Running problem with Bachmann Midland Compound

[SteelShadow104]

Hi, I got this loco as a present from ehattons a few Christmases ago, and havent been able to run it since. It's been awhile so my memory is a bit foggy about the loco. So for some reason the loco will not run what so ever. I have tried running it with dcc and DC with no luck. I have taken the engine apart to troubleshoot and got no where. I have checked the pickups and seem to be fine and even test to see if the engine even get power. I'm not sure what is wrong with it, but would appreciate any feedback about the loco. I'd like to keep the loco and enjoy it, but I am also interested in just selling it to replace it with a new loco. So if anyone is interested please let me know

[Hroth]

If its dead on DC and DCC and there's a decoder fitted, then the decoder might be fried.  The first thing to do is to whip out the decoder and replace it with a blanking plate to see if it will run under DC. 

 

Though the box doesn't say so, according to a Hattons ad for a similar loco, its a 21 pin decoder, so theres less chance of the pins shorting, unlike an 8 pin decoder thats been pushed too far in, though it might be a good idea to check if the decoder is fitted correctly too.

[SteelShadow104]

If its dead on DC and DCC and there's a decoder fitted, then the decoder might be fried.  The first thing to do is to whip out the decoder and replace it with a blanking plate to see if it will run under DC. 

 

Though the box doesn't say so, according to a Hattons ad for a similar loco, its a 21 pin decoder, so theres less chance of the pins shorting, unlike an 8 pin decoder thats been pushed too far in, though it might be a good idea to check if the decoder is fitted correctly too.

I'll look into doing that, but whenever I did take apart the tender everything seemed to be fine. Both boards seemed clean, but I'll see if it works and update with y'all.

[cypherman]

what happens if you take the motor out and apply power to it. Does it run then. If it runs then and you are not going to run it as DCC you could take the power direct from the pick ups and avoid all the circuitry. If you want to run it as DCC then I think you will be in for the long haul and have to check all your circuit's for broken wires, connections and shorts. 

Edited November 15, 2018 by cypherman

[SteelShadow104]

what happens if you take the motor out and apply power to it. Does it run then. If it runs then and you are not going to run it as DCC you could take the power direct from the pick ups and avoid all the circuitry. If you want to run it as DCC then I think you will be in for the long haul and have to check all your circuit's for broken wires, connections and shorts.

Really didnt want to get too much into taking it apart in fear of either breaking it or not able to put it together again. Like I said, everything seems to be good. All the wire and boards for the dcc in the tender are clean and make contact, and all the wire and resistors are clean and intact on the motor. The loco and its innards all still look brand new.

[SteelShadow104]

Alright so I just got done switching the chip and finally got the loco running. But just to clarify the blue one is my dcc decoder, and the black is just a blank board to make it run like a DC loco correct? And if that is the case, then just means I got a bad decoder then?