I got my Tyco set back that I got as a kid in mid to late 1970s. I had kind of forgot about it. I just hooked it all up and locomotivce dont move. been sitting in a box for perhaps 25 or 30 yrs. Tyco 899B Transformer has voltage measuring at output and at receiving end at track. What should voltage be? could locomotive be the culprit?
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5 ~
Member Since: October 20 2011 ~
Last Visit: July 25 2012
Hi - voltage should be 12-18 volts. Locomotive wheels may be dirty. You can test your locomotive by doing this - turn loco on its back - place one of power pack wires to rear brass colored wheels and the other to front brass wheel - loco should light or run. If this doesn't work - connect wires directly to motor contact plates - clean track or replace with nickel silver also. Here is my video's on Test a Tyco motor
Thank you! I will try that first. Getting excited here. Already ordered a couple more train cars just for fun, and looking at more things. My track has a couple peices that could be replaced too so I am first going to get the transformer and locomotive going and then I can expand track and set up my hand rails. ( also got my dads train set from I assume the 1940s or 50s. Its some heavy duty stuff! I probably wont mess with it much til I get mine going though. I cant even tell what the brand name is but its made in USA.) I will reply here with that I disccover next.
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5 ~
Member Since: October 20 2011 ~
Last Visit: July 25 2012
voltage is perhaps sporadic? I am getting 4.6V constant but at first tends to spike at like 9.6 for a quick second. This is at both ends meaning at back of the Tyco transformer DC Track Only outputs 1 and 2 and then again at the rail (2 receiving ternimals going into track).
I measured both ways - I held positive and negative on each side (of track only output 1 and 2) to see but it made no difference
The AC Accessory side at back of transformer is about 19.6V constant. Nothing is hooked up to it.
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5 ~
Member Since: October 20 2011 ~
Last Visit: July 25 2012
Those powerpacks are not well regarded, but OTOH if it was lightly used it there shouldn't be a reason it would be dead. Voltage should be steady though, so that is a bit perplexing. And 4.6V should definitely be enough to get some reaction from the locomotive.
If you still suspect the power pack, you can hook wires to a 9V battery and run the same test.
Alternately, you might inspect the wiring and such on the locomotive. Check the obvious stuff: make sure the brass wheels are on the same side of each truck... make sure the wires are connected from rear truck to front, and in the headlight circuit... is the bulb burned out...? Does the motor even hum? Is it possible it was put away "dead" from some long-forgotten childhood shenanigans?
I wrote a fairly comprehensive guide for troubleshooting and fixing these, you may find it useful:
1) Brain - I did not do that so I'm good I can read. 2) I'll be doing more homework on your link spider. I took a short cut and bought another used Rock island locomotive (a little differnt style than mine) with OEM power pak like I have and another track peice where the wire hooks up and many other peices all for about $25. so now... I am getting power to either locomotive with either power pack but I cant get either locomotive to move much. if I press down on loco it moves better. Light is on! Good. So... more homework starting with your webpage... And I am having hard time telling if I am getting loco lined up on track very well. I suspect maint to do on locos...
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5 ~
Member Since: October 20 2011 ~
Last Visit: July 25 2012
BTW I cant wait to get this all rolling. With my old rock island influenced set up and the new rock island peices I just bought and combining all accesories and cars I should be in train heaven. Q: can you, should you try to run 2 locomotive at once? or is that bad news?
Any limit to how many cars a loco can pull?
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5 ~
Member Since: October 20 2011 ~
Last Visit: July 25 2012
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Posted - October 20 2011 : 01:54:00 AM
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Posted - October 31 2011 : 02:03:09 AM