ps-2 engine has a short?

The ps2 board usually does not short out the transformer if it is bad,
Remove the shell from the drive block and follow the wire from the pickup rollers, it has to be shorted to the drive block somewhere.

On the other engine replace the battery and readd it into the remote.

Yes it can be a bad PS-2 board, there are a few spots on the board that a diode that fails shorted will cause a direct connection between track power center and outside rail.  I have seen boards try to draw 8 amps and more.  So it can be a board problem too.

 

One way to test just the board is to remove all the connectors except the power connector and power up the board separately to see if it trips the breaker again.  If not, add back connectors one at a time and see if you have all your functions.  If so then it is a wiring issue from the pick ups to board.

It is drawing high amps, doesn't trip the breaker right away takes about 5-6 seconds.  Checked the pickup rollers and wiring they are fine.  chief

Follow the two wires that go through the frame to the truck block.  These are roller hot and truck block ground.  Very common situation they touch at the truck block or the hot is chafing against the frame when the trucks are on the track. 

Un plug the connector that goes from the rollers and the ground to the PS2 power board.  If there is still a short present it is not the boards.  If no short is present it is the boards.  Do you know if the boards are 3V or 5V?

The board is a 5v I CHECKED FOR A SHORT AND DID NOT FIND ONE.  CHIEF

Chief, I assume you mean you disconnected the PS-2 board; and the chassis and leads have no short without the board installed, correct?

 

If so, and putting the board back in causes a short, most likely a bad board.  You can examine it to see if any components look burned or damaged.  That might lead you to the source of the failure.  G

In all seriousness, sniff around the board - there's a distinctive odor from burned components. 

 

Since it take 5-6 sec before your breaker kicks, that's a lot of energy going somewhere - and into heat. If the problem is on the board, some part(s) will have warmed up (even in only 5-6 sec).  I take a cotton swab of rubbing alcohol and touch parts - if the part is hot, the wet spot will evaporate quickly. The swab also has better resolution than your finger.

 

It can be an ordeal replacing components on a 5V power board but that's another story.

Stan I will investigate further however nothing smells burnt, haven't mesed with much as yet, spring chores taking up time  chief