Glad to have you with us EW`1, but unsure just
exactly what train you bought. Give us some
more details and preferable a pic.

Don

 

Glad to have you with us EW`1, but unsure just
exactly what train you bought. Give us some
more details and preferable a pic.

Don

At a guess, based on what he's said so far, I suspect it's something like this.

 

It appears to date to 1996….

 

I don't think they came with an owners manual. You can get some parts for their battery powered trains but none for what you have.
How about taking the tender & controller apart and posting some good pictures of the insides?
Maybe someone can give you a suggestion on a repair fix.
Tracks, get some kitchen green scotch brite pads, use some Naphtha, Ronson lighter fluid will work.
Just scrub them good.
Don't use sandpaper.

 

Ok great thank you.
For the manual, there had been one on Ebay for my model and it was a ridiculous price. It is gone now but it was the #380 owner's manual. I just thought there might be a pdf copy out there somewhere. I understand that there is a specific order for cars besides the Loco, tender and caboose. I have also read that different model tracks are not compatible. I will take a look at the tender. The lid lifts up an inch or so but wires are still attached allowing little travel. I will have another closer look. The brushes for the tender are pretty unique small, slim and a bit long from what I can see. The brush has a spring and brass plate I believe. I have begun searching on line to see if there might be a New Bright Holiday Express group but no luck so far. One G Scale fellow recommended I try here with your forum. I also realize that this train is a 1996 but I know a G scale group with trains a lot older than this. Again, thanks.

EW

 

Did you see this video? At the end it says parts or help, just ask.
It is from 2019, I don't know if he is still active as his last video is from 2 years ago.

 

This is the only thing I found, I don't know if it is for yours, it does not list a set number just Holiday express.
I don't think it will help you any, but here,

https://www.ehow.com/how_8084827_instructions-express-animated-train-set.html

 

Thanks. Yes it is for our train. Every bit helps.
Wish I had paid more attention to circuit board and component testing. I may need to learn those skills for my tender. First I would have to source contact brushes here locally.
EW1

 

Before you spend tons of time and money on this make sure it can even work. Try hooking the power directly to the loco. If you can get at the wires for the pickups use those or maybe do a bush fix just do you can get power to male sure the rest works because you don't know what else they could have done.....

 

Yes, this is good advice, thanks. Unfortunately I had to commit to a transformer, a controller and a tender. Our hacked controller might have a short. I can't chance blowing the transformer. The Tender was also hacked up and I have no schematic to go by.

 

I have this exact New Bright Train set. The one that I have has a station that plays Christmas music. I have the manual as well. Mine runs like a champ…no problem. Before I forget, there is no order that you must put the cars in. I have the original engine and tender along with five cars. I got some extra cars that I did not come with the set. I purchased them on eBay at a reasonable price before people got greedy. We can do a couple of things depending on how much money you want to spend. I am not sure how we can do this but I think we could exchange addresses and telephone numbers with the world seeing them. If anyone knows how to do this let us know. I can’t even figure out who the originator of the thread is. If you want to get me your email, I will copy my user manual and email the jpgs to you. I have an extra engine(not with tender) that I got from a woman in West Virginia for $25. I thought I might need it in the future if the original failed and $25 was more than reasonable. I use a real good piece of software that is called stoprobo. My email address is: dbstark43@verizon.net. If you want to try any of this email me. The other thing we could do is check the tender to see if it works and the engine as well if you want. If you are missing brushes that kinda kills your set right there. If the tender looks complete you could Mail to me and I will run it on my set to see if it works. We could do the same with the engine. you cover the postage each way. This is a great Christmas train set. It must have 50 flashing lights and sound with many animated figures. What ever you want to do, let me know. i don’t know where you live but if we are close enough we could get together to see what runs and what doesn’t. I am in Western New York. If you can find a coal tender I would buy it, ever if expensive, as it is the power pickup for the whole set. let me know!

 

I have this exact New Bright Train set. The one that I have has a station that plays Christmas music. I have the manual as well. Mine runs like a champ…no problem. Before I forget, there is no order that you must put the cars in. I have the original engine and tender along with five cars. I got some extra cars that I did not come with the set. I purchased them on eBay at a reasonable price before people got greedy. We can do a couple of things depending on how much money you want to spend. I am not sure how we can do this but I think we could exchange addresses and telephone numbers with the world seeing them. If anyone knows how to do this let us know. I can’t even figure out who the originator of the thread is. If you want to get me your email, I will copy my user manual and email the jpgs to you. I have an extra engine(not with tender) that I got from a woman in West Virginia for $25. I thought I might need it in the future if the original failed and $25 was more than reasonable. I use a real good piece of software that is called stoprobo. My email address is: dbstark43@verizon.net. If you want to try any of this email me. The other thing we could do is check the tender to see if it works and the engine as well if you want. If you are missing brushes that kinda kills your set right there. If the tender looks complete you could Mail to me and I will run it on my set to see if it works. We could do the same with the engine. you cover the postage each way. This is a great Christmas train set. It must have 50 flashing lights and sound with many animated figures. What ever you want to do, let me know. i don’t know where you live but if we are close enough we could get together to see what runs and what doesn’t. I am in Western New York. If you can find a coal tender I would buy it, ever if expensive, as it is the power pickup for the whole set. let me know!

Hi David, thanks.
My set is a model#380 1996 I believe.
The tender has had the brushes on one bank removed. I don't know why. I did find another tender and it is coming by snail mail. It is from a #385 or 387 single wire set so I hope it works with our 380 set. I have not tested the locomotive yet. I know it's plug has 4 blades, don't have a schematic so unknown which power up the locomotive. I do have a replacement controller and a transformer that was missing. The locomotive looks untouched so I am hoping that it is okay. I will try testing it next week. I want to see if I can find a schematic so I don't fry anything when testing it. My plan for the tender if the one coming (#385-387) doesn't work is to swap out the contact hardware but this will be a last resort. I do have to clean the tracks as they are a little black. I will do this with green nylon scrub cloth.
The previous owner made a mess of this set by hacking open the controller and pulling apart the tender, removing brushes and mounting hardware, for what purpose I can't guess. He also removed the transformer. If the locomotive works then I hope the set should go. So we will see. I will email you for a copy of the manual. Thanks.
EW1

 

Set 387 is what I have.

 

 

Hey, I'm also new here but I currently have 3 different versions of this train which I have acquired over the past few years. all sets were broken in different ways (one was not working for several reasons) so if you need help you can also shoot me a message and can go through the issues I have found with mine which may help. Also, I will check for a manual but honestly, I got all three of mine from the people who purchased them from Sears and I don't think either came with any sort of manual

 

Welcome to MTF. New but joined last year,
Keep the help public for all to see, being in a thread might help others in the future.
The site does not have much info on these sets.
Some here may be following. 😎

 

Hey, I like all your tree ornament trains!

Are those all Hallmarks?

 

Yep, just a few of my Hallmark ornaments I have.
I stopped buying them a few years ago, most were gifts from the old (young) lady who bought them new.
I told her years ago to just give me some cash as I could get them after they were released on eBay, for half the cost of what they were in Hallmarks stores. And saving her a trip to the store.
But I have too many, so I stopped buying them unless one really catches my attention.

 

 

CTValleyRR left the forum in February, 2024….

And Lynnmc hasn’t been here since October, 2023, so….

 

@spdaylightfan is the symbol to use, to poke a member to notice.

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Thanks T-Man!

 

Thanks Ed!
Yes, the axles only.
I have lithium grease that I use on my O and G gauge gear, so I will work on the New Bright locomotive, and see about using that on its gears.