6200 Turbine Bantam LocoSound Stuck in Neutral

Have you tried to "unlock" the engine button sequence?:

Whistle+Bell+Bell+Bell (use 1/2 second pause in between button pushes)

Also, have you compared your transformer to the ones listed in the owners manual for compatibility?

Did the set come with transformer and IR remote or something like a Z500 or Z750?

Locosound engines don't have batteries so that's not an issue.

I had a RS3 with Locosound and below 50 degrees it wouldn't change direction, above 50 everything was fine.

Bob,

YES, I have tried the unlock 3 times both with my controller and then with the remote that came in the box. I even set up the RealTrax with the remote and still the same end. My train guy says it's locked in neutral or the reverse board might be bad. I am waiting for the person I purchased it from to get back to me by Friday. He has another Brand New Sealed set, so I asked him to open it and try the loco and get back to me possibly for a swop-out.

Brian,

Does your train guy have a DCS system?  If so, ask him to see if it'll run on it in conventional.  Those button sequences can be a PITA to get timed right on a conventional transformer.

I haven't heard of many Locosound engines being faulty straight out of the box, no matter how old they are.

Would/could having the transformer wires reversed cause this (asking George)?

Swapping the Wires from transformer to track WILL cause command control problems but not a horn blowing or a fail to cycle reverse circuit.

One possible option from past experience:

Put another load on the track, lighted passenger car or caboose, or another engine.

See if it will cycle then.

It is possible there is a bad button / circuit in the transformer and the power is not dropping low enough to cycle the engine.

Try Cycling by turning the power off with the throttle.

Watch to see if the lights in car go OUT or just dim.

Let us know what happens.

Russell,

OK I just put an 0-6-0 Balt-Ohio on the track. Ran and whistled lights like new..

No problems.

I am going to look and see once again for a loose wire or bad wire going to the engine.

BRB

Bob and GGG,

Ok I have it apart once again. I have the board removed (the 2 screws, One with a White Plastic washer/sleeve and the other just a screw.

I do NOT see any little piece of Plastic/Mica Film anywhere

Bob, Do you mean the shell on the tender ?

That's where the speaker is

Brian/George,

I think this shows the mica film George is talking about:

This is the Locosound board out of my RS3.  It's the clear piece of plastic behind where all the white goop/grease is.

Here's the board from my Railking 2-8-0:

Hey Guys...It's Running. Yipppeeeeee

Bob..Thanks for the picture. This showed where the plastic piece went. I had it on the other side. Thank You..Thank You..Thank You..

Hey, glad the photos helped   and glad nothing got damaged in the process

Bob,

Can I ask what is that white looking grease all over the area where the plastic is ?

I am so out of touch when you guys are talking about electronics. Show me a picture and I usually get it done.

Thank You to ALL Board Members.

This place is GREAT !!!

One More ??

I used a piece of Clear Plastic from a used box I had that had the clear front. Does it matter how thin or thick this piece of plastic is. I mean it is working, but I want to place the proper gasket there.

Maybe I will purchase the correct piece from my train guy this weekend. We are getting over a foot of snow today, so I am not going anywhere fast.

The white goop that Bob spread all over is a heat sink compound to improve heat transfer.  It should be used sparingly.

Your film may melt if the VR gets to hot, so you may want to shift to the proper one.  G

Like George said Brian, it's heat sink compound.  Laid on a little thick on the RS3 unit, but just right on the 2-8-0 unit (actually I didn't ever bother to clean it off).  A Q-tip would clean it right up.

Radio Shack carries the mica insulators, look under "insulator", they also carry the grease/compound.

Once again you guys are the Greatest!!

I have a Radio Shack about 15 miles away. I will see if they have it.

I re-assembled the locomotive and put it on the track for about 20 minutes. Added a lil more smoke fluid and that baby huffed and puffed all the way around my 40x60 inch temp test layout.

It was a proud moment for me.

So my wife ask's me.....
Can we Please build the platforms now..

I said sorry..I gotta go shovel 1 foot or better of snow away from the back door so the dogs can go out. I am in Tunkhannock, PA. That is about 20 miles NW of Scranton, Wilkes Barre area.We are expecting another round of snow tonite, so I will keep up on it. Tomorrow I will get the snow blower out and clean it up.

Thanks again

Really!!

Brian, take your wife's advice and go play with your trains!!!  The snow will still be there when you get back.

We had about 2-3" yesterday but then it rained and melted it all.  That should have given us about 1 foot so far this year, fortunately not all at 1 time

Glad to hear you are running.

Also glad to hear your wife is enthusiastic about the train layout.

We are in the process of getting about a foot of heavy wet snow here as well, so I understand your wanting to clear it off in stages, once it's finished and freezes in place it's a lot harder to move.