Help Needed: New Bach Decapod Steamer shorting out !

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hey all,

Thought if someone could give me some tips about my new Bachmann Spectrum Decapod steam loco. It shorts out about 30 seconds after I give it power. My power pack and track are fine–I have run other locos on it no problem after testing the Decapod. Using DC analog.

It was doing this last night on another layout too once in a while, today I brought it home and its doing it all the time now, can’t get it to run more than a foot or two then POP goes the power pack…

Regards,

TP Metzger
e-mail: Fandome123@aol.com

2

Sounds like one truck on the tender has flipped 180 degrees.

3

I have reported this on the Bachmann Forum several times. If you take the bottom cover off the drivers you will find the copper pick-up strips not being flat on the cover. They arch up between the drivers and make contact with the frame causing the short. Clean strip off and with a drop of super glue attach it flat inside the bottom cover and no more short. Several have reported this problem. Some only have the short when the tempature changes.

Bob

4

my 2-8-0 would shoot sparks from under the tender. I sent it to Bachmann a few weeks ago.

5

I had this same problem with my Decapod and it drove me nuts. The solution wound up being as stated by “bobwrght”. The copper strip was flexed and was causing the short. Having sparks shoot out from the drive wheels clued me in as to where to start looking. It probably didnt help that someone went wild with the grease gun during assembly too.

6

Hmmm…I am a little confused. Is the problem under the tender or under the loco? Someone said “take the cover off under the drivers” the drivers are on the loco ?

I think I have to send this into Bachmann to get fixed. I was toying with turning the tender truck around and the copper contact strip fell off.

Regards,

TP Metzger

7

I am talking about on the engine. You have to unscrew the plate under the drivers.
As far as the copper strip on the tender trucks, it being dislodged is not that uncommon. Gently turn and push it back into place.
What you are looking for with the tender trucks is that the insulated side of the wheels are to the left for the one truck and to the right for the other.