Dead Locos

[Butch]

I've just nailed a test loop down to my over inclined base board (see recent posts in other sections) and wired it in. This is all kit I've inherited and that probably hasn't been used in the last 30/40 years. The track is powering up but my locos seem to be mostly dead.

Note I have been across the tops of the rails with one of those abrasive rubber thingies.

The first one showed no sign of life which had me check the circuit and power and all good. Then on the next one I can hear the motor spin but there is no drive. I did have one moving backwards and forwards a bit, but now that just has the motor spinning and no drive to the wheels.

So what gives here? Have I got some kind of perished pinions? I'm guessing I'm just going to have to start pulling them down to see what is going on.

[darkscot]

Sounds like you have different issues on different locos? Seized wheels on one, bad connections on the other. Either way you are going to have to take them apart and start prodding about with a multimeter.

[Walkingthedog]

No point in even trying to run locos that haven’t been used for over 30 years without a service.

[Butch]

Well I've just opened one up. It has Graham Farrish cast into the bottom and I see that they are fairly common. So the motor spins up a jack shaft that then drives a shaft that runs the length of the chassis under that with worm drives on each of the end axles. The step down gearing on all of this is quite big.

First point is that the motor is attached at the top with double sided tape. This seems to have let go. So question is - what is the best way to reafix this? Some kind of tape or maybe an adhesive? Also there seem to be any number of electrical connections here that are little more than pressed contact. I'd imagine the current draw shouldn't be too demanding but if there is much corrosion here then nothing much is going to work.

[Butch]

No point in even trying to run locos that haven’t been used for over 30 years without a service.

What does a service constitute?

[Walkingthedog]

Cleaning wheels and pickups, replacing worn brushes etc., tightening lose screws, nuts and bolts, checking everything is as it should be, light, very light, lubrication.

[Butch]

OK. Motor is can type and the gears and worms all look to be nylon so I don't think there is much to do there. Cleaning up all the electrical connections will probably be the main task.

Biggest question remains - is there a particular type of double sided tape that I should be looking for to reafix the motor?

[Steve M]

That tape only secures the wires and stops them flapping about.

[Butch]

No, the only method that the motor was attached was by the double sided tape. The thickness of the tape will affect the gear mesh.

[Butch]

Had another look this evening. Just working on one.

The outer body is a fairly heavy casting retained by a single screw - slotted, not cross head. Not sure if the body helps hold the motor down when it is on. The motor is closed can that kind of plugs onto some contacts at the brush area. The contacts connect to a copper strip each side. The chassis has three axles, the copper strip is retained by the middle axle and the copper fingers extend forward and back to rub against the inside of the front and rear wheels. The chassis is three pieces of plastic. With that screw removed you can slide the bottom off and the the two side bits part to release the axles and drive shafts to disassemble. Everything is scrupulously clean in there, no sign of oils or grease or any accumulated fluff or dust whatsoever. I can't see that I would want to oil any of this.

I've tried resembling with some double sided tape I found in the house, though that isn't holding the motor very convincingly. I think the electrical contacts are probably pretty poor. I tried cleaning up the fingers where they rub behind the wheels and also bending them out a bit more for better pressure. But there must be several connectors that are no more than a press fit so it seems set for failure.

I don't want to upset anybody but the whole arrangement seems very Mickey Mouse. Is this make of loco supposed to be any good? I've got five of them of various sizes to work through, all of the steam variety.