goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
I own 9 engines, mainly Kato's but also a Fox Valley, BLI and a Bachmann (Steam). All but 2 of them run perfectly around my test track with a 17" radius. The two problem engines are a Kato ES44AC with TCS Decoder and the Fox Valley SD70.
The Fox Valley:
Despite having this engine for a little while, it is new having only been run for about 15 or 20 minutes to ensure that it did run. At that time it was very sluggish, at least compared to my Kato's, but I put that down to it needing to be "broken in" and it's performance did seem to improve the longer it did run. Last night I put it back on the track and the only thing that happened was the headlights lit and it "jerked forward" for an inch then stopped. Jerked forward another inch then stopped. It did that four or five times before it simply would not move at all in either forward or reverse.
Kato Engine:
The ES44AC has a similar issue except it does run BUT hesitates, runs sluggish, stops then goes again and so forth. I don't know what else I can tell you about this engine other than I have an identicle one that runs perfectly.
As said, 7 out of the 9 engines run without an issue on the same track so I can't see the problems being being track related. The Kato does not make any strange noises to indicate a mechanical problem; although, I am not mechanically minded when it comes to these things. I can't say for the FV as it doesn't do anything at all.
The only thing I can come up with is neither of the two problem engines have had much run time and last night was the first time either of them have been run in a few months. Whether that is a factor or not I don't know.
So, what are your thoughts re possible problems? As said, I am not mechanically minded so if there is anything else that you may need to know just ask and I'll try to tell you.
The Fox Valley:
Despite having this engine for a little while, it is new having only been run for about 15 or 20 minutes to ensure that it did run. At that time it was very sluggish, at least compared to my Kato's, but I put that down to it needing to be "broken in" and it's performance did seem to improve the longer it did run. Last night I put it back on the track and the only thing that happened was the headlights lit and it "jerked forward" for an inch then stopped. Jerked forward another inch then stopped. It did that four or five times before it simply would not move at all in either forward or reverse.
Kato Engine:
The ES44AC has a similar issue except it does run BUT hesitates, runs sluggish, stops then goes again and so forth. I don't know what else I can tell you about this engine other than I have an identicle one that runs perfectly.
As said, 7 out of the 9 engines run without an issue on the same track so I can't see the problems being being track related. The Kato does not make any strange noises to indicate a mechanical problem; although, I am not mechanically minded when it comes to these things. I can't say for the FV as it doesn't do anything at all.
The only thing I can come up with is neither of the two problem engines have had much run time and last night was the first time either of them have been run in a few months. Whether that is a factor or not I don't know.
So, what are your thoughts re possible problems? As said, I am not mechanically minded so if there is anything else that you may need to know just ask and I'll try to tell you.