Noisy Roco Es
These units actually look very nice, and in some ways, the nose looks better than the Rivarossi version-- and the contours even seem better than some early Proto units-- put an early proto E7 next to an early proto E8 and note the differences around the windshields. Then put them next to an early Proto E6 and see yet another variation. None of them seems exactly right.
Roco E's can run quietly and smoothly, and when they are properly tuned and lubed, they are so free-wheeling that they will out-coast any other locomotive. The truck design, although it looks really dubious, is also flexible in just the right ways so that these models track well. It doesn't look as well-engineered as a contemporary Athearn unit, but it all just happens to work out.
One big issue with them is zinc rot. If you are tuning one, take the whole mechanism apart-- Be careful with the plastic parts; they get brittle as they age. Strip all oil and grease off the metal frame and truck sides (easy way to do this is just run them through the dishwasher, but don't expose them to heated dry), and paint with a good spray paint like Rustoleum (except the electrical contact areas). Lightly grease the contact areas with dielectric grease (from an automotive supply house). Your locomotive will be happier after this treatment-- the frames can be very weak around the flywheel, and you don't need rot making it worse.
There are a few tricks to tuning them. The most significant source of noise is the flywheel and its connection to the motor. Many very late production models have two changes to the drive that seem to quiet them down. First, the "key" drive on the end of the motor shaft is a little larger and a little more rubbery (these "keys" are blue in color). There's no way to get this part separately, but you can simulate it by taking an older black one apart, putting dabs of silicone bathtub caulk in the joint, and then quickly reassembling so that the caulk squeezes out the side. Wipe any excess off, wrapping a thin film around the outside to hold the whole thing in place--it won't really stick to the slippery plastic.
The second change has to do with the flywheel. The flywheel has just a little play back and forth, and this makes noise. I've cured this with thrust washers and grease, but you need very very thin thrust washers. One place to get these washers is in the worm assemblies; you can replace the washers you find there with regular old Athearn (or other) thrust washers. Alternatively, very late production models have a tiny spring inserted in the rear universal joint; this presses ever so slightly on the flywheel and keeps it from rattling back and forth. There's no special attachment for the spring-- it's just stuffed into the universal socket on the end of the flywheel.
With these changes, these drives are a lot of bang for the buck. I've got them under stock bodies, and also, even better, old Cary Locomotive Works E6 bodies. These units are so heavy nothing stops them!
