I have an MTH Doodlebug (PS1) that while running normally yesterday stopped in neutral. Sounds / lights remained functioning. Now it will only go into neutral and reverse. When one cycles into what would be forward it just sits there, but the sounds change as if it is moving.
I changed the battery and performed reset 18, but no change. I can hear the relay clicking each time, but it won't go forward. I'm thinking something went wrong with the bottom board.
Any thoughts? Thanks.
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Well, the fact that it will run in one direction certainly points to an issue with the bottom board. I wonder if someone like GGG will weigh in here, he has a lot of experience with these. My normal experience is removing them for command upgrades. 
If you need a board set, I'm going to be selling one from the Doodlebug, I'm upgrading it to PS/2.
I took it completely apart and while it still is broken I found the problem. It appears the battery leaked and some of the acid got on the bottom board. It cleaned up easily with alcohol but likely there is some component damage.
If I didn't like the horn so much on this model I'd just put a simple reverse board in it.
So I'm in the market for a PS1 bottom board.
There are at least two different styles of PS1 boards, so you'll also need the proper one. I saw my first PS1 locomotive with a three board stack, never saw that one before!
Thanks. I'll make sure I get the proper one.
If I should come across a set of boards that is different than what I have would the sound-chip be interchangeable between them?
I can't say for sure, I've never tried moving chips between different design boards. I do know that you can use different chips in a limited sense, I've put different sound chips into a similar board set and they worked.
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