Excellent. Thanks for posting.

I'm surprised as Bachmann has a lifetime warranty and I sent mine in less than a year ago.

Second, I had a two truck climax and ordered those same "metal gear" trucks. While those were great, it didn't fix the problem. When I called technical support they said that the problem is internal and to ship it to them. I believe they replaced it with one of the new metal gear Spectrum shells and because I already ordered the trucks, they did it for a minimal fee.

So start with the trucks but be aware it may not fix your problem.

Good luck!
Scott

Just to add one thing. I finally was able to try this climax on straight DC and indeed, both lights illuminate in both directions. So it's how the board is wired. Dumb. I'll eventually hard wire it, but it's a project for another time!

Thanks Hunt for your time and help!

Scott

I agree with better geared re-releases. It was the geared engines that got everyone into On30. Since those have been out of production for many years, On30 has plateaued. Re-releasing the geared engines would renew interest in the scale. Newcomers have a tough time finding the "cool" stuff right now!

Personally, I would love to see a Mason Bogie, or larger ton (30ish, let's say) shay, and definitely heisler.

http://www.shaylocomotives.com/data/lima3354/sn-2493.htm
http://www.gearedsteam.com/heisler/images/champion_fibre_co_2-sn1143.jpg
http://ross-crain.com/rr_dsp2a-266T.htm

Put synchronized smoke generators in and watch jaws drop.

I'd also like to see freight car kits ala Tichy or Accurail. Bachmann's freight cars, for the most part, share many similar parts. You can already get the frames and trucks... Release flat car tops, gondola sides or box car tops to make inexpensive, one evening kits. On30 is all about customizing so that would play well into that aspect.

Scott

Thanks Hunt! After messing up which pin is which, it passed all those tests. The only combination with resistance is 1 and 5, which is should be since those are the motor leads. All other combinations show good (no resistance.)

So, I'm stumped. I'm not sure where to go from here unless I just want to hard wire it. Project for another time.

Your help has been greatly appreciated!

Scott

OK, did that. Loco runs in correct direction. (As a side note, this results in the decoder being backwards from what the circuit board says. The board section labeled "1" should be the orange wire, which caused it to run backward. Turning it around has the grey wire in the #1 hole.)

But, no lighting at all. None. Forward, backward, F0, F1, every other F#, nothing.

Weird.

ETA -- Putting the decoder back in the right way, and changing CV 29 to 7 puts it back in the correct direction. Changing CV 61 to 1 for lamps has no change in lighting. Same as before. It is certainly possible these are LEDs in here. I'm honestly not sure.

With mine, I started by doing both trucks but the problem was with the internal gears. Bachmann recommended I just send the whole thing in. They fixed it up nice, it runs like a swiss watch now, except for the lighting issues I detail in another thread.

I recommend calling the service department as they will guide you as to which approach to take.

Scott

In addition to the above, I do wonder... Since I sent this in, they sent me a new mechanism but the original shell. The original Climax shell from 15 years ago had incandescent lighting and the new one - the circuit board that is now in mine - has LED lighting. I wonder if power is going to both lights as it should, but because the new circuit board assumes LED lighting (which is directional of course) that both light up anyway since I have (I think?) incandescents.

That my be it... Just thinking.

Scott

OK, DH126PS installed and reset.

CV...
7=51
8=129
29=6
33=1
34=2
49=0
50=0
61=0

I've not made any modifications to circuit board. Loco in this configuration runs fwd/bkwd opposite of how it should. (Setting CV29=7 fixes that I'm aware but I've not done so for this example.) Lights work exactly as I describe above... both are lit, though in the direction it is traveling, it is very slightly brighter. Toggling F0 turns both lights on/off. I have run it both on my JMRI/Sprig 3 system and MRC system with the same results. I may or may not have a DC power pack here somewhere.

Thanks for any help!
Scott

Disable your ad blocker.

If it still doesn't work, call them. They are very friendly.

On older decoders, it was necessary to change from a short address to a long one, then back to a short one. Might be worth a try.

So change from 3 to say, 3000, then to 26.

I hope that works for you. Let me know.

Scott

ETA Ah, I see Hunt mentioned the same thing. There's your answer!

Thanks for the help. I am out of town and will do this in a few days! I look forward to the results.

Scott

Presently it is a Lenz Silver decoder, but I tried plugging in a new Digitrax 126 with the exact same results. I program with JMRI and a Sprog 3.

Scott

Ah. Well then...

Thanks.

Scott

HO 2 truck Bachmann Climax. It is one of the originals from maybe 15 years that I sent in because of g**r issues. Bachmann sent me a whole new body with the metal gears to bring it up to modern Spectrum standards. Runs beautifully. The issue I have is that regardless of which decoder I put in, which direction it is headed, or how I have the F0 functions programmed, both front and rear lights turn on/off with F0. I.e, there is no directional lighting.

The circuit board in there is labelled H806X+PCB03 Rev-A 2015/04/16.

I've swapped decoders so that isn't it. I've changed F0 function mapping with no luck (other than turning them completely off.) The only thing I notice is that the proper oriented light (forward when going forward and back light when going backward) is slightly brighter than the opposite. So, switching from forward to reverse, the forward light dims very slightly and the back light brightens very slightly. And vice versa. But both lights are on. I would like your basic directional lighting.

Any help (short of just hard wiring the decoder) is greatly appreciated!

Scott