FlyerChief Berk not responding

Little Tommy,

Look at the pilot truck for a broken wire. That was where my problem started, the factory wire was very stiff. I replaced with a length of super-flex, than looking further l saw the tender had the capability of all wheel power pick-up. Just ran some super-flex there and and made up a plug and connected to power feed wires on the engine. I did this first on the PE Berk and than on my NKP Berk, now nothing stops either one.

Ray

PS

While you have the shell off the engine and or the tender check to make sure all the plugs are secure

Little  Tommy, Ray offered to you excellent advise on trouble shooting your locomotive running issues.

Thanks for your help Ray & Bill.

Yes, indeed, the wire was broken to the pilot truck.  This is the third time I have found  substandard wires have caused problems in different  Flyonel products produced in China that I have purchased.

LittleTommy

Use the all wheel power pick-up on the tender, you will not regret doing it.

Ray

Ray , Does the tender pickup wiring help with the loss of signal ? I have a loop clear around the basement with the furnace ect. in the middle . FC engines will not run the entire loop unless I take the controller into the other room & then run back to starting point.

   Bob G.

How hard is it to take off the engine shell  thanks

Ray you need to do a article on that with pictures that engine need that mod bad

It is not hard to take off the engine shell, but you need to take notes to make sure you put it together just as it came apart.  There are some small pieces that can serve as insulators in some steam engines that if not assembled right can cause a short.  It is a careful process.

Bob,

I have found Flyer Chief need line of sight for the signal. They will operate for a short time when not in sight. I have a plaster mountain on one end of my layout and when the Berks are on the far side of that they continue to operate, same with the GP. I don't believe that the tender mod helps the signal but it eliminates power interruption which may contribute to balky operation.

Ray

I should have mentioned the range of the signal is somewhat limited, with the orange controller, at 50 ft l still have control, but keep fresh batteries in the controller.

Thanks Ray !

Bob G.

@Bob Guckian posted:

Ray , Does the tender pickup wiring help with the loss of signal ? I have a loop clear around the basement with the furnace ect. in the middle . FC engines will not run the entire loop unless I take the controller into the other room & then run back to starting point.

   Bob G.

Bob,

Have you tried running with the Bluetooth app, it may help when trains are out of sight, not certain but just a thought.

Boy,  I sure airheaded that last statement, I was thinking back to the time when I had added the Lionchief app to my phone thinking that was Bluetooth, sorry. I do have one of the Bluetooth locomotives, the GP, it seems to have a little better response that the older Flyerchief locos.

Ray