Yet Another Damaged USA Trains Loco

Great to hear of USAT's good customer service.

Richie said:
But they did say one thing that worried me was that the ditch lights won't work right using Aristo power packs and they didn't say why has anyone else had problems with the SD70 ditch lights using Aristo power ?
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In my limited experience some led lighting systems don't like pulse width modulated supplies. The directional lights tend to stay on in the wrong direction, so I guess ditch lights that should flash alternately may also stay on all the time.
 
Hi Richie,
On some of the USAT units the ditch lights will flash alternately as you slow the loco down. - Though you need to slow down slowly to see this. - Talking left, then right ditch lights on (or flashing side-to-side)..
If they flash (together) as you increase / decrease speed, then probably a faulty board as USAT have diagnosed..
If the loco does not like the supply from your Aristo unit, there are ways round this. There may be a more elegant solution, but I would track-feed the Phoenix and then arrange to smooth the incoming supply to the USAT board. - Would probably mean rectifying it, smoothing it a bit, and arranging a DPDT relay to swap polarity to the USAT board so it knows which direction to go.
NOTE:
I tend to use a relay-board to do this on Aristocraft, and USAT loco's to keep the supplied lighting working correctly when I fit decoders. Adding the bridge rectifier, and a smoothing capacitor would be a trivial mod if you needed a board for this?

Lots of soldering to swap the USAT board out.. Offer still stands if you do not feel up to it.

Good luck,
Phil Partridge.
 
Hi Richie
I use my SD70 with Aristo receivers/transmitter and Crest elite power pack (and I have also used her on DCC once, on analogue address, but this makes the motors sing so I stopped it).
The lights work fine at slow (alternate flashing) speed and also at normal pace. I tend to switch PWC out when running non Aristo or Bachmann locos but the SD70 flashing ditch lights do work with PWC switched in. Maybe the board inside my SD70 could be different...not sure.
 
Many thanks for your reply's Neil , Phil & Mike
I use a Aristo Train engineer with a Aristo 10amp elite power supply the switch on my TE which is used for pulse width is never used I have slotted a piece of plastic in the switch to stop it from sliding into the PW mode , so it's only ever on normal DC which I also told USAT . Have had 2 visiting SD70's one being yours Mike and the other being Chris M's Union Pacific one both of which ran round fine with ditch lights working OK . My loco was tested on the club layout which use's a LGB power supply it was here we noticed the problem , I still some times think that the loco I received was a damaged return and sent out by mistake just seems odd that the plug for the ditch lights was never plugged in in the first place as if they knew it had a problem . I'm not the best when it comes to electric's Phil so I don't really want to mess with the circuit boards all being well the new board will work fine just not looking forward to removing the body again just hope this will be the last time .
 
Man, you have really had some issues with this loco. Is there nothing more USA Trains is willing to do? With the bad publicity here I would think they should want to make an exchange for a brand new one. There are other ways to get their attention. Write them a paper letter. Put your loco on Youtube and write a review. Post the problems on other forums, just to mention a few. I was away over the holiday season, so have not kept up with your thread. If I missed anything, then I apologize for beating a dead horse.
 
Hi Dan
Your right there Dan have had real bad luck with this one . At least I know it won't happen again as I have no plans on buying any more loco's or stock this year . I wrote a real long email to USAT but they didn't really answer any of my points but they were happy to send me the spares which are on there way right now ( saying that thou I don't know what's coming ) I dare say I won't have anything for my troubles a sorry would be nice . By the way you haven't missed any of the thread as the loco has just been sat in it's box since the test run . Hopefully once this is all over I can get back to enjoying this hobby and start running some trains .
 
Wanting 'inspiration' and trying sponge-like to absorb ideas for when I start track-laying here..
For coffee and cake I would be willing to come over and swap the boards if you are not sure you want to attack the loco with a hot-stick?

Would be nice if we could either have a 'proper' bit of winter (cold enough to be frozen and dry) or just some respite from the damp.. I tried to do a bit of tidying today, but everything is sodden, and my 'Staffordshire clay' is unworkable this time of year. :(
 
Richie said:
............. But they did say one thing that worried me was that the ditch lights won't work right using Aristo power packs and they didn't say why has anyone else had problems with the SD70 ditch lights using Aristo power ? .............
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Richie,
this electrical issue between USA Trains and Aristo has been going on a long time. Over the years many have reported that USA Trains lighting does not like Aristo pulse power. As I usually run LGB, when I had my Train Engineer, I also physically locked out the pulse power setting by gluing a plastic piece over the switch to ensure that linear power only was available.
 
PhilP said:
Wanting 'inspiration' and trying sponge-like to absorb ideas for when I start track-laying here..
For coffee and cake I would be willing to come over and swap the boards if you are not sure you want to attack the loco with a hot-stick?

Would be nice if we could either have a 'proper' bit of winter (cold enough to be frozen and dry) or just some respite from the damp.. I tried to do a bit of tidying today, but everything is sodden, and my 'Staffordshire clay' is unworkable this time of year. :(
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Hi Phil
Hopefully the new board for the ditch lights should do the job as I have had 2 other SD70's running on my line with out any troubles as I never use the pulse width power supply on the TE . But your more than welcome to come over one day when I've got the line up and running , I'm off to the South Staffs meet at Codsal wood this Sunday so if you need a break from your sodden clay pop along . Our garden is looking rather wet haven't had much time in the garden due to the weather on the plus side the frosts haven't damaged many of my plants and rocks , just need a good dry weekend so I can relay some track .
 
Tim Brien said:
Richie,
this electrical issue between USA Trains and Aristo has been going on a long time. Over the years many have reported that USA Trains lighting does not like Aristo pulse power. As I usually run LGB, when I had my Train Engineer, I also physically locked out the pulse power setting by gluing a plastic piece over the switch to ensure that linear power only was available.
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Hi Tim
Hadn't heard of any problems with USAT loco's running on Aristo power before this just thought it was LGB ones you had to watch when I have had open days I would always tell people that I use a Aristo power supply and you run your loco at your own risk I don't recall anyone having any problems . I know several others that have locked the switch in place so that you just use linear power.
 
I have had the Aristo TE R/C power controller, with a Crest transformer, from the start 10 years ago. Always set to linear not PWS. Never had any problems with USAT, LGB, Bachmann, Accucraft or even GRS's own creations.
Max
 
maxi-model said:
I have had the Aristo TE R/C power controller, with a Crest transformer, from the start 10 years ago. Always set to linear not PWS. Never had any problems with USAT, LGB, Bachmann, Accucraft or even GRS's own creations.
Max
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same here Max been using my TE now for over 10years without any problems , the problem with my SD70 was there before I received it a fault that should have been noticed before being shipped out .
 
Parcel from USAT arrived today larger and heavier than the last one :D
The box contained the new circuit board for the ditch lights a bag of universal joints for the motor block and a pair of complete front swivel drive units with wheels ;D
Very happy now just need the sound board now then I can replace the damage parts and fit the sound ;D
 
Weather was nice today so I thought I might clear the line and run the SD70 now that I have fitted the Phoenix sound . After a hour of cleaning and clearing the line it was time to run the loco but to my horror when I removed the loco from the box the front motor block had dropped off :'( I just couldn't believe it the same problem that I had with the rear motor block ,so it was off with the body again for the third time :( so I could screw the motor block back on but have found on the track I might have put it on to tight as there not much movement in the bogie as it derailed on some uneven track so it could be off with the body again :'( the build quality of this loco has been really SxxT and wish now that I'd never brought it . On the plus side the Phoenix sound was fantastic with the volume up the engine really sounded like it was working hard up my grades ,but Sara made me turn it down as you could hear it down the street .
 
Your dilemma with this product is a good reason to have these forums. The more exposure to these kinds of issues, a products gets, the better products we are likely to see in the future. At least that's what one would think. I'm not a Facebook subscriber, but my kids are, and they tell me that a bad review can be posted there.

You certainly got a "Lemon". My sympathy goes out to you on this one.
 
