Looking for write-ups

[Dougget]

Hi,
I have a local train shop that buys lots from estate sales and resells them. You can get some good deals, and you can get some great deals if you can work on these items yourself. So, for buying used stuff, and for working on my own old trains...

Any write ups on how to maintain locomotives?
How about swaping in a new (bigger) motor?

I have a loco with a single motor in the middle and drive shafts going to the front and rear trucks. There are dog-bone type universal joint connecting the motor shaft to the trucks, the a set of worm gears driving the wheels. Lots of moving parts and I assume friction is playing a big part in the poor performance of this loco. I'd like to overhaul it myself

Thanks,
Doug

 

[Rotorranch]

What brand/model of loco?

Rotor

 

[Dougget]

I'll need to check my loco to find the brand/model. But, any write-ups will be helpful. There may be some general maintenance procedures that can be used across the board.

I'd like to learn as much as I can... Scenario: I find a pair of used diesel locos (powered and dummy) for $20. The hobby shop guy says that they test all of the used products, but don't clean, oil, etc.

I'd like to have some confidence buying something like that knowing that I could take it apart and do some genearl maintenance.

As far as the motor upgrade question... I'm sure there are different sized motors and some won't fit inside smaller loco covers, etc. Again, just looking for examples of what people have done. I don't have a specific loco in mind.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[CBCNSfan]

I'd like to learn as much as I can.

The easiest is when you have a problem, just ask on the forum, or do a search for the problem in past topics. The best thing is to start a thread and ask you'll learn much more that way.

Cheers Willis

 

[Dougget]

Hi,
The loco in question is an AHM Rivarossi 5513. It has a center motor with drive shafts fore and aft. The problem is that it runs very choppy. I put a new ModelPower engine on the same tracks and it runs fine. So, my track is probably fine (clean, good contact, etc). I think the problem has to do with the drive shafts or U joints. I put some 3in1 oil on them, but it didn't help.

At times, it's so choppy, that cars get uncoupled and it leaves part of the train behind. Not great for roundy-round railfan action.

I found an e-bay auction for my exact loco. I don't really want to buy another one, especially at this price. What about repowering it, or replacing the drive shafts?

Options, suggestions, advice?
Thanks,
Doug

Found one just like mine on eBay.

 

[UP2CSX]

Your first mistake is using 3 in1 oil. It's much too heavy for HO engine lubrication. I'd take the whole thing apart and clean out all the gears in the trucks of any old lubricant. Use Labelle lithium greas, applied with a toothpick, to the gears. Use some LaBelle #107 light oil for the the drive train, again applied with just one or two drops per dide. I've also been using automatic transmission fluid with succces in place of the LaBell's light oil. The keu, in any case, is that less is better or you'll end up with an oil slick around your layout

Run the engine with no shell and observe the drive train, universal gears, and truck gears. It sounds like something isn't aligned right in one of thoss three places. You should be able to see the fault as the engine goes down the track. It may be as easy as just snapping on of the universal gears back in place.

That particular model of AHM locomotive does not have a reputation as a good runner, even if everything is perfect. If you can get it to run at the same speed without all the choppiness, that's probably as good as you'll get. I personally avoid AHM diesels. The mechanicals are poorly planned and built and the shells are often very inaccurate with massively oversized details. The price being asked for the engine you linked to is outrageous and no one in their right mind would pay it. It's probably worth about $15 in good running order. You can buy older Athearn engines for $20 to $25 that are built like tanks and run well. That's what I'd be looking for, not AHM.

 

[funnelfan]

Some of those old Rossi's had a three pole motor. If it does, you'll need to replace the motor or junk the model and buy something newer if you want a smooth runner.