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       #Post#: 1490--------------------------------------------------
       Problems with my new Hogwarts Express
       By: jpbrennan2 Date: February 3, 2017, 8:43 pm
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       I purchased a Harry Potter LionChief Hogwarts Express
       Ready-to-Run O-Gauge Train Set (6-83620) on Nov 11, 2016, as a
       Christmas gift.  After Christmas my family played with the
       train, first running it around the Christmas tree on a small
       4'x4' board.   A day or so later, we moved the train to our
       12'x8' train table layout in our "train room."  Altogether the
       train probably ran for two to three hours, although my wife said
       it was more like 45 minutes, before we began experiencing
       problems.  First, the tender speaker began to make crackling
       sounds without us pressing any of the sound buttons on the
       remote control.  A short time later, the train stopped
       responding to the remote control altogether.  Naturally I
       changed out the new batteries with other new, right out of the
       package, batteries.  No help.  I contacted Lionel and they
       quickly arranged for me to return the train to them and they
       furnished me a new engine, tender & remote control.  Today was
       my first opportunity to run the new train.  Frustratingly, the
       train ran for about 10 minutes before the new tender began to
       make crackling sounds from its speaker without me pressing any
       of the sound buttons on the remote control.  After another
       minute or so the train stopped completely and would not respond
       to any remote control commands - no chuffing, no bell, no
       whistle, no announcements and no movement, forward or reverse.
       Then I tried something I don't think I tried with the first
       train - I removed the tender from the track and only left the
       engine on the track.  Wala - it ran.  Of course there are no
       sounds, but it runs.  As a side note, my two other LionChief
       trains are running fine.  Anyone else having problems with
       LionChief Hogwarts Express O-Gauge Train Set (6-83620) ?
       Thanks.
       Jim Brennan
       #Post#: 2991--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Problems with my new Hogwarts Express
       By: OneSolutionFound Date: November 27, 2022, 1:31 pm
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       Hi. I just created this account so I could share with everyone
       why my Lionchief Hogwarts Express was making crackling and
       popping sounds. I searched high and low for an answer with no
       luck. I hope this post is searchable for everyone else out there
       having the same problem!
       Our set was purchased new and worked flawlessly for the first
       Christmas season. The next Christmas I noticed it started
       crackling/popping really badly, especially when moving. I
       disassembled the speaker (tender?) car and verified everything
       was tight. I verified the connection between the cars. Then last
       Christmas the chuffing sound stopped. I was about to throw the
       thing away I was so frustrated.
       Finally, I disassembled the locomotive and quickly found the
       problem. The sound wires were stuffed behind the back left
       wheel. Over time, as the wheel turned, it started rubbing
       through the wires. This created all the popping and crackling as
       the wire came into contact with the metal wheel. Eventually the
       chuffing wire was cut all the way through which is why we lost
       the chuffing sound.
       Anyway, I cut up an old micro-USB wire and used small sections
       to lengthen the speaker wires just enough to reroute them up and
       over the back wheel instead of the factory position right behind
       the wheel.
       The sound works like a charm now. I love the train set almost as
       much as my wife and daughter but wished Lionel had considered
       this shortcoming when designing the thing.
       Anyway, easy enough fix. I hope this post reaches everyone else
       looking for a solution to the same problem.
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