I’ve noticed a couple times in the last few weeks that the automated Branchline train did not run, yet then it inexplicably started working fine the next day. Normally when the automation stops, it’s due to the train having derailed, which is not a situation that fixes itself automagically.

Of course, then I show up the day after at the layout and things work just fine, so it makes it hard to guess where the failure was. Today I noticed that it was one of these days where the branchline automation was not running. And since I was at the museum, I took a look and started with the silent branchline train. Was the engine derailed? Nope. Was it responding to DCC commands? Nope. Huh, wait, is there power to the track? Nope. Aha, that’s our problem!

A quick look at the NCE EB1 circuit breakers, and it’s obvious something is wrong:

“P3 BRN RCHM-2” is the sweet designation of the EB1 that controls the Branchline power district. That LED being off is a problem. And measuring it, we have ~13.5V DCC on the input and nothing on the output. So that’s the likely culprit.

I don’t really have a spare EB1 right now because, duh I used them all. But that’s ok, I can borrow the one from Fairfield which is not currently being used. After the annoying task of trying to fit the obviously too large gauge wires in the obviously too small EB1 terminals, I got the thing working in a short time:

[Edit] I found the next day that I kept one spare EB1 in my stock inventory. Looking back at my notes, I ordered 3, of which 2 were installed to add power districts to Stockton Station and Fairfield, and one was to be kept as a spare part for exactly such a case. Duh. OK note to self: it’s nice to be prepared and have a spare, but it would be even better to actually remember it.

Anyhow I’ll use the spare for Fairfield and then order one more EB1s later, to keep a spare at hand in inventory.

I also placed one of the DCC Flag Man on the end of automated Branchline track to monitor it remotely: