Yesterday I was running my Pennsy 2-8-2 USRA Light Mikado (20-3286-1) and it was running just fine when it just stopped dead on the track. It was going forward and stopped, tried reversing it and it wouldn't move, lights were on but no movement. Shut down the whole system and then restarted. Power came back up and I hit the start up button and the loco came to life. I could blow the whistle, ring the bell and reverse it but the engine would not move, shut it down again and this time the 5 fingered big hook came over and moved the engine about 6 inches and went thru the start up again, this time it moved, it came around and as it was heading towards me, all of a sudden it took off like a rabbit. It became the Pennsy Flyer, before it reached the next curve I was able to get it stopped. The next time it was running back and forth on the main just to see what was up and it did it again only this time it zipped along and then slowed down for a short time the took off again. Not sure what exactly was going on but it would definitely get in a mood and do whatever it felt like doing. I stopped it and disconnected it and looked the locomotive over real close but everything seemed ok. Tender seemed just fine too. I reconnected it and it started and ran like normal for a few more laps around the layout and then it did it again and then it just stopped liked I described before. Does anyone have any idea(s) as to what might be happening with it. It is a great looking and running engine except for when it thinks its a rabbit or a race horse. Could it possibly be the drawbar pin and socket connection? It felt like it was very well seated but its hard to tell.
Can this engine be changed over to Proto 3 or better yet, could it be changed over to Lionel Legacy? Thanks for your responses, I'm looking forward to your replies.
