MTH E8 Board is Toast

The board is integral to the operation of the locomotive including lights unfortunately.

• You could go as simple as put in a rectifier and run it forward only no lights for very little investment.
• You may consider using a an older Weaver board or even a Williams board to get lights operating, reverse and forward operation, but no sound.
• If run anything with TMCC, an ERR upgrade might be an option.
• You might consider finding a Railking older PS-2 unit.  I plan on upgrading a Premier PS1 with an RK PS-22 I got for $80 and making the PS-1 a conventional runner.
• Finally if you like the locomotive enough to keep it PS-3 is a good option.  You will get the latest features and it should last until some newer or better technology comes along.

Overall whatever you decide it goes to show that newer locomotives are repairable, just not in the ways they used to be.  Good luck!

I'm not as knowledgeable as many on this board, but you might be able to just get a standard DC reversing unit to run your motors and do forward / neutral / reverse like any other conventional engine.  Those are not expensive (like 60 bucks maybe?) and easy to install with very basic knowledge.  Then get a 5V constant voltage board maybe to run all your lights (you won't be able to turn them on and off and have directional lighting and stuff, but they'll at least turn on when you have track power on.)  I'm not sure about ratings and stuff, but you can probably find a board that will work online for like 10 bucks.

Why all the bare wires?  It can be repaired with the PS-32.  You determine value, but common for some PS-2 5V board to die.  If you want all the integrated features the repair with PS-32 is the best alternative.  Does it have trail unit too?  G

Thank you for your responses GGG and Jeff.  What is a ps-32.  Where can I get that?  The set is ABA.   

You can get a PS32 board from any ASC, they're not sold to end users, though that might change in the future.

Thank you Gunrunnerjohn.  Do you know anyone I could contact for a quote on having this repaired?

GG1.  Thank you for your insight as well.  If you know of anyone who can do this. I would appreciate it.

Right now, I'd recommend GGG here on the forum, he has a quick turn-around and is very good with DCS.  I can, but I'm stacked up, so I'm not taking on new work until I get the backlog under control.

THANK YOU.  I WILL REACH OUT TO HIM.

email in my profile.  G

if you look at your video at the end of video when your engine stopped you pushed engine with your hand and rear truck derailed and caused a arc on wheels to track that's what blew your board, and plus ps 2 5 volt boards' die easily do to there age !

Alan