New Train Not Working Properly

[flow0440]

Hi-

Purchased a new n-scale set-up for my son for Christmas. Bachmann n-scale ez-track with an existing EZ Command DCC controller.

Newly purchased locos are EMD GP7 DCC on-board and ALCO 2-6-0 DCC on-board.

ALCO functions fine, but the EMD is not working properly. Whenever the controller is powered on, the EMD moves forward about 3-6 inches and stops and there is a constant humming sound. Will not respond to DCC control ( no movement, lights, etc..) on default ch3 or accept programming to any other channel.

Would appreciate any idea.

Thanks

[Ken G Price]

Sounds as if the GP7 is a DC engine. The box says DCC on board and not DCC ready?
DCC ready means there is a place for a decoder, but one is not installed.

If this is not the problem, then check for something caught in the gears or wheel set.
Do not run on track set on a carpet as lent from said carpet can get into the wheel truck assemblies.

And all of us that use DCC know that some times the decoder is faulty, even on a new engine.  Been there, done that.

[flow0440]

Advertised as doc on board and says that on bottom of loco. Don't see anything in gears...thinking mechanical problem is ruled out due to running a few inches each time it's powered on.

[Ken G Price]

Advertised as doc on board and says that on bottom of loco. Don't see anything in gears...thinking mechanical problem is ruled out due to running a few inches each time it's powered on.

I have had this problem more then once. So these are the things I check out.

All it takes is a very small piece of debris in one of the gears that you can see and those you can not. The parts diagram shows that here are 5 gears in the truck assemblies.
And since it goes about the turn of the gears then stops that is why I thought that. You will need a magnifier to really see.


The humming sound it from the motor being stuck and not turning which is not a good thing. Can you turn the motor fly wheels by hand? If so then it is not the motor sticking.

Since I have been doing model railroading for a while, I the just remove the wheel sets and see it they turn easy when not attached to the frame. Check for good contact where the power is picked up from the wheels to the engine.

It does not sound to me that it is a DCC problem if the decoder is not bad. As I have 12 DCC engines I have not had this problem from a decoder. Though there is always a first
time.