Problem with DCC ready Aristocraft loco not running on DC power

[14Justinian7]

I have a 4th? generation Aristocraft G scale FA-1 locomotive that is DCC ready (and battery ready) but has no decoder installed yet. However, the loco will not run on DC track power, and there are no lights that come on either. Both the switches for "motor" and "lights" are set to "ON", and the "dummy plug" for the DCC decoder IS installed.

Is this because I need to remove the dummy plug, or are the motors shot, or is there another reason?

Thanks!

 

[PhilP]

The dummy plug should be in place. - Are you sure it is correctly installed?

What is the Art. Number for the model? - This will tell us what vintage it is.

PhilP

 

[14Justinian7]

The dummy plug should be in place. - Are you sure it is correctly installed?

What is the Art. Number for the model? - This will tell us what vintage it is.

PhilP

I'm away from my trains right now, but it's a B&O loco, and I believe the number on the front of the loco was 806. It is definitely NOT the 1993 five digit number, which I believe was 20003 for B&O.

 

[Paul M]

Is there a change over switch somewhere

 

[dunnyrail]

Is there a change over switch somewhere

Yes that would be my thoughts or possibly the dip switches (if fitted) messed about with. Instructions reading may have to be resorted to.

 

[PhilP]

No DIP switches on an Aristocraft..
My thoughts are a Battery/Track switch somewhere, though the later models used the motor switch! - According to the paperwork I have.

Of course, given the age of the model, it could well have been 'messed' with, by a previous owner?

PhilP

 

[14Justinian7]

No DIP switches on an Aristocraft..
My thoughts are a Battery/Track switch somewhere, though the later models used the motor switch! - According to the paperwork I have.

Of course, given the age of the model, it could well have been 'messed' with, by a previous owner?

PhilP

It looks like the loco gas been unaltered. The loco looks exactly as if would appear in it's exploded diagram. Was there a battery switch installed on these models at the factory?

I looked for a battery switch, but didn't find one...I'll look more closely. I also removed the fuel tank on the bottom, and all that was in there was a large weight...no switch.

There's also no battery in the loco itself. The loco does have a front and rear pin plug in case the owner had a battery in a trailing car.

As regards the decoder dummy pin plug, I didn't think that it could be placed in any other way than it is, but I'll see if I can reverse it.

 

[PhilP]

I think I would continuity check from the wheels and skates (if fitted) to the board.

PhilP

 

[Fred2179G]

I looked for a battery switch, but didn't find one..

I believe there are 3 switches in the corridor connection at the back of the loco. One is track/battery. (This may not be true of the DCC-ready version, which I am not familiar with.)

 

[PhilP]

Has anybody mentioned that DC support can be turned off, under DCC?

PhilP

 

[14Justinian7]

Has anybody mentioned that DC support can be turned off, under DCC?

PhilP

There are three switches in the back of the loco, but, in this DCC- ready version, as in the earlier versions, the three switches are "Smoke", "Light", and "Motor". There is no switch labeled track/battery.

I understand that DC power can be switched off in DCC, but this particular train does not have any decoder installed yet...I just want to see if it can run on track power, which it currently can't. If I move the "Motor" switch to "on", nothing happens...no movement and no lights.

 

[14Justinian7]

By the way, as mentioned above, the lights, smoke, and motor are controlled by the three switches on the back of the loco. Can I leave these switches intact when I am wiring to the decoder, or do I need to bypass these switches entirely?

It would be a lot less wiring if I left the switches intact and just wired power to the switches into the decoder, rather than removing the switches and wiring all the smoke an lighting wires independently into the decoder.

I do not mind having to initially throw the switches to "on" in order to allow track power into the loco before using the decoder. Nor do I foresee adding extra lighting to the cab.

 

[Dan]

I wire the lights directly to my decoder so I can turn them on or off by my DCC system. Front and rear lights may both be on when running DCC on most locos.

 

[14Justinian7]

I wire the lights directly to my decoder so I can turn them on or off by my DCC system. Front and rear lights may both be on when running DCC on most locos.

Thanks! I guess I forgot the decoder could give me more control over the lights.

By the way, I have an old Aristocraft 4-6-2 Pacific loco... it's 30 years old just like my FA-1 Alcos. The problem with the Pacific is it won't move. Motor comes on, lights go on, the loco revs and whirrs, but doesn't move. Any idea what's going on before I pull it apart?

 

[JimmyB]

Thanks! I guess I forgot the decoder could give me more control over the lights.

By the way, I have an old Aristocraft 4-6-2 Pacific loco... it's 30 years old just like my FA-1 Alcos. The problem with the Pacific is it won't move. Motor comes on, lights go on, the loco revs and whirrs, but doesn't move. Any idea what's going on before I pull it apart?

Broken gears, or at least damage somewhere in the drivetrain.

 

[14Justinian7]

Broken gears, or at least damage somewhere in the drivetrain.

Thanks...I was afraid of that