CAT DEISEL INOP

It would help if you mentioned who made the engine. Is it a Lionel, MTH, K-Line, Weaver, RMT, or Williams? Also what transformer (brand name and model)are you using with it? Is the transformer a new Lionel or MTH?

Lee Fritz

sorry-mth cat diesel engine premier-180 lionel brick-the transformer is lionel

The MTH engine should run with the Lionel transformer, may not be able to do MTH command control(DCS) with the Lionel transformer(I am not 100% sure on this). 

I use MTH transformers with MTH engines to avoid any issues with the MTH command control engines. 

Lee Fritz

sounds like the engine lost main power. Could be from a broken wire if the other truck was already not working or on a dead spot ?

Have you taken off the shell?

Do you have a meter to test for power? ( a home made bulb and wires would work)

Did it emit smoke when it stalled?

Can you supply any pics inside?

To narrow down the problem, we need the MTH #  20-?, 30-?

Also - does this locomotive have a 3-Rail/2-Rail switch?

These switches are prone to failure.  Sometimes they do not 'lock' in the 3-Rail position.  The result is no power to the board.

Try and power the locomotive on a test track, or on rollers.  If no luck, then you have to check and see if power is getting to the board.  How adept at trouble shooting are you?

bruce

engine has a 3rail/2 rail switch which was on 3 rail i will check the and see if it is locked correctly-i did check it on a test track-no power-lights-smoke nothing

shell is off-no smoke just no power-i did check with a meter-nothing

So you have to trace where it's losing power. There should be a red and a black wire going to each truck. Make sure there's power at that connection. Inspect that wire connection itself. Apply power to those wires directly and see if the engine comes to life. Trace those wires back towards the board. There usually is a set of wire nuts connecting the trucks together and the wires going towards the boards. See if there's power there. Check both sides of the 3/2 switch for power in and coming out.

Without the correct identification provided on a product, many who are capable to help will not.

I was still waiting for that product number to allow at least reasonably accurate advice.

this is a premier mth caterpillar diesel proto 2 cab number 2015-engine number 20-20215

proto 2 mth caterpillar diesel engine cab number 2015 engine number 20-20215

PS-3 engine, should be under warranty???  If switch in correct position and no wire broke off 2R/3R switch and you have continuity the board may be bad or the Ground screws picking up outside rail power from the truck chassis are black and have too much coating and you have no ground.  Check those screws and clean off the black coating on screw. 

The quick test is to take off AC power wire nuts and power them with clips to see if it starts up.  Or do continuity from wheels to black wire nut wires.  G

THE ENGINE IS A PS-2

TOM TARAS posted:

THE ENGINE IS A PS-2

Not produced in 2015 it isn't.  According to MTH it's a PS/3.