My Rail Truck runs the wrong way!

Started by dbholc, November 10, 2009, 12:05:35 PM

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dbholc

My rail truck runs in the opposite direction of my other trains when I apply power to the tracks.  How do I change the polarity of the engine??  Is there a switch?  Help!

Jim Banner

You either reverse the wires at the motor or turn the motor upside down, depending on what rail truck you have.  I am assuming it is an H0 model and that the lights work correctly.

Jim
Growing older is mandatory but growing up is optional.

dbholc


ABC

Quote from: dbholc on November 10, 2009, 11:02:56 PM
It is large scale!
Well, then you should have given a product number or stated it was large scale or posted in the large scale forum. It's hard to give you a good answer if a person is left to make multiple assumptions due to a lack of information granted a person may not be able to provide all the information, but it may have helped Jim, to know it was large scale so he could give you a better answer.

r0bert

IIRC, there is a switch that changes polarity on most, if not all Bachmann Large Scale powered units, check your paperwork for location.

Jim Banner

All large scale locomotives followed LGB practice (left rail positive to go forward) for many years.  Then the NMRA stuck their noses in and decided that large scale should use their standard (right rail positive to go forward.)  I cannot imagine why anyone would want to change a long standing de facto standard unless, perhaps, they were worried about somebody's N-scale locomotives running backwards on their G-scale tracks.  

Some power units have been manufactured with switches so that you could choose between the standards.  I don't know about your unit.  If it does not already have such a switch, you can easily add one.  Just remember to thank the NMRA while doing so.

Jim
Growing older is mandatory but growing up is optional.

glennk28

switch should be in the box in back.    gj