PS2 board - separating the two boards

Thanks - I was afraid that might be the case.  More $$$ to MTH I guess.

At this point I've spent as much or more on repairs as I did for the train set.

That quiet pppfffft sound along with acrid smoke could be a fried capacitor.

Regardless, you need new boards as was said I believe.

Just a note when ordering, make sure you get the version with the 5 volt connectors so it's plug n play.

5 volt board connectors are not compatible with 3 volt boards.

Rod

Dave,  What is the number of this set?  I thought the set only had one powered car, do you have an add on powered car?

If you want to save some money and time, I can do the repair.  I am a MTH ASC and have converted subway cars to the PS-2 3V system.  I have the parts on hand.  E-mail in profile.

If the smoke came from the center of the board, it is probably the diodes. G

Can you replace parts on the lower board?  Even the upper board seems pretty problematic if the parts are not near the edges.

John,  All the critical parts are sandwiched in the middle.  FETs and a logic chip on the exposed underside of the bottom which I have successfully replaced.

On the top power not much you can do either.  I have replaced a bad capacitor once, but it still did not fix the board.  I think I remember one post were someone saved a 5V board with the cap.  Must have been lucky, because usually something else fails and takes the cap out.  G

I tried to replace the power SMT FET once, and the first one worked but was temperature sensitive and would stall after about 5 minutes running.  The second attempt killed the board.  It takes a lot of heat to take those off, and I obviously didn't have the right technique.