MTH Imperial Big Boy Steam

@Marc Cornella posted:

Hello,

I've been running conventional my whole life.  Just started jumping into the more higher-level part of the hobby.  Just bought a MTH Imperial Big Boy Steam #4014.  It was running great for a couple of weeks using a z1000 brick and commander.  It started acting weird after a couple of weeks. Slowing down, stopping, shutting down out of the blue.  Now, when I go to start it up, only the tender fires up and not the engine.  Is it because I need more power like a Z4000, or could it be a problem with the engine?  Any feedback would be appreciated.  Thanks!  MC

No, unlikely your power source. PS3 Steam engines have a board in the tender and a separate board in the engine connected via the 6 wire/pin drawbar system.

The board in the tender providing the sounds also is basically the brains of the system and sends commands across the drawbar wiring and connectors to the boiler board in the engine for control. Thus, your symptom of the boiler board and sounds working- but the engine not working is typically drawbar connection related. It's a know possible problem the drawbar connection can work loose during running since it is pulling the tender.

Another known factor is that with the drawbar connections- they ALSO can unplug at the engine side due to flexing and tension on the internal 6 wire connector.

Bottom line- check your drawbar and ALL/BOTH ends connections.

https://ogrforum.com/...ps3-wireless-drawbar

Again, right here is a related topic- another Railking Bigboy and this exact drawbar

https://ogrforum.com/...014-ps-3-0-30-1840-1

@Vernon Barry posted:

More importantly, did you check the drawbar connection between engine and tender?

2 ways this can be a problem:

#1 just not seated fully at the tender side. This can uncouple over time and running so there are options for a drawbar lock- just something slid over the tender drawar post to hold the drawbar PCB in place. In fact, MTH has a part for this. https://ogrforum.com/...wbar-issues-solution

FB0000037

https://www.mthpartsandsales.com/shop/search

Alternate tubing method

#2 In quite a few steam engines, I have seen the wiring harness was pulled tight from the factory and ziptied and this can cause the connector at the engine side of the drawbar to unplug as the drawbar swings and with usage. Opening the engine shell and cutting the ziptie (or in rare circumstance), just slide a little more wire for a loop and free slack.

Again, at the engine side of this, I have seen the drawbar wiring harness pulled too tight from the factory with no slack and it unplugs into the drawbar.

I've been very careful when uncoupling the drawbar and taking it off the track and then reattaching. It's only a few weeks old and it still seems like a snug connection.  Even though it seems snug, could it be that one of the prongs are damaged already?  If so, what a terrible way to design this...

Thanks so much for the insight!

@Marc Cornella posted:

I've been very careful when uncoupling the drawbar and taking it off the track and then reattaching. It's only a few weeks old and it still seems like a snug connection.  Even though it seems snug, could it be that one of the prongs are damaged already?  If so, what a terrible way to design this...

I'm not defending the design but one thought comes to mind- people complained about the fat tether system previously of PS2. Lionel may have patent or other protection on the IR wireless drawbar, or just given previous legal battles, my impression is the current PCB and connector "wireless" drawbar is the workaround answer to getting sued.

One of those people asked for it (get rid of the tether), RF probably was costly and problematic with compliance, fear of legal problems= PCB drawbar.

Again, just trying to explain (likely) how we got to this point.

FWIW, possibly along the same logic and legal reasoning why MTH calls the feature "Steaming Quillable Whistle" VS big L called it "Whistle Steam"

MTH calls it "Wireless Drawbar" and big L calls it "Wireless Tether connection between locomotive and tender"

Gotcha!  Thank you

From a recent experience with my own "new" Imperial Big Boy, a solder joint on the engine side of the wireless drawbar was faulty/intermittent (from the factory) after testing continuity with my multi-meter. The bad solder joint was not allowing communication in one wire from the tender board to the boiler board.

Touched the faulty solder joint with my soldering iron, and everything went back to normal. You need to check continuity at the engine end of the drawbar with a multi-meter to make sure everything is working properly at the drawbar connection.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Peter.....Buco Australia.