Running Proto-Sound 2 with Z-1000 tranformer

A Z-1000 is totally fine to use but when was the last time  you change the battery? If the engine has been sitting for a while or in storage I would put a new green battery in it. 

This engine had been in storage since 2008 and probably not run since 2006. So even though it powered up fine and the non-motor functions worked out of the box you have to charge up the battery before trying to run it or it shorts out?  It would be great if the only issue here were replacing the battery.

For the $10 investment I would put a brand new MTH "Green" battery in it before you give the engine any more voltage.  

What model train.  If this is an older PS-2 5V that board may have died and that is causing short.  G

GGG posted:

What model train.  If this is an older PS-2 5V that board may have died and that is causing short.  G

It's a 30-2211-1 R-17 Subway.

FCMR Car 21,

   GGG gives sound advise, might be the board, however invest in a BCR, and see what happens, it might be the battery.  If so the BCR will cure your problem permanently.

PCRR/Dave

Hopefully it's not the board but I have a Red bird subway car I bought about 4 years ago on the forum with a 5V board in it and before I put any voltage to it I changed out the battery and it's been running fine with no problems. I have nothing against a BCR but the green batteries have been working fine for me and there a little cheaper than a BCR.   I'll keep running the 5V board until it decides to quit. 

While I strongly agree with Pine Creek as to GGG, I disagree as to the BCR.  I wouldn't spend $20 on a BCR if it the board may have failed.  I'm fairly sure it's a 5-volt board (2001 train), and if it had to be replaced, the BCR would thereafter be useless since 3-volt boards are used for repalcement.  For ONLY testing a 5-volt board, one can briefly use a 9-volt alkaline.

I have repaired many R-17 Redbirds with bad 5V boards.  You can open it up and disconnect the 7 pin power connector to the board and power it up.  If short is gone that means chassis wiring is not shorted and board is issue.  Reinstall 7 pin and pull the 5/4/8/and 12 pin and remove battery.  Apply power again. If it shorts the board is dead and bad. G

Upon start up, doesn't a dead BCR put the same stress on those fragile Wincap capacitors on the 5 volt boards as a dead battery does? Until I get the time to replace those caps, when I want to run a 5 volt that has been sitting for a long time, I burn some sage, say a prayer to the great spirit, use nothing less then a fully charged battery, and keep a finger ready on the kill switch. So far I've been lucky with those precautions.

Dave, you forgot to also keep your fingers and toes crossed.  I don't think the kill switch will help, unless loco takes off at full speed (which I have had happen with a failing 5-volt board).