Need to attach wires to a Centennial 4-4-0 polarity switch

[bcochran]

Hi folks,
I bought a Centennial 4-4-0 on eBay. It was listed as new but it doesn't run at all.
I noticed that the wires to the polarity switch in smoke box front are not connected.
I think that this is the reason it does not run. There are two red wires and a black and a blue wire. It looks like each of the red wires is matched up with either the black or blue wire. The switch has six possible soldering pins.
Does anyone know were to attach these wires to the polarity switch?
Thanks.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

bcochran ,

My Centennial is put away right now, and hopefully someone will have a better answer, but I will try.  Two wires go to the track pickups and the other two go to the motor.  to determine which wires go to the motor get a fresh 9 volt battery and touch the wires to the battery til two of them make the motor run.  Mark the two with tape. the other two will be from the track pickups.  Solder the two wires from the track pickups to the two center terminals.  Now run the motor wires to the terminals on the left.  Test to make sure the locomotive now runs. try both positions. If so get some small wire leads and run them crisscross to the right side terminals.  While this will work it may be the opposite of the factory positions.  If your locomotive runs in the same direction as your other locomotives, leave thing be, if it runs opposite the others put the switch in the other direction and all should be OK.  If it does not run return it.

You should ask the seller for a refund, and since the loco was not as described ask for a refund of shipping both ways as well as the full purchase price.

Hope this helps til a better answer is posted.

Bill

[Kevin Strong]

I would guess that one of the red wires and the black wire come from the rails, and the other red and the blue wire go to the motor. An ohmmeter from the wheels to the wires would also tell you which of the two wires come from the track.

Later,

K

[bcochran]

I must have something else going on.  I took a dc power pack and connected one lead to a rail and touched each wire with the other lead.  There was no short between any of the wires the rail.  I connected the leads to each pair of wires and the engine did not run.  When I connected the leads to the pair of wires, one black and one red there was a short.

I did not mention before that the wires were not stripped before and it looks like the polarity switch never had any wires soldered to it before.  Also each pair of wires has a paper tag labeled "sound switch."

I think I will have to take the boiler off to see what the wires go to.  Also I think I need to look inside the tender.  Maybe someone started to put in a decoder or sound system.  I don't know how to take the engine and tender apart and do not have a parts diagram. 
The engine is the Eureka and Palisaide Eureka and I don't want to part with it because I visited the real Eureka at the train museum outside of Las Vegas two years ago and had a nice talk with the owner.  He has a bit of 3ft gauge track and he ran the Eureka up and back a few times.

If I never get it running I have a nice shelf model to remember my visit with.

Also another problem with this engine is that the cross head support hanger is broken.  The right side is broken off at the frame.  I may have done this when I picked it up wrong. I don't know if this can be fixed or not.  If I take off the boiler it would be a good time to replace the hanger if I could get a replacement.  I broke the pilot and had to replace it.  Seems I am all thumbs at times.

Thanks for any help

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Unless you got a real bargain price I would return it. With as much damage as you report, it seems clear to me it was definitely not new.  If it came to you in the original box, and still had the damage, I am thinking it was damaged from the start.  Unless you were very rough with it taking it out you should not have had that damage.  As a minimum you should photograph the damage and seek a reduction in price.

I understand your emotional attachment, but there are others out there to be had.  It is definitely a beauty!!!

Can  anyone help by posting the wiring and other diagrams for this loco for bcochran???  Mine is in deep storage. if so maybe we can include them in the FAQ if Yardmaster approves.


Bill

[bcochran]

Well I took the bottom plate off the 4-4-0 today.  There are no wires connected to the motor.  There is that noise suppression round board attached to the motor.  I read it is a good idea to take it off.

The red and blue wire pair go to a set of wipers that rub on the back axle which closes the circuit to make a chuff I think since when I touched them with the DC power there was a short.  There are two white wires that come from the left set of drivers but I don't see the wires coming from the right set of drivers.

I think if I  could get a wiring diagram and a parts diagram I could fix this engine without much trouble perviding I can get the part I need.

I think Bachmann is going to reintroduce the Centennial 2-6-0 so I think the parts should be available.

[Chris9017]

That is a problem with Bachmann wires, brittle wire insulation which makes them vunerable to breaking.   

Hopefully Bachmann comes out with wire recalls in the future to fix this problem once and for all.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Chris,

that is strange, in over 20 years I have never had a problem with brittle insulation on any of my locos or cars?  Perhaps yours were stored in a high heat situation???

Bill