While almost 20 years old, it’s had an easy life. Here’s the problem:
1. Runs fine under DCS.
2. Not so under conventional control. The sounds come up [including whistle], but it won’t go.
3. Worse yet: Upside down in a cradle, it won’t even start up!
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How about a product number? Did you try a new battery? What transformer are you using for the conventional test?
Based on your comments I assume that you have a TIU or Explorer. Make sure they are unplugged before trying run conventionally. Because of the age of your PS2 locomotive, it, probably, has the 5 volt board. These boards are at the end of their life and will to be replaced at some point. Mine lived for 18 years before it simply would not run again. That fact that yours is still responding to DCS signals is good.
if your steam engine has a ps2 5 volt board which is most likely your board is quite old as Dan has said, although sometimes you can do a conventional RESET and recover a board that won't run in conventional but runs ok in DCS , worth a try, otherwise just replace your board with a ps 3/2 board and your old engine will run perfectly and you'll never need a battery also a perk with the newer electronics boards !
As far as the upside down problem you might have binding side rods causing that issue! you might take the engine top off and rotate the flywheel and see if you feel binding which would cause the problem your describing !
MTH PS2 PS3 conventional factory reset using z 4000 and z 750 transformers - Bing video
Alan
It's apparently an 8 v board [Battery is 8.4 v, NiCad 7-cell; rechargeable.] But it read only 3.7 volts. I replaced it [just for testing purposes] with a new 9v alkaline battery. No effect; same behavior.....via CONVENTIONAL or via DCS with a TIU. The instruction book calls it a PS 2 engine.
While the low battery voltage might be a contributing factor, it is most likely that your 5 volt board is dead. Death came slowly to my, first sound cut in and out then it just stopped responding. In my case the battery was fully charged, but it didn’t matter. Yours should have done something with a 9 volt.
The 5 volt board, generally, cannot be repaired. You will need to replace it with PS3. If you can find a kit you could do it yourself or contact a tech, like Alan, and get a cost for replacement.
He says it runs in DCS, just not conventional. So you can try the conventional or a factory reset. With the new alkaline and power applied, turn off power. Does it play shut down sounds? If not may be a battery harness issue, or a board battery issue causing no conventional operations.
As far as cradle running. How are you attaching the ground. Regardless of up or down, the engine should start up when power applied unless you have DCS on. In which case it stays quite until startup. To me it sounds like your not actually getting power to the board in the cradle either because of a damaged jumper cable or poor ground attachment. G
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