Hicken Tender Problem: Engine fails to reverse in DC, or DCC

[Garybear2]

I swapped tenders on a new Spectrum 2-10-2 from a coal tender to a prevously purchased (but unused) Spectrum Vanderbilt Hicken tender.  The engine will reverse with the coal tender, but remains dead rather than move in reverse with the Hicken tender with dummy plug, or w/decoder.  Any suggestions?

[rogertra]

Did you swap circuit boards when you swapped tenders?

If "No", then make it "Yes". 

Personally, I think it's a good rule of thumb to always keep the circuit board with the locomotive and to put the locomoitve circuit board in the new tender, even if it means modifying the new tender, which isn't that difficult.

Of course, one day, Bachmann will heed our calls for universal circuit boards and or tender to locomotive connectors, but don't hold your breath.  After all, to Bachmann's senior management in China, they're just making "toy trains" so it's not really important.

[Garybear2]

Rather than cannablize the one tender, I'd like to have two working tenders...

[Guilford Guy]

The hickens tender has a different circuit board than the long tender, you will have to buy another long tender and use the circuit board from that, if you wish to use both the long tender, and hicken with the santa fe...

[Garybear2]

THANK YOU GG-ALEX!
What Spectrum Engines can use the Vanderbilt Hicken Tender as is?

[Guilford Guy]

I believe the SP Heavy 4-8-2 was the one that came with the hickens tender. I'm sure any Bachmann 4-8-2 would work fine with it. If you wish to use the hickens with the 2-10-2, you will need to canabalize the circuit board from a long tender...

[TonyD]

This is how I got my ear wax vibrated out of my skull a few weeks ago- mentioning the NMRA standardizing electronics, atleast voluntarilly, I was all but accused of anti-capitalist behavior, btw, I was told by a little bird that the Bachmann factory in Shanghai sub contracts for many if not all other brands, so if you don't like Bachmann products, you won't like too many others either....

[rogertra]

Here's what I did to three "Hicken's" tenders to get them to work behind three "President's Choice" (AHM) 2-10-2s.  Mind you, I also shortened them by one water course and converted them to coal from oil tenders. 



But swapping circuit boards is so much easier.

[SteamGene]

The Hickens tender will work ONLY with the USRA heavy Mountain and the USRA light Mallet.  It will NOT work with the USRA light Mountain.  Be advised it will FRY a USRA light Santa Fe. 
Gene

[Garybear2]

The Hickens tender will work ONLY with the USRA heavy Mountain and the USRA light Mallet.  It will NOT work with the USRA light Mountain.  Be advised it will FRY a USRA light Santa Fe. 
Gene

Thanks SG!  A test of the locomotive with its original tender proved that I had NOT fried the Santa Fe (2-10-2) in my test with the Vandy.  I had tested at the lower DC voltage rather than DCC.  I reviewed my Vanderbilt Hicken documentation to find NO INSTRUCTIONS as to the application!  Seeing that the wire connectors were identical had given me the false confidence that these tenders were compatibly engineered.

QUESTION: Has anyone actually fitted the circuit board used with the 2-10-2 into the Vanderbilt Hicken body?  I'd be most grateful to hear from you.