10, should turn the lights on and off.

The sound loco's try the same procedure only after you programmed to 3, push the function button and turn off the sound by pushing button 8. Just to see if they run with just the motor on. You may very well be using all your 1 amp of power for those sound features, let us know!

I don't understand why you're using the resistor across the track, you best not do that unless your programing cv's. If your using EZ Command, you can't program cv's any how. The only programming you can do with EZ Command is an address 1-9 and consisting.


Don't have both the DC power pack and Bachmann DCC hooked up the same time!
Jim

I assume your talking EZ Command. You can't "program" anything with EZ. The only program that can be done with this basic system is assigning a #1-9 for your loco's, and consisiting. For the Soundbug you need a friend or maybe a local hobby shop that can change cv 60. I have EZ command now for 7 years and the way I do it is I purchased the Digitrax Decoder Pro3 and downloaded the JMRI program. The PR3 cost about $75.00. JMRI is a free software download.  The PR3 also contains the Soundloader which you can use to erase the default program and download a few choices on the Soundloader web page. Not many at this time to choose from. The PR3 is an interface connected to a program track 2' long and your computer. You will also need to purchase a 14 volt power pack for about $15.00 that plugs into the PR3.

You can however upgrade your Bachmann system to Bachmann Dyanamis along with the Bachmann Pro Box and then yolu can program cv's. Or upgrade to a complete other DCC system to program cv's.

Note about programming with Bachmann Dynamis
Programming some of the more common cv's is difficult, since you need to know the actual cv numbers. the Dynamis requires that you know the numbers for them. While not a huge issue, the basic Dynamis system cannot read cv's from decoders. To do that, you need to get the Pro Box
Jim

Yup Rich it is a Bachmann! And thanks I know of the yahoo groups, but I didn't join the aformentioned product specific group.. I really don't think I'll be using that product again for hardwire, I'll stick with what I know and experienced works for me! Thanks Rich anyhow! Jim

Quote from: Yardmaster on March 04, 2012, 05:36:06 PM
Does NCE have an online forum to discuss their products?

Oh geeez! I'm sorry Yardmaster for posting about problems I had with another company's products just giving a heads up to other MRR's. I was however pleased with the performance of the decoder in spite of the extra work involved! I guess I should have mentioned it was in an older Bachmann loco that I kind of made new again, it is a good runner! It won't happen again! jim

Yea Rich I did just that, I sent them an email!
Jim

Go for it, like you say it's a beginning and a learning experience. But don't get discouraged if it don't go right. Some people swear by MRC and others swear at them. Jim