And now another exciting episode of "Terry's Day at the Train Club"...
I knew it was going to be one of those days when I got there and the lock to the front door was broken. After we got inside, we found electrical gremlins had knocked out one of the main lines on the N scale layout, and the HO layout was again doing its "move forward half an inch and overload" thing it does so well. We finally used a pair of my Genesis F units to pull the track cleaning train around the layout while we tried figuring out what would work and run, and what wouldn't. While doing that, I heard my train stopping and starting, like there was a short. I crawled out from under the layout in time to see my two F's go rumbling by, with the second unit trailing a cloud of smoke
We shut everything down, and found that somebody (whoever it was wouldn't 'fess up) had switched the voltage settings from 14.5 volts to 22.5 volts. I switched that back and pulled my train off the layout for inspection. Looks like the sound decoder and motor are both a total write-off. The decoder is a pile of melted solder, and the motor commutator is fused to the brushes. The shell has some minor distortion, but it isn't readily noticeable. I may scrap it entirely rather than attempting repair of it. It certainly doesn't smell good.
Then the GP38 I installed a sound decoder in started acting up, but that seems more a case of dirty wheels and track. More on that at a later time.
I did score a pair of Kato/Stewart F units, as well as a Key 3751 4-8-4. The 3751 is raw brass, and needs the rubber drive shaft replaced, but other than that, it's in brand-new condition. The price was right, and almost makes up for the carbonated F unit.