Model Railroading > Rivarossi Big Boy help

Just acquired one used. DCC Sound. Doesn’t move on DC. Is this correct? Makes noise like simmering and air pumps once.
How do I get it to run without DCC?
No instructions. Need to test it to leave feedback:)

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/19 17:13 by SD45X.

Not all DCC receivers are "dual mode". You may have fried this one.

Yet once again Rivarossi bails out on US modelers with Big Boy steam and U25C diesels. Design them well build decent models then just walk away in short order.

In the USA Rivarossi is HornbyUSA. Go to their website and see if they have downloadable manuals to work with.

I don’t think you fried the decoder by using DC power,the decoder should
not be damaged unless there was a short that fried it.  Older decoders were not
necessarily dual mode (DCC and DC capable) and simply will not work on DCC.
DCC standards are such that up to 20VDC should not damage the decoder.  If you
are using a power pack for larger scales such as O or G, they are capable of higher
voltages and then, yea, you may have toasted it.

If you are using a crummy DC power pack with unfiltered DC power,  then the decoder will
make pinging sounds.  If fact depending on the decoder in your BB it may do that regardless.


Unless you know that your decoder is DCC/DC dual mode, assume it isn’t.  That it won’t run 
on DC power doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t be fine on DCC.

After you have had a week to fiddle with it is there anything new to add?

The previous owner may have set it to respond to DCC only.  Do you know someone close by that has DCC that can reset the decoder for you?

FYI Dirty wheels and or dirty track can make a decoder respond as if it is on a DC railroad instead of a DCC controlled railroad.  It will use the 15v on the rails from the booster and immediately move at top speed.  To prevent that, owners program it to respond to DCC only.  

Not everyone remembers to clear out the programming before selling an engine.  

No. Left two messages to Rivorossi and never received a return call. 1 week apart

fbe Wrote:
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> After you have had a week to fiddle with it is
> there anything new to add?

I am sorry to hear that. Arvids was good to work with when Rivarossi was back in production.