I have a 736 Berkshire that has been rebuilt with an electronic reverse unit (Lionel Part number 8689-110). Unfortunately, it seems to be dead, since the locomotive will not run, or reverse. The motor is in working order (I can bypass the reverse unit, and get the loco to run), but the reverse unit doesn’t, er, reverse!
Seems like this part is neither cheap, nor particularly common, which makes me pretty darn sure that it makes more sense to just convert it back to an electromechanical reverse unit, but I can see that soeone put an awful lot of work into the wiring. Is there any hope in possibly getting it going, troubleshooting and finding a defective component, and replacing it? Or are these things irreprable? I mean, they can’t be easy, but if you can fix simple computers, then something like this ought to be reparable too, if the components are still available (which is unlikely, if they were very specific ones). I doubt it is ‘worth the trouble’. But, I wanted to ask, before I butcher this setup and kiss the possibility goodbye once and for all.
The components in that unit were on the weak side for running a Berk, if you like the electronic aspect, try this new unit which has relays to handle the higher current demand of that postwar steamer. Only $40, shipped to your door. Works with AC/universal motors, or DC permag motors.
Either that, or since it’s on eBay someone’s got a Dallee he doesn’t need and is trying to unload it. The blurb below looks a lot like Dallee’s.
Doesn’t matter really.
I should have mentioned this earlier, but Leverett asked whether his blown board could be repaired? Well, I retired from copier repair this time last year, and we gave up on in-field board repairs thirty years ago! It just can’t be done, unless you’re a specialty printed circuit board repair shop. Cheaper to just replace the thing. That’s what they do in computer repairs as well, replace the bad board with a good one and send the bad one to a specialty shop. And even then sometimes it’s hopeless!
That’s the thing with circuit boards folks, they can last 30 years, or they can blow tomorrow. You just never know.
