Dear Friends:

Thank you; I checked the tender truck alignment. It is as it should be, per Roger. So I finally got this puzzle solved and the loco running. Removed the bottom drive wheel retaining plate from the loco and found that one of the copper wipers which is part of the copper bus on the inside of the bottom plate, and which contacts the drive wheels, was not quite aligned correctly and was shorting to ground. Tweaked the copper wiper very carefully - boy these are delicately made - reinstalled and guess what? No more problems and the loco runs great! still a mystery though as to why the loco ran in the hobby store and not when I got home - was very careful in handling at all times!

Thanks again to all!

Will (Wincoll)

Hi SGTC:

Thanks for the suggestion; but the trucks on this tender cannot physically swing. Also, the insulated wheel hubs on each tender truck are on opposite sides from the front truck to the back truck. I believe this is the correct configuration.

Thanks again,

Will (Wincoll)

Hi Joe and Roger:

Again, many thanks for your ongoing feedback and recommendations. Your info, Roger, is not very encouraging! - but I guess I shouldn't make impulse purchases while on vacation! I think I will proceed with sending the loco back to Bachmann for repair.

To answer Joe's question about track voltage etc., I don't know as I only ever got the loco moving once, and on each subsequent occasion the power supply circuit breaker trips as soon as I engage the throttle.

Thanks again, and happy railroading to all!

Will (Wincoll)

Hi Joe:

Thanks for this further update. I really appreciate your persistence in helping me identify the problem with this loco. At this point I think I'm going to ship it back to Bachmann for warranty repair.

Thank you again, and happy railroading!

Will (Wincoll)

Hi Joe and Richard:

Thank you both for your further replies and suggestions. Sounds like my power supply is maxed out when I start the loco thus causing the circuit breaker to trip. I greatly appreciate your help and will start with the motor amp draw test, and if it is close to power supply capacity then obtain a larger capacity power supply as I'm expanding the layout anyway. I like Rich's idea of the two volt ohm meters wired up to measure voltage and amperage simultaneously - probably find something at Radio Shack as there're having closing sales.

I'll let you know how I make out in a few days.

Thank you again.

Will (Wincoll)

Hi All:

Thanks for your continued suggestions. Still no luck, though the loco did finally run half way round an 8 x 4 oval then the power supply circuit breaker tripped. No more action. Starts momentarily and then the breaker trips.

Regarding the tender trucks, I believe they are correctly aligned as they could not rotate without breaking the truck bodies. I'm pretty certain that power for this loco comes from the tender trucks as each truck is "hot" to the opposite track.

Here are the ohm readings that Joe requested, front to back:

Left side:
first drive wheel to front 2 wheel truck - open
first drive wheel to second drive wheel - 0.9 ohms
first drive wheel to third drive wheel - 2.5 ohms
first drive wheel to fourth drive wheel - 1.5 ohms
first drive wheel to fifth drive wheel - 1.9 ohms
first drive wheel to first tender truck wheels - 2.5
first drive wheel to second tender truck wheels - open

Right side:
first drive wheel to front 2 wheel truck - open
first drive wheel to second drive wheel - 1.1 ohms
first drive wheel to third drive wheel - 1.1 ohms
first drive wheel to fourth drive wheel - 0.9 ohms
first drive wheel to fifth drive wheel - 1.0 ohms
first drive wheel to first tender truck wheels - open
first drive wheel to second tender truck wheels - 1.7 ohms

I am using a "Tech II Railpower 1400" power supply with 14 vdc and 18 vac (for switches) and a total capacity of 13 VA. No other power is utilized when I'm trying to run this loco, and I have good voltage at the track (14.4 vdc).

Any further thoughts, or should I return to Bachmann for repair? Can't really go back to the hobby shop as I bought the loco in Maine and live in Connecticut.

Thanks to all for your thoughtful replies - much appreciate the suggestions.

Will (Wincoll)

Dear Joe:

Many thanks for your reply. Regarding my volt ohm meter - it is a commercial grade digital Fluke (manufacturer) model, accurate and calibrated.
With the tender connected I get these continuity readings across each pair of loco drive wheels, starting with the front pair: 6.5 ohms, 7.5 ohms, 13 ohms, 6 ohms and 7.5 ohms. I'm thinking that this is a problem. If I put the tender on the track on its own the rear reverse light comes on with the power pack reversing switch thrown, and the power pack circuit breaker does not trip. Anytime the loco is on the track the circuit breaker trips.
Any further suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you so much!

Hi RAM:

Many thanks for your reply. I believe the tender trucks are correctly aligned. The loco does not run at all and as soon as I place the loco on the track and start to increase the throttle control the dc power pack circuit breaker trips out. Really strange since it ran fine on the test track in the hobby shop. Any further thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I just purchased this model, a DCC ready Russian Decapod. it ran fine on the test track in the hobby shop, but it won't run on my old dc layout at home. It seems that the five large engine drive wheels short out the power supply and pass current directly from one track to the other. (I checked with a volt-ohm meter.) Any thoughts please?