American Flyer Blue Comet Does Not Chuff No Break Squeal

I have the same engine. You have Railsounds/Signalsounds switch on Railsounds?

First, I am no expert...

In my limited experience I have found the sounds from Lionel/American Flyer equipment somewhat unreliable, finicky, frustrating, sensitive, and too dependent on several variables. Keep is mind a lot is going on to make these sounds work that is not necessarily dependent on what's hidden inside the engine/tender shell. Maybe the Flyerchief/bluetooth equipped engines are better? Regardless the Legacy and/or TMCC engines, I believe, rely on a signal going from the hand held remote, to the base, through a single, little, itty bitty, wire connected to the track. And this signal must be picked up by the wheels on the engine. Personally, I find, for no apparent reason, all sound goes silent sporadically and can only be reestablished by turning all power off and turning it back on. So, problems, I feel, happen if engine pickup wheels are not clean, track is not clean, there is some anomaly on the track layout that causes the wheels to lose electrical contact, or there is inconsistent voltage throughout the layout. Voltage problems can be caused by too few power connectors to a larger layout and/or "faulty" connectors between track sections. Also, the buttons on your remote may get "mushy" over time or the batteries are weak in the remote. Sounds are great when they work. Not so great when they don't. Also remember Chinese "stuff" is still Chinese "stuff". The quality of which depends on QC requirements enforced and followed. This forum is full of reports of equipment DOA and sent back for repair/replacement.

Anyone, please correct me if I am wrong or misleading. I apologize if this sounds too much like sour grapes. Roast me if you must.

The chuff is activated by a cherry switch which can become loose or intermittent or just plain fail. I would start there to look for your problem.

A/F BLUE COMET 4-6-2 PACIFIC #831 LOCO

@Bill Gill posted:

First, I am no expert...

... remember Chinese "stuff" is still Chinese "stuff". The quality of which depends on QC requirements enforced and followed.

Anyone, please correct me if I am wrong or misleading. I apologize if this sounds too much like sour grapes.

1. Chinese suppliers only build junk if the company ordering the stuff accepts junk instead of quality.  There's much to blame China for, in so many things, but the root cause for these apparent quality problems you've cited would be here in the States.
2. Toy trains are indeed complex things nowadays, but they've always been more complicated than the contemporary folks who buy them, no matter what the timeframe --1900 or 1955 or 2024.  No difference now.
3. As a result they are, and always have presented, an opportunity to learn.  In fact, just as big an opportunity now as ever.  The technologies are different but the means are the same.
4. The hobby requires patience because of this.  Sometimes extreme patience.  It sounds like you've run out at this point.

Here's the good news.  Ward has come absolutely and positively come to the right place to get help for the problems with his Blue Comet, in spite of your dire conclusions.

No matter how difficult the circumstances we encounter with our motive power and rolling stock appear to be, if you follow this forum closely 9 times out of 10 the solution to any problem is simple.

For Ward's chuff problem I'd start with diagnosing the chuff switch inside the loco, as @FlyerRich has mentioned.  It's well known here in the forum to be the cause of poor chuff.  It might need to be replaced, but maybe it just needs a little adjustment.

Good luck Ward.  It's not as bad as it may seem.  It just needs a little patience.

Mike

I would also recommend first looking at the micro (cherry) switch. I have had two fail. There is a picture on www.tuveson.com of the underside of the chassis that shows the 2-lobed cam and the mount for the switch.

@FlyerRich posted:

The chuff is activated by a cherry switch which can become loose or intermittent or just plain fail. I would start there to look for your problem.

A/F BLUE COMET 4-6-2 PACIFIC #831 LOCO

+1.

Bob

@Tom47 posted:

A/F Lionel Number 6-48068, 4-6-2 Pacific Cab Number 831 it is part of set Number 6-49617 made in 2007.  I purchased this steam engine used. It is Trainmaster Command Control equipped with RailSounds 5.0 sound system with crew talk.  It runs great in both forward and reverse, lights, horn, bell function normal.  The engine chuff and break squeal do not work.  I followed the directions for turning the chuff on thinking that the previous owner may have turn the chuff off and break squeal.  I got the chuff to work last night but when I turned the engine on tonight the chuff would not work.  Thank you for assistance.

Tom47,

If you have not had any luck with this and would want work done contact Ed Goldin,

https://goldinhands.com/

Ray