Im getting the Christmas layout going and checking the trains. Ive taken the Polar Berk apart. The electonics board is hot and smoking! It runs slooooow. Is it worth getting fixed? Is their an inexpensive, reliable replacement? I just run it during Christmas, the kids love it. Help! T.Y.
You can fix it cheaply so that it runs in one direction only by putting a bridge rectifier in place of your electronics. For a little more trouble, you can put the rectifier and a reversing switch at the transformer. Would one of these be satisfactory?
Thanks for the reply Bob. That might be the ticket! How much do you think it would cost to put a new board in? Just to have some idea? T.Y.
Sarge
You might change the motor also, as this could fry your E-Unit.
Bill
Sarge, if you have the loco apart and if you have an HO type power pack (even a 9 volt battery will work) you can check the motor. Run leads from the HO power pack directly to the terminals on the motor… not to the wheels and roller pick up, but to the motor direct.
If the motor runs good, then you shouldn’t have to replace it. In my experience, circuit boards go bad long before the Mabuchi DC can motors do.
I’m not sure of the specs on the PE loco… you could check the Lionel website under parts and compare the circuit board and motor number to that of lets say a Lionel 4-4-2 steamer. At one time, the parts were identical. In that case, a new circuit board costs around $15 give or take for the very basic circuit board Lionel uses on starter locos. Jeff Kane, the Train Tender can have those parts to you very quickly if he has them in stock. He may have the DC motor too.
Be forewarned on the motors, that many of them look exceptionally similiar, like those used for the truck mounted set up on both Lionel and K-Line locos. But while the motors may be the same, the gear tooth on them is not: Lionel and K-Line had differering numbers of teeth on the main gear making cross-over use impractical. I would imagine Lionel is not doing this though within their own product line, but you never know.
A MDK K-Line circuit board would work too, but the wire colors are different than those of the Lionel boards, so the hook up is not the same. I’ve done this with no trouble. Could be now Lionel uses the same boards in their products as those of the K-Line by Lionel ones.
PS: a final option, if you have a powerful enough HO power pack, is to run the steamer on DC current (forward-reverse being controlled on the power pack, no neutral) by removing the circuit board and wiring the motor direct to the pickup leads.
I run my layout on DC current and am quite content. The lo
Before you go too far find the switch that says direction.There are two wires going to it. Cut either one and check your loco for operation.Our PE engine did the same thing. The switch was shorted inside.
Ed
Thanks for all the replies! I took it in to get a idea what was wrong with it. The board is fried, I’ll order the part and fix it before next Christmas. My solution this year was buying a railking Imperial turbine engine. I couldnt pass up the deal. Besides the old Polar had heck of time pulling eight cars. The new turbine should be able to pull stumps. T.Y.
mone did the same thing, i repalced the board and it didn’t help. I had to repalce the motor to fix it. Cheap enough thougn 20 for the board and 25 for the motor!
Maybe I should just get a motor too cause it might be the next to go. Im glad I got a prr turbine, it pulls better and slower than the Berk ever could, and smokes like a chimney*! T.Y.
[* - edited for content by selector]
Ed
I know what you mean, It’s hard to find a parking spot at 5000 feet.
Bill
Are you sure it won’t happen again ? In other words … is it worth all the time and expense if these engines are prevelant to this ? [X-)]
I hear what you’re saying Ole Time and fully agree, But if I can get it running for under $100 I’ll go easy on her. There might be a siding with her name on it on the new Christmas layout! Ha Ha ![;)]