Kato SD70ACE Electrical Issues

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

Hi all,

Brand new to the hobby here and have been banging my head against an issue with my first locomotive. I picked up a Kato SD70ACE and everything was running fine on my DC setup. However, I upgraded my setup to DCC and installed a DCC decoder on the loco, but then it derailed and fell on the floor and one of the trucks fell out.

I was able to figure out how to reassemble the truck setup thanks to YouTube, however, ever since this happened, the loco has been losing power randomly on the track. I can tell when it loses power as the lights on the loco flicker, however the green “track status” indicator on my controller stays lit.

When I touch the loco with my finger, the lights will flicker. So I have to constantly nudge the loco along the track when it loses power.

I have a feeling the issue with with the copper strips under the trucks not properly moving electricity to the decoder. One of them is slightly warped but I straightened it out as much as possible. It doesn’t appear that it should be causing issues.

The track is Kato Unitrack and is a simple loop for now.

Here is a video illustrating the issue.

2

Hi, can’t see the video, but it does sound like your engine’s only picking up power from one truck. I’d double check that everything got put back together correctly and is making electrical contact as it should. Maybe check the engine’s schematic to make sure a part didn’t fall out and get lost.

Kato USA has a pretty good supply of parts you can order, worst comes to worst you could buy new parts or even a new truck assembly.

3

[#welcome]

Although I can’t help with your issue, I hope you can figure out the issue. My Kato locomotives are the best locos I own. They run great and pull great.

Your account may be unresponsive for several days until it is moderated, so don’t get discouraged. Let us know how the work progresses.

There are a lot of experts on the forum who may be able to help. Good luck!