I have a new, never run steamer that I have listed on e-Bay. Most of the trains I own are early 5v PS2 locos. I have gotten in the habit of testing them before shipping.
I test the steam engine and it operates great and the sounds are perfect. Then, I select "shut down" and immediately cut the transformer power and the sounds abruptly end. I then recharged the battery with the external charger from MTH for 12 hours. Afterwards, the loco once again shuts down abruptly after cutting the transformer power. Okay, this means the battery is bad, right?
So, I order and receive a new battery that is green rather than white. Several questions come to mind:
1.) Why did a white rechargeable battery fail in an engine released in the year 2000 that has never been run? Does the connection in the dormant engine somehow degrade the battery? Or, is it a "shelf live" issue?
2.) If it is a shelf live issue, what is the battery shelf life and how does one know the manufacture date of the replacement green battery?
3.) Should I abandon the rechargeable battery approach and go with the BCR?
Thanks,
Tom Jasper
