DCC Runaway Train help!!

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Ok, let me describe the problem I have…

I have a relatively new Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0. I have a decoder installed (lenz silver I think…) Anyway, I haven’t run it in a few months, so I cleaned wheels, etc. Anyway, when running, about 2/3 of the time, it gets up to speed then no longer responds to commands…it is a run-away train!!! I have reset the decoder…to no avail. It runs smoothly on the track (just cleaned the track…) just wondering if you have any ideas!

Brian

2

Oh, yeah. We all knew exactly which manufacturer you were talking about from your subject title. There has been quite a bit about this in past threads. It has to do with the capacitors installed for our European friends. Do a quick search on this forum and others (like Bachmann’s) and you’ll see it is a pretty easy, quick fix. Just involves snipping one of the capacitor leads on the original circuit board.

3

Snip the caps off the Bachman board and also disable DC in CV29. Any stray DC on the rails will do the same thing.

This should cure your runaway.

Pete

4

Thanks guys…you rock!!! Had not heard this one before… :slight_smile: Whew…easy fix!

Brian

5

[#offtopic]

Me that is…[:D]

Heh, the title of this thread reminds me of the movie Runaway Train, and I thought…"I wonder if anyone is modelling the scene from the movie where Jon Voight is riding on the roof of the loco standing leaning into the wind awaiting death… [:)]

6

Check out Train Control Systems website. They have several HO installation photos and also a specific warning about Spectrum capacitor(s) and what one should do to correct runaway problem.(with photos)

Jon

7

The cheap Backmann locos with the the DCC OnBoard sometimes tend to run away too. They also have problems with just suddenly cutting out then restarting.

8

Do you mean the “Standard” line with the DCC installed or do you mean the new “Spectrum” with the DCC installed?

Is there a difference between the DCC decoder unit installed in a Standard vs the Spectrum?

9

I’m referring to the standard line with the DCC OnBoard. They use a cheap Lenz decoder. NCE makes a replacement for this type of decoder that works better and is more reliable.

10

Thanks, is there a differene between the DCC decoders used on the Standard compared to the decoders used on the Spectrum lines?.

11

Cut the capacitor and works fine now…hmm, my other bachmann spectrum has no problems…weird…

Brian