# BLI 2-10-2 crashes



## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

My 2-10-2 ran fine for a long time, but I took it out of service about two months ago to work on other projects.

I put her back on the track yesterday, and she goes about 2 inches and crashes, re-starts, crashes after 2 inches, over and over and over.

I cleaned the wheels with 90 alcohol and cleaned the track with a Brightboy.

Other diesels run fine in the same area.

Any ideas or hints?

Bill


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Storage time is a killer to locomotives.For instance,wheel wipers get somewhat oxidized and other bugging issues like that.Keep running it for a while,it'll likely improve.


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

it is up to about 18 inches between crashes.

I will keep trying.

Bill


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

So its DCC? DCC is very intolerant of poor track and wheel pick ups.


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

Yes, it is a DCC Broadway Limited steam.

My Athearn DCC diesels run fine on the same track.

Do BLI steamers have wipers that I could clean? Where do I look for those?

Bill


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

The pick up wipers act on the back of the wheels, should be easy to pick out. Clean them and the wheel backs. Also check the pick up wires, sometimes the soldering fails.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I certainly agree with the other guys, clean the tracks, wheels,
and wipers. I don't run steamers, but know that some use the
tender wheels for pickup, sometimes full power, sometimes only
one side. Then, if this is the case, some use the drawbar to carry
power into the loco itself. Any of that could be causing your
problem.

One question: Does the headlight go out when the loco 'crashes'? (which
I interpret as pausing or stopping) That would be an indication that
power is interrupted between track and loco. If the headlight does
not go out, there would seem to be a DCC decoder issue, possibly
due again to faulty electrical continuity from track to decoder.
Often this type of problem can be overcome by resetting the decoder
to factory defaults (address 3).

Don


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

Yes, the light goes out and the sound crackles like static.
Bill


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

If the light goes out when the loco pauses or stops the indication
is loss of power from the track to the decoder. You would have to check all
of those possibilities in previous posts. Look, also, for broken or
loose wires from the wheel power pickups. It is often the cause
of poor running. I've had that on a diesel. 

Don


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

Because it always stalled in certain spots, but not always, I thought it was my track. I fiddled, filed, soldered, added jumpers, rewired, cleaned track, cleaned engine wheels, u name it.

No help!

On a wild hair, I cleaned the tender wheels with alcohol and a paper towel, and she runs like a top. Stalling is a thing of the past!

Problem solved.

I did not know the tender provided electrical pickup, but it must contribute in some way.

I hope this helps someone else. 

Bill


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

You might also check the plug going from the tender to the loco. It can pull out a bit from where it plugs into the loco just under the cab.


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