Just to follow up, Bachmann customer support recommended I try a 9v battery across the wheels to test the locomotive itself, separately from the track layout, etc.  That also produced no light or movement.  I started gearing up for a warranty request.

While doing that, I clicked into the parts list and looked around a bit.  I noticed that the copper contacts part looked slightly different from what I had seen when I took a few screws out to see if there was anything obviously jamming the mechanism.  One of the two tabs that reaches up into the body of the loco to transfer power to the motor/light had been installed incorrectly, and was not sitting where it should have been.  A little adjustment brought the small flap up, and after reassembly, the train began moving correctly.

So, for any other newbies who run into a totally nonfunctional locomotive:  try a 9v battery, and check that the copper bits that are supposed to move power around look right.

Hello all,

I recently purchased a new set to get started in the hobby.  It is a "Chessie Special", kit #00750.  I believe I have assembled it correctly, and yet I cannot get the train itself to move, or the light to light.  I'm attempting to move just the locomotive itself - no rolling stock at this point.

I did some searching for common pitfalls before posting, and was able to get some early troubleshooting steps out of the way:

- Both rails on the track have continuity all the way around
- The two rails are not shorted
- When I turn the controller dial, the voltage shown on a multimeter between the two rails adjusts from zero(ish) at the lowest setting to about 15v at the highest setting.  The direction of the voltage inverts when I move the reverse switch on the controller.

Considering all this, I have to assume that there is something wrong with the locomotive itself, perhaps the power is not getting to the motor or light through the wheels for some reason?

Are there any other troubleshooting or diagnostic steps that are reasonable to take, or do I need to just do a warranty return/exchange?