Unlocking from steady neutral?

I put 3 batteries in 3 different engines today with the same problem. problem fixed in all 3.

I have a Z1000 on my workbench. I've used it to do a conventional reset (1 horn, 5 bells) and got the confirmation of the reset from the engine. That's my go to procedure for problems like this on PS2/3 engines.

 Of course, you have to have a good battery! (as posted above)

I did use a Z4000 trying the 18 up and down with the throttle on a PS1. It still ended up to be a battery issue. Once swapped out, the engine ran as expected. On one problem engine, I used an external charger to get the battery full. Put it back in and the engine ran.

 Our grandkids have a few old MTH engines that sit for very long periods going unused. Those could probably benefit from the supercap replacements. 

This is a 20-3214-2 PS-2 which has been in storage for many years. 

The 2.4 volt 700 m amp blue wrapped twin battery pack has a short pigtail.  Is this a MTH version or are these short lead batteries available in the open market. 

I have never had to change a battery before, my Proto equipped engines usually get regular exercise.  GRJ has added BRC-2 in other previously stored locomotives.

John's service is one of the best things going in 0 gauge railroading!

I have had to change out the blue wrapped batteries. Some had a bad history that seemed to shorten their life. Other ones of the same age are still working strong? All I can say is test them. Especially ones that you don't know the full history of.

@Tom Tee posted:

Can a Z-1000 be used to unlock a PS  1 or 2 locomotive from a steady neutral setting?  I am getting steam sounds,  bell, horn and occasional chatter but no response to movement requests?

I have tried to use the 18 up and down voltage instructions and the horn then throttle movement instruction  but no change??

The steam idling sounds are terrific.

When you press the DIRECTION button on the Z-controller, do the sounds immediately terminate?  And when you release the DIRECTION button do you hear the faint click-click from the PS2 electronics...and then steam engine startup sounds?  That's a good indicator of a bad or discharged battery.

So you may have two things going here (bad battery AND engine locked in neutral).  Remedy for former is obvious - replace battery or install BRC-2.  

But if engine sounds continue on when you press the DIRECTION button but the engine remains in neutral then you can get out-of-jail (i.e., neutral lockup) with the factory-reset using the Z-controller Bell-Horn button sequence as Joe mentions.  This can be a tricky sequence for which videos have been made.  Here's one I made: