# Good day to be a "Train Engineer"



## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Ok so yesterday I dug out my old Aristocraft Train Engineers. I have four of them. One First run, one second run" 10 amp " , and two third runs" 10 amp with 100 different channels". I decided to give them one last chance of life before throwing them away. I was looking to buy a few from another train enthusiast. 

One of the 3rd generations worked 100%. The other not so much. Where they where kept kind of did them in over the years. To much moisture in the air. The code set button on the one 3rd generation had frozen , same for the 2nd generation but that one the PWC/Linear and power switch was stuck also. 

Some might say so what that the code set button was stuck. Problem was they where stuck on the wrong channels and one had the momentum set WAY down so it took an hour just to get the engine moving. 

The 2nd generation , the red LED lit up and the green led flashed with buttons pressed on the TE but no power coming out. 

TIME TO OPERATE !!!! :-D

Most of this post will pertain to the 2nd generation because it applies to the other one. 

First why am I not getting power to my track. I flipped the board over and I had power to the reverse relays according to my handy dandy meter! So why am I not getting power to the track terminals. Ah Hah. There was a burnt up connection on the board from the relays to the terminals. I can't tell if it was from corrosion or from just to much amperage. I would have to say corrosion from moisture and amperage IMO. So I took a short piece of heavy gauge wire( stranded .... I know Greg lol but I plan to keep this away from moisture from now on ) and soldered it across the bad connection. Turned it back on and everything was back to working order again. 

While snooping around George Schreyers large scale tips , I found he had a fix for the pesky jolt of power when you set a loco on an empty track. Apparently this is from a leak of the FET's on the board. George says put a 1k 1/2 resistor across the track leads ... so i did and that worked great!. I soldered mine underneath to hide it and make a clean modification. This way no one knows its there. Heres a pic of all that. 









Next , the code set button. I thought i was going to have to buy a random SPST momentary push button from Radio shack and drill out the whole for the new switch. When i went there , to my surprise, they had a 9.5mm tact switch. Which was the same one aristo used as there code set button!!!This must be my day or something. Heres a pic for ya showing the old rusty one still on the board and the new one sitting loose. 








To wrap up the job I soldered the new tact switch in place. I also re soldered the power wires feeding the RX because they where barely hanging on by a few strands. I took the case to the sink and washed it real well. I did the same to the other 3rd generation unit.

The first generation TE just needed the internal fuse replaced.

Now I have 4 working Receivers all programmed to one remote. All with working code set buttons and switches. 

I saved myself a hole lot of money on buying new ones and had TONS of FUN fixing the old ones. I hope this will help somebody out there with similar issues. Or maybe just interesting reading. 

The Roundhouse RnR


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## Ted Nordin (Feb 27, 2008)

Thanks for starting this thread. I appreciate the info as I have a similar problem. Hopefully I can solve it with your directions and link to George Schreyer (great wealth of info I should use more often. Ted


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Here is the radio shack part number for the tact switch. #275-0003. Direct fit with no modifications.

Also a link to it on there website."Tact switch at radio shack". $3.99 for four of them. I don't think that is to bad at all when you figure in the convenience of it being just down the road.

Also, take note that on the 3rd and final version , Aristo already installed a resistor across the track leads. Its reads 330K Ohms. Seems to be to big of a resistor. As I still get a little jump when I set the loco on the track. Its such a small jolt that you really have to watch for it, so its fine for me and I will leave well enough alone. 
The Roundhouse RnR


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

I've done the same as you a few years ago.. I left the receivers out in a wooden cab thinking no problem, but the first thing that went wrong was the re-program button like you. Even then Radio shack had the part. 
We use LED's on our console that shows when power is to a block and we had to do the same thing on putting a small load across the feeders to keep the LED's from lighting up when we thinking the power was off on that block. We ended up use 1/2 watt 1,000 Resis. across the feeds just to put a load to keep the LED to not light up from the voltage leakage. If we had a Eng. on that block it didn't light up the LED as it became the load to keep the LED from lighting up. Good post reminder to newbies..


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the great write-up.... It's so nice to see that you've been able to solve the problem and get them working again..


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Thanks guys. Its an easy and cheap fix. The stuff is kinda of dated but it works very well still and I know there is alot of guys out there that still use this stuff. I thought about buying the new aristo evo but it seems like such a pain to get the stuff. Its always Out Of Stock. I have many locos to convert to DCC so I will have a use for this stuff for a long time yet. It will be a small fortune untill all my locos are all converted! 
The Roundhouse RnR


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Another neat little trick. One of my transmitter's has had its buttons pushed one to many times. ( pun intended ) Some buttons need to be wiggled and pushed really hard to get it to respond. The right reverse button and slow button to be exact. Well, guess what. They use the same style tac switch as the code set button on the receiver. Just with a short shank on the switch. 

Instead of running down to the radio shack to buy more, I used the long 9.5mm switches I had left over. Tossed them in the mini vice and cut the shank down to size. Soldered it in and its works like brand new and makes the other buttons seem worn , that previously I thought to be fine.

I love things that can be repaired and not just thrown away like alot of things we make now. I think I would have to set these things on fire to render them useless. " exaggeration" If someone has questions or wants pics posted. Let me know. 
The Roundhouse RnR


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Sure hope that my TEs don't look that bad living out in the garage since 1997.

When I do point-to-point, on some of my TEs I'll notice that the voltage will start to "float up" after the trains stop at the end of their line such that I don't get an accurate reading on the voltmeter. My solution was to put the 1,000 ohm resistor in the control panel and tie it into the digital voltage indicator. The resistor is on a toggle switch that is off in the center, on in the up position, and momentary when pulled down. The difference in the voltage readings between the resistor and a train is about 0.2 volt.


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Well, mine lived in my garage to but it all depends on where you live and construction of the garage I guess. I kept them in an addition of the garage where it was still stone floor and not cement. Also ,it was not climate controled. That was the worst looking one for some reason. All the others did not have the rust creep on all the components like this one. Could have been where it was stored after it bit the dust to. This one never had the dust sheild under the vents either....However the other two still had the corroded code set button. 

As they say your results may vary. They all look good now. I will try and snap some after photos. 

The Roundhouse RnR


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks for the post. I also use the 3td gen TE and have had good luck with it controlling my track power as well as an Aristo battery car for forays to Martys. May even get one or 2 more for backups and for their receivers for the fateful day I convert my bigger locos to battery, someday 

Jerry


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

3rd generation TE?? 

There were 5 different handhelds for the 27mhz TE not including the orange basic TE. 

first were the 2 versions of the 2 track handhelds. First did not have the 3 switches inside and was made in Korea. Second track 1/2 did have the 3 switches inside. 
Both came with the metal case receiver. 

Then there was the first 10 amp, 10 track, 10 channel TE where the arrow buttons were fixed for direction. 


Then came the version where the arrows just changed present direction, a request by George. 

Then the last version with the on-off switch to save battery power on a replacement chip design. 

How do I know this?? 

I have access to all 5 of these different black hand held transmitters.


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

OK so to clear things up a bit. I realize I should have labeled my Train Engineers different in this discussion rather then First, Second and Third. Reason being is because there are so many versions of these things that where made. You have track side receivers, on board, 27 MHz , 75 MHz, and the basic. This makes labeling them by generation confusing and incorrect to readers.

Therefore, to clear things up I made a list so you know which unit i refer to when i said 1st, 2nd , 3rd.....
*1st gen.- supposed 10 amp receiver mounted in a metal case, with dip switches on transmitter and receiver. Two channel transmitter*
*2nd gen- 10 amp receiver with terminals for fan power on outside of the case, comes with 2 channel transmitter with 10 frequencies.( Have to hit appropriate buttons to change direction)*
*3rd gen- 10 amp receiver with terminals for fan on the inside of case, Transmitter has 10 channels, 10 frequencies , for a total of 100 combinations( arrows change relative direction)*

However Dan, your list is also incorrect. I know this because I own them and there is clearly things missing and incorrect information. I'm not trying to be rude, just get to the facts. 

Your list as it appears.

1- metal case receiver/ 2 channel transmitter , no dip switches
2- metal case receiver/ 2 channel transmitter w/ dip switches
3- 10 amp, 10 track, 10 channel TE where arrow buttons where fixed for direction
4- then apparent same version but arrows changed present direction????
5- last version with on-off switch to save battery power on a replacement chip design??

The problem with this list is it completely leaves out the 10 amp , two channel version w/ 10 frequencies. Also The change in direction control came way before than in your list. Also direction control has nothing to do with the transmitter. It was the change in the receiver. 

I can prove this by using an old Transmitter with a new receiver. The direction arrows change relative direction, even though I am using the older 2 channel transmitter. However, if i use that same transmitter with the older receiver, you have to hit the opposite arrow to change direction.This shows that it was not a change in the transmitter but rather a change in the receiver design. 

So a better list is below but still not sure how correct it is. I have no clue when the basic TE was thrown in the mix. Also , I can not prove #1 or #5 since I have not seen or own either. This list pertains to 27 MHz , track side only. I will highlight the ones i own in bold .

1- metal case receiver / 2 channel transmitter, no dip switches ( I have no way to prove this existed on the market other than to take Dans word)
*2- metal case receiver / 2 channel transmitter w/ dip switches* 
*3- 10 amp receiver w/ terminals for fan power on the outside. Appropriate buttons must be pressed to change direction. Transmitter has 2 channels and adjustable for 10 frequencies.*
*4- 10 amp receiver w/ terminals for fan power on the inside. Direction changes no matter what arrow button is pressed. . Transmitter has 10 channels and has 10 frequencies also.*
5- Same as 4 but with an on/off switch to save battery power on a replacement chip design. (I have no clue what that means. This was listed by Dan. I have no troubles with batteries in any of my Tx's and there is no on/off switch. Hopefully Dan will clarify what he means.) 

After typing this up it would be neat to see a master list with all versions of the TE to see how things evolved. If someone can throw the Basis TE in there in its appropriate order , that would be great to. 

The Roundhouse RnR


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I have a 2-channel unit that does not have adjustable frequency, (that I can determine) with the plastic 10-amp receiver that I purchased new on auction in 1997. 
I also have four of the transmitters that are dated Sept '97 on the circuit board. One has a different back for the belt clip. One of these is for the on-board 27 MHz unit stuffed in an FA. At one time I also had an orange TE Basic that Lewis sent me for testing, that I later sold.

BION, the oldest is the BEST! It has the least internal voltage loss and best momentum timing, though the voltage steps are cruder. Some of the 10 channel units have a ridiculous momentum circuit that takes WAY TOO LONG, even at the fastest setting. Every year I think I'll get in there and try to figure out how to reduce it (probably change a cap, but which one).

IIRC, the original TEs were on the order of a 4 amp rating.


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

The 2 channel one you have can change frequency by holding down A and B together until the light starts flashing . Then by pressing any of the 10 buttons on the remote gives you the frequency. 
As far as the momentum, I have never experienced that with my two newest versions. They respond almost immediatly, your results may vary. I did however notice that the older 10 amp with fan power terminals on outside has a quicker start responce but cruder speed steps as you say. In my experince both are very similar though. The main difference is the lack of the reverse time delay and direction control ( meaning you have to hit oppostie arrows on remote to change direction with the older TE).

Finally, the original TE was rated for 10 amp but will only handle around 4 amps. Aristo finally admitted this later on. I have the box to prove that aristo claimed it handled 10 amps. This is why I wrote supposed 10 amp. However I agree with you , that it can not drive 10 amps of current.

A great write up on this can be found here Train Engineer Review 

The Roundhouse RnR


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The metal case receivers were 3.5 to 4 amp and had a 10 amp fuse inside. 

Latest TE did have an on/off switch and it sometimes 'forgot' its setting. Cure was to hit on-off-on and it would remember. 

My 5470_1994 manual shows the 2 switch transmitter with the metal receiver. 
My 5470_1996 manual shows the 2 switch transmitter with the plastic receiver. 
My 55470 manual shows the 10 channel/10frequency pair of transmitters/receiver. 

Nowhere do I see the unit with the 0n-off switch, but my club does own one and it times out after 5 minutes for an automatic shutdown to save the batteries and this is when you must hit on-off-on to get back to the correct operation. 

PS, the first one (by my list) was a matched pair and does not work with the 10 channel/10 frequency transmitter or receiver, or the other 2 track unit. And it is not the basic as the transmitter has the track switch and alpha keys. 

FYI frequencies used: (27mhz is citizens band radio frequencies) 
TX BOX BLACK GRAY 
ch 1 27.045 75.41 
ch 2 27.065 75.45 
ch 3 27.085 75.49 
ch 4 27.105 75.53 
ch 5 27.125 75.57 
ch 6 27.145 75.61 
ch 7 27.165 75.65 
ch 8 27.195 75.69 
ch 9 27.225 75.73 
ch10 27.255 75.77 
The TRACK # does not change the frequency.


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