# Issues with Broadway Limited Big Boy



## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

I picked up a Broadway Limited Blue Line UP Big Boy at a show that needed some cosmetic help (ordered the parts) but my issue comes from it running. when set on the track with decoder in it will sit there and chuff while my zephyr goes nuts. it also doesn't move while under address 3. the decoder refuses to be read by my system.

took out decoder made it DC. loco runs fine down straight section of track. when it starts to negotiate a turn she stops and after about 30 seconds my over load light goes on on my tech 2 power pack. i am thinking there is a short in there somewhere that i have yet to be able to locate. I do not have all the paper work to the loco and the exploded diagram is not helping me figure out how to get the boiler off to examine the guts. I have cleaned it's wheels and lubed it up but problem still exists.

any help would be greatly appreciated


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Just looking at the picture that you posted I don't think I see a DCC decoder.
I see a sound board but no decoder... But who knows I've been know to be wrong from time to time.
It sounds like it has some electrical pick,up issues too.


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

you would be correct. since i couldn't get it to behave in DCC mode I took the decoder out and put the jumper plug in to get it to run DC. Where you see it in the pic is where it died and shorted my power pack


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## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

sawgunner said:


> I picked up a Broadway Limited Blue Line UP Big Boy at a show that needed some cosmetic help (ordered the parts) but my issue comes from it running. when set on the track with decoder in it will sit there and chuff while my zephyr goes nuts. it also doesn't move while under address 3. the decoder refuses to be read by my system.
> 
> took out decoder made it DC. loco runs fine down straight section of track. when it starts to negotiate a turn she stops and after about 30 seconds my over load light goes on on my tech 2 power pack. i am thinking there is a short in there somewhere that i have yet to be able to locate. I do not have all the paper work to the loco and the exploded diagram is not helping me figure out how to get the boiler off to examine the guts. I have cleaned it's wheels and lubed it up but problem still exists.
> 
> any help would be greatly appreciated


Could the polarity on your tracks be reversed. That engine is rather long with two sets of drive wheels and if they are on both sides of a track insulator it could cause a short circuit.
Push the engine further down the track and see if it goes backwards when powered up.

Ray


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

Layout is fully wired red outside rail black inside rail to my bus wires (also red and black). all other locos run fine to include the Challenger i use to have running my lines


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Simple answer it's broken!
Second simple answer fix it!
Disconnect the loco from the tender, put the tender on the tracks push the tender around and see if it still shorts out.


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

nope tender alone works fine. i adjusted the front truck and now she gets through the turn she died originally on however she will not make it through the next one which turns to the opposite direction. in reverse she will not make it into the turn that also goes to the opposite direction.

video will be posted soon


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Yep I would say the front truck has a problem. Take a pic of it.


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

and she is up and running again!! Thanks Sean!! Turns out the pilot truck had been turned around on it and it was shooting the wrong polarity to the motor


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Sawgunner that engine is going to give you nothing but trouble from now on. However being the good guy that I am I'm willing to take it off your hands if you can pay the postage down to Fla. Yuck yuck! GOOD GUY PETE


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

norgale said:


> Sawgunner that engine is going to give you nothing but trouble from now on. However being the good guy that I am I'm willing to take it off your hands if you can pay the postage down to Fla. Yuck yuck! GOOD GUY PETE



LOL you can have it for shipping.....

That'll be $400 insured LOL


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

you didnt get that a show in mass or nh lol if so it was my son who sold it to you


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

sawgunner said:


> and she is up and running again!! Thanks Sean!! Turns out the pilot truck had been turned around on it and it was shooting the wrong polarity to the motor


I've had that problem before. One of my uncles removed and cleaned the wheels of one of my tenders... and assembled one of the trucks backwards...

Took a bit of head scratching to work that one out!


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

This one had one backwards and one copper power pick up upside down. She up and running great now will post a video when I get home from work


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

ok click picture to play video


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

sawgunner said:


> ok click picture to play video


nice .i dont think the one my son sold was in that good shape .backstory is i shipped my big boy to NH& UPS screwed it up


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

i had a similar experience with a Rivarossi Challenger, USPS did a great job of destroying that one, fixed it and sold it.

funny how you shipped it to NH and that's where i am LOL


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

saw , i lived in newmarket nh b4 moving to fla in april 2012


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

got a member on here that lives in Newmarket and one in Portsmouth. I live in Dover


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

sawgunner said:


> got a member on here that lives in Newmarket and one in Portsmouth. I live in Dover


ahh ok i talked to my son & he said that its the 1 & mike shipp from york village trainshop .my son dropped it on his table to sell  good luck with it


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

have you done tour dechooh??? & vist layouts ??

well the big boy looks good . so looks like im gonna have to killl my son for selling it


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

the decoder in it was brand new i bought it after i got the bli big boy last fall


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

i haven't done the tour de chooch around here but if and when i can get a layout i'm happy with i may get into it. lot of closet railroaders around here LOL


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

steve it was great talking to you last nite its good to shoot the bull with a fellow model railroader & yes i can tell you of 3 nice layouts with 15 miles of you that i used to operate on


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