Help! I now have 5 locos that don't run because I have taken them apart to see why! (You must understand that my main interest in our hobby is the scenic side). Is there anyone our there that offers a repair service. Soon I shall have to push the wagons around with my index finger!
Member 5017
Hi Keith
The main problem with loco repairs is obtaining the spare parts.
Bachmann generally only make parts for the production run and do not normally keep spares. Roco and Fleischmann used to be very good but these days deliveries are very spasmodic and the spares side of their operations have obviously been run down a lot.
Generally speaking parts for chassis that are no longer obtainable from new are just not available at all.
For my own use I keep any spares and will also purchase dead chassis for spares as well.
It will help to evaluate if repairs are possible if you tell us what chassis you have.
Brian Meldon
Hi Brian: Now that's the problem. Only a couple have anything on the chasis - Roco (it's an 060). Trix Western Germany (060). They have all come from the 009 sales stand and worked when I purchased them. I also have two Joef 040's. Some run in fits and starts and some just stopped! As I am sure you now appreciate I am no engineer. It maybe that they just need a clean or overhaul but when I took the body off a little Baldwin to clean it it all fell apart and I just have the bits in a box. It looks as though I will have to just go on buying new locos and run them until they stop.
Thanks for the info. anyway
keith
Yes indeed Keith.
All the locos on the 009 sales stand that do not come in on the day of the show are checked over and serviced if required, so in theory they all should work when you purchase them. (Unless stated otherwise.)
009 locos are small and can require a lot of maintenance and this requires some dexterity and practice, expect to make mistakes as you learn. But if you think you will never be able to master this part of the hobby you may find it difficult or expensive to carry on in any railway modelling scale.
With 009 the main thing it to keep the wheels and the track spotlessly clean, this needs to be done quite often. If I am going to an exhibition I will clean the wheels before I go and they will need doing again at the end of the day. The track also needs to be cleaned every day.
There are some devises that help such as track cleaning wagons and locos but with small four or six coupled locos with pickups in the locos only the track should be cleaned every day for good running.
So how to clean the wheels on a 009 (or any) loco?
Well the way I do this is to turn the loco upside-down held in soft foam rubber holder and then power the loco with two single strand
I tried to watch your video by clicking on the link but all I got was a blank page.
Brian's absolutely right about keeping things scrupulously clean. I've been accused of being (and I quote) "a compulsive wheel-cleaner"! For loco wheels I use an old H&M controller with the traction current delivered through a short length of 009 track - that saves trying to keep wires in the right places. There are also times when the rails can be used directly to power the loco via the pick-up board rather than the wheels. To clean the wheels I use a propelling glass-fibre brush but I'll WARN you to beware of stray fibres. In the fingers they're an irritant but you MUST keep you eyes protected. In all the years I've used the brush I've never had any trouble with fibres in my eyes but it's a possibility. Like Brian, I usually invert the locos in a purpose-built padded box. My old Minitrix chassis are clipped into a specially built holding frame. I also inspect and run-in the chassis on a rolling road if necessary. It also pays well to use a pair of fine tweezers to remove fluff from the tread contacts and brake gear. I tend not to oil the mechanisms which is probably a mistake and I appreciate that I really should use a reasonably heavy