Cowen's Hobby Shop Diodes?

They are in a plastic tube connected together.

I couldn't find the diodes but the fix was bypassing a burned land pattern on the motherboard. I don't think my version of the hobby shop has the diodes. I took it completely apart and there was no diode pack. Thanks

I have a similar problem. Both the 3 layouts and the flashing lights are not working. The general lighting is working fine.  Checked the PCB and there is no voltage coming out of any of the three connections that feed the flashing lights and motor. The motor runs if I apply 9 volts DC to the wires so I am pretty sure its the PCB.  My problem is that Lionel doesn't have the PCB for the newer hobby store. They have the PCB for the older verison but its not the same PCB and it seems to work with a diode pack which mine does not have.  Is the diode pack just 3 N4001 diodes connected together? Does anybody know what it does?  Lionel does not have the diode pack but I am thinking maybe I could make that, use the older PCB and get mine running again. I could use some help on this one. I would hate to through away such an expensive item. 

They are 1n4001s,anything similar, 1n4004 etc will work. They are in series from a regulated DC circuit used as a voltage dropper to slow the speed of the motor a bit. I replaced mine years ago. Behind the building as I remember. You can make a package up with diodes and shrink tubing.  If the string is bypassed the motor will run but a bit faster. Put string in proper polarity 3 didoes in one direction, (Reverse if it dont run).

 

Dropping voltage with diodes is explained here

 

www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowT...=413&categoryId=

 

Here is a bidirectional 6 amp dropper for slowing engine motors

 

www.jcstudiosinc.com/BlogShowT...=488&categoryId=

 

Dale H

Thanks Dale!   Great info.  I thought the diode string might be used to drop the voltage.  Sounds like a patch for using a different motor after the board was already designed. I ordered the board yesterday.  

I received the board from Lionel and installed it along with the three diodes. It is working as it should. The board fits in exactly the same way as the bad one but I needed to re-splice all off the connectors because they are different on the older board.  Funny - the old board was half the price of the new board which Lionel ran out of so it ended up only costing me $22 to fix.

 

Thanks for all of your help.