Madman said:
The more exposure to these kinds of issues, a products gets, the better products we are likely to see in the future. At least that's what one would think. I'm not a Facebook subscriber, but my kids are, and they tell me that a bad review can be posted there. You certainly got a "Lemon". My sympathy goes out to you on this one.
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Looking back on this thread it seems tha Richie decided to keep the item as delivered rather than return it as it was percieved to be a "rare" and hard to re-source livery and did not wish to loose the opportunity of owning one.

The real issue is that the retailer/importer may have passed it on without inspection prior to delivery, which would have been plain wrong. Then again it may have had a jolt on the way to Richie from his source, that is out of their control. Whatever, the time to "name and shame" is long past. I certainly think it would be unfair to finger USAT, unless they directly supplied Richie. Then again what happens in transit is not their fault if the item is in its correct "transit" packaging.

Certainly if a UK importer was involved (i.e. the buyer's contract is with them), under the terms of our UK "retail sale of goods act" the buck should have stopped there. Were they informed of the defective item and did they at least offer, or were they given the opportunity, to fix it or cover the remedial costs ? If not it is the buyer's responsibility if the offer was turned down.

A forum is a good place to share these issues but not to apportion blame unfairly. There can sometimes be a little too much of the "vigilante" attitude around here.
Max.
 
Many thanks for all your comments , Max is right I kept the loco due to it being hard to come buy and been after one for some time . I'm not putting the blame on anyone really in my letter to USAT i praised them for there models but had high lighted the problems with this one as if it might be a design fault , had the body off again today for the forth time now to loosen the front block found a washer on the track that goes between the block and the body so I now have movement in the motor block . But I do find and I told USAT this that the screw from the body to the motor block only just holds on with a few turns could do with a locking nut to hold it in place . Once I'd got the body back on I thought I might give it a run as the sun was shining , success the loco run with out a fault so it was out with a string of boxcars and pumped up the volume on the sound unit , looked and sounded fantastic ;D taken a few months but I had a smile on my face for a change . Let's just hope that my luck has changed been a bad year up to now with several things going wrong .
 
ahhhhhhhh,,,,, good to see you have fixed it Ritchie,,, took a while but bet your glad its all sorted,,,
 
maxi-model said:
Looking back on this thread it seems tha Richie decided to keep the item as delivered rather than return it as it was percieved to be a "rare" and hard to re-source livery and did not wish to loose the opportunity of owning one.

The real issue is that the retailer/importer may have passed it on without inspection prior to delivery, which would have been plain wrong. Then again it may have had a jolt on the way to Richie from his source, that is out of their control. Whatever, the time to "name and shame" is long past. I certainly think it would be unfair to finger USAT, unless they directly supplied Richie. Then again what happens in transit is not their fault if the item is in its correct "transit" packaging.

Certainly if a UK importer was involved (i.e. the buyer's contract is with them), under the terms of our UK "retail sale of goods act" the buck should have stopped there. Were they informed of the defective item and did they at least offer, or were they given the opportunity, to fix it or cover the remedial costs ? If not it is the buyer's responsibility if the offer was turned down.

A forum is a good place to share these issues but not to apportion blame unfairly. There can sometimes be a little too much of the "vigilante" attitude around here.
Max.
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I don't recall any mention of the package being insured. If it was, then Richie could have taken action through those channels. I did not mean to place blame on USA Trains directly. However, if the damage was their fault, these forums are a good place to air the problem.
 
Good to hear that the old girl is working at full tilt (no not Sara!) the loco of course Richie.......
It is also good that you have had a chance to have a play with her..... a bit of sun a running layout and all is right with the world.
We had gone on an extended walk in the countryside on Sunday in the sun, interrupted with a pub lunch, so no time for trains.
But...
I had some time today to do a bit of real gardening and have been doing a nice tidy of the front and back and doing a bit of planing.
Had a real good look at the layout and have discovered that we have 'burrowers'.
We have had many animal incursions from the Country Park next door, foxes, rabbits, hedgehogs, squirrels etc but never have had the ballast continually being burrowed into.
There is no 'carp' buried so it ain't the cats. Mmmmm..
Let's hope it ceases before you come down eh Richie?
 
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