speed controller smoking

[traindad2]

Hi, I bought my son the Durango & Silverton e-z for his birthday. Immediately after plugging in the control & beginning to run the train, the controller started smoking terribly & as we live in Australia & this was bought brand new on eBay Im not sure what to do. Can it be fixed or can I get a replacement from a local hobby store?

[brokemoto]

These things are designed to operate on 120 volt AC.  Is your house current 110 or 220 volts in Australia? 
If you plugged it into a 220 volt outlet, that would explain the smoking.

If you will go to a local hobby store, you can buy a replacement power supply.  Odds are that it would not be a B-mann power supply, but other power supplies will work with the B-mann set.  Explain your problem to the dealer and he will tell you what to do.    You might have to do some surgery to the wiring, but it is not difficult.

[traindad2]

thanks Moto, that would make sense.

I've not had a reply from the US dealer and doubt I will. A local store can set up a replacement for $50-100 but I have no idea if the speed controller will still function or if I need to replace that also...
A bit of a headache all round 

I've contacted Bachmann via their request form & will let all you Bach Men know what their response is, hopefully its a positive one.

[brokemoto]

The newest version of the B-mann trainset power pack is similar to the Kato.  It has a transformer that you plug into the wall.  Once the transformer steps down the voltage, it sends the AC to a rectifier, which transforms it to DC.  The DC then goes through the speed controller.

If you go to your local hobby store and buy  a new power pack designed to run on 220 volts, it should come with a built-in speed controller.   I would assume that hobby stores in Australia do sell power packs to operate DC model trains.  Fifty to One Hundred bananas US sounds about right for a good power pack.  I do not know the exchange rate $AUS to $US.

I am not sure who the manufacturers of the power packs are in Europe or Australia.  I know the American manufacturers (some of those are really made in China, but some are made in the USA, still).  I do not know if the American manufacturers make power packs for sale in Europe or Australia.  I do know that there are adapters out there, so that you can run appliances designed for use in the USA or Canada on 220 volt current.  Thus, if you do get the same thing as a replacement, simply buy an adapter and use it.   I am assuming that the house current in Australia is 220V AC, not DC.   It would be difficult to transmit DC over the great distances in Australia.   If your house current is, in fact, DC, that could make it smoke, as well.