Lionel Legacy A5 Issue

I will have to go back and test mine. I took it for a quick zip around the layout before I got bogged down with a project on my Big Boy. I haven't put much mileage on the A5 but I have some Ross Switches. It seemed very sure footed on the straights and bends. I thought it would bounce around more with it's smaller size.

I'm surprised they don't have a wired tether but I'm also indifferent. We'll just come up with a solution

@BillYo414 posted:

I will have to go back and test mine. I took it for a quick zip around the layout before I got bogged down with a project on my Big Boy. I haven't put much mileage on the A5 but I have some Ross Switches. It seemed very sure footed on the straights and bends. I thought it would bounce around more with it's smaller size.

I'm surprised they don't have a wired tether but I'm also indifferent. We'll just come up with a solution

The A5 does have a wired tether.  It appears that only the center rollers have a shared connection.  I will have to open up the A5 to see what my options are.  I'll be interested to see if yours has similar issues with Ross switches.

I will go ahead and do some testing tonight and report back. I have not opened my A5 yet.

It would be nice if there was an empty slot on the existing tether and we could just use it.

It's very hard to believe they didn't pipe the ground over to the tender as well, they've done that with other small locomotives like the B6.

I emailed Dave Olsen about the issue.  He confirmed that there is ground and power shared through the tether. So now I know to check for a broken wire. I do not get any continuity with the wheels but I do with the rollers.

I ran mine A5 through a double slip switch and it made it. I crawled through other switches at speed step 1.

I also through the meter on the tender wheels and the drive wheels while the A5 was sitting on a piece of wood and got continuity.

I think you're right...broken wire sounds like the problem.

I opened it up tonight and found I was completely missing the ground wire from the tether to the frame. I added a wire, per Dave Olsen. I will finish it up tomorrow and share pics of the fix.

Good deal, I couldn't believe there wasn't a connection for that engine since they already had the tether.

At least it was a simple fix. Any space in there for a swinging bell?

@BillYo414 posted:

At least it was a simple fix. Any space in there for a swinging bell?

Nope. It's one packed little loc. I will posted pics tonight. If they moved the legacy board to the tender, it may have fit.

Finished putting it back together.  Tested and it's working much better.  I can now crawl at speed step 1 over switches.  You can see from the pics that the acg (ac ground) pad on the pcb was empty. I added a wire and then tied that into a frame ground screw under the main board.

It has a single backwards mounted motor powering the engine.  Not much room.  A single led is the firebox light. Fairly easy to take apart and reassemble. The wires are a bit short connecting into the shell so you have to be careful when taking it apart.

Is the tether troublesome to connect?  Does it stay connected?

Thanks

It's a little tricky as there is not a lot of space between the tether and the drawbar. It clicks in solidly. I don't see it pulling out. Getting it back out, there is a tab on the bottom that you have to press in order to pull it out.

Thanks Joe....what I needed to know.

Dave

I didn't pick one of these up, but a good fix. I wonder if anyone else has had this issue?

Wow, that is indeed crowded. I think I'll leave it as it is.

What a peculiar issue to have. Good thing it was an easy enough fix.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

I didn't pick one of these up, but a good fix. I wonder if anyone else has had this issue?

Others could have the issue but may never know. I only noticed the issue on switches. Its easy to check with a meter. Just connect the tether and test for continuity between the tender wheels and the engine wheels while not on the track.