Running problems with the Railbus LGB 29650

Henri

Henri

refuses to grow up
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The strangest of strange problem is accuring with my railbus. It is all original, except for the added interior lights and 'rear' lights on the 'trailer', this was done by the previous owner and according to him, with original LGB parts.

The problem has started a couple of weeks ago, but I didn't notice it yet...

It started when the railbus was turtling around the track, it would suddenly stop. No power to the rails anymore. (I'm using an Aristocraft Train Engineer). I thought someone in my neighbourhood 'interfered' with the RC and the TE shut off the power.
This happened a couple of times, and the interval shortened. From 15 minutes to a few laps.

Then this weekend the railbus was REALLY slow. Max power (16 Volts is what my transformer can deliver) but really slow. When I disconnected the 'trailer', it speeded up to speeds I am used to. When the railbus was turtling around at 'normal' speeds and I powered up the track section where the trailer was, speed drop. Power off, speed increase... hmmm... something amis with the trailer...?

But then tonight. Railbus without trailer is running around (at normal speed) and then (it was already getting dark), lights flicker, power goes down (lights dim) and bam, no power anymore. All black. And I thought I smelled something funny...

2016-09-05 20.41.39.jpg

Look at these spots on the wheels!!! But only on one side of the rails???

Something is really amis here, but what...???

The very strange part is that my Stainz and Elias run their rounds like they always did. No problem here!!!

How to troubleshoot this...?
 
Is it chipped? If so the TE will cause sparking on one rail which will burn off the chrome plate from the wheels, use the TE with analogue locos only
 
Another thing to check..
The ends of the bogies have a flat bar to just under the central motor housing.. There is a large-flat 'staple-shaped' spring the end of this bar sits against to assist in centering the wheels.
This is held with a couple of raised pegs, and the bottom of the circuit board.

I had a one to convert to digital. Before I do anything, I run analogue and measure the current, check what the lights do etc.. This one ran a little, stopped and smoked!
The strips had jumped-out / been knocked in transit, but were under the circuit board.. This caused a short, and killed the original electronics.

You can just see the springs sticking out..
DSC00550.JPG

Here you see under the board.. The springs should sit on edge.
DSC00556.JPG

Of course, this may not be the problem at all..
 
Henri, your railbus is DCC chipped! The round silver sticker with the "D" on it indicates that it has a factory-fitted DCC decoder. Make sure that your TE is switched to "linear DC" only, NOT to "PWM". I don't know if it could cause the problems you describe, but PWM should not be used on DCC chipped locos.

It does sound as though something is going wrong in the electronics in the Bus.... :cry:

Jon.
 
PhilP said:
Another thing to check..
The ends of the bogies have a flat bar to just under the central motor housing.. There is a large-flat 'staple-shaped' spring the end of this bar sits against to assist in centering the wheels.
This is held with a couple of raised pegs, and the bottom of the circuit board.

I had a one to convert to digital. Before I do anything, I run analogue and measure the current, check what the lights do etc.. This one ran a little, stopped and smoked!
The strips had jumped-out / been knocked in transit, but were under the circuit board.. This caused a short, and killed the original electronics.

You can just see the springs sticking out..
View attachment 214630

Here you see under the board.. The springs should sit on edge.
View attachment 214629

Of course, this may not be the problem at all..
Click to expand...


So it looks like the new version of LGB's railbus has pick up skates. Interesting.
 
Madman said:
So it looks like the new version of LGB's railbus has pick up skates. Interesting.
Click to expand...

Yes, bit of a different beast!
I was a little surprised how the springy-bits are held by the circuit board.. In my case the unit was straight out of the box. Can only surmise it was 'bounced' somewhere in transit, and that caused the parts to come loose..

The Client required it in a hurry, so rather than sending it back, I fitted a motor decoder. - The sound decoder was fitted in the trailer (under the moulding where the motor would sit. A cut-down volume control board (with the small shaft) was fitted.

This is the best of a bad bunch of photo's of the trailer with sound decoder..
DSC00544.JPG
 
Thanks all for replying. Really appreciated!

Tonight, with 'day' light, I inspected the wheels and found they were quite dirty. I think after all my ballast experiments the tracks have become quite contaminated with dirt (cement, buttermilk for moss growth and such). After ballast work I ran the track cleaning wagon a few laps only...

Tonight I cleaned the wheels and the 'spots' also removed quite easily. Then I cleaned the tracks with the LGB track cleaner and whoaaaaa, the bus is running already for 10 minutes!!!!

I also cleaned the wheels of the trailer, put it on a side track, powered it up, speed dropped just a teeny weeny bit, so I think I've solved this mystery!

Oh boy, didn't I like this situation. Didn't sleep well tonight about it....
 
Henri said:
Thanks all for replying. Really appreciated!

Tonight, with 'day' light, I inspected the wheels and found they were quite dirty. I think after all my ballast experiments the tracks have become quite contaminated with dirt (cement, buttermilk for moss growth and such). After ballast work I ran the track cleaning wagon a few laps only...

Tonight I cleaned the wheels and the 'spots' also removed quite easily. Then I cleaned the tracks with the LGB track cleaner and whoaaaaa, the bus is running already for 10 minutes!!!!

I also cleaned the wheels of the trailer, put it on a side track, powered it up, speed dropped just a teeny weeny bit, so I think I've solved this mystery!

Oh boy, didn't I like this situation. Didn't sleep well tonight about it....
Click to expand...
Henri, I also think you should take care to follow Zerogees advice in Post #5. I know little about TE for Track use but have heard his advice elswhere. Last thing you need to do is Trash your DCC Fitted Railbus for the want of a Switch Change.
JonD
 
Last pic in post 4, what do the metal bars actually do? I lost one of mine but the railcar still runs OK
 
Frank Gallagher said:
Last pic in post 4, what do the metal bars actually do? I lost one of mine but the railcar still runs OK
Click to expand...

Hi Frank, the end of the 'bogie' rests against it, and it 'self-centres' the bogie..
Unless it comes out, and floats about under the circuit board..
Then der sparken-flashen, und das elektroniks gerbang und poppen.
 
Henri said:
I'm so curious...! :think:
Click to expand...

Henri,
If the springy bits are where they should be, I would recommend leaving it alone..
If you *must* take it apart to have a look, be very gentle lifting the circuit board, and the springs should stay where they are supposed to.

It can be a bit awkward getting the cover to fit over the switch when putting it back together as well.
 
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