So, I figured I would get my Lionel TMCC Northern Pacific B unit out of the doesn't work pile and give it another try. It would work intermittently as it ran around the layout in both conventional and Command Control, even with a battery installed.
So, off came the shell and I re plugged all of the connectors, used my chip remover to remove and re seat the chips but still it laughed at me. Next I connected some test leads and started wiggling things to see if I could get the same response as on the track. First I wiggled the truck with the power pickup and sure enough she cut out just like on the track. Next I removed the power pickup and wiggled it and bingo she cut out again. While I was tugging on the power pickup the wire came out of the insulation, it had a break right next to the solder joint which would sometimes make contact and sometimes not.
I stripped the wire back, tinned the new length of wire and re-soldered it to the pickup. An hour later after routing the wire through the truck and shell and now it works like a dream.
Color me satisfied since this was not the first time I had tackled this unit with no success. This is a Rail Sounds 2.5 unit and I really like the horn.
Rolland
