PS 2 Steam Engine Acting Strange

To me it sounds like the tether between tender and engine.

I agree with Clem.  The tach attached to the motor in the boiler sends the "speed" signal to the PS2 board in the tender.  If the tether has a compromised pin or wire in the harness for the tach, the tach signal will be lost and you will lose chuff, smoke and control of speed. If run in conventional, the loco will speed at the set track voltage, then slow down and cycle between the two. It is either a broken solder connection at the socket in the locomotive (from repeated installing/removing the harness) or a broken wire in the tether from repeated flexing.

Thanks guys for the replies. This model has the wireless drawbar. The screw holding the drawbar to the engine did in fact come loose while I was running it, so I think you are on to something. I had a kit with shorter drawbars so I replaced the original, but no change. Therefore it must be a pin or wire inside the engine harness plug as stated. I’ll check it over again but it sounds like a trip to my MTH service repair guy. Thanks again for the replies!

Like Jon stated - it is in the pin or pins in the connector.  Either a broken solder joint or they came loose out of their retainer.  Have seen this numerous times.  Good luck and be CAREFUL working in that area.

bruce

Thanks Bruce for the input.  I was able to use a tender from another PS2 engine, and the engine operated as it should, with the tender sounds and chuff working properly.  So, the problem appears to be isolated to the tender.  Visually, there does not appear to be any issues w/ wires to the socket, and all are secure.  I don't know that the wire harness to the drawbar is readily available as a replacement part, so I'm afraid it still looks like a trip to the repair guy.

That is a dangerous move using another tender unless it is the same model, and maybe same year type.  Not all engines wired the same, and that move can cause board damage.  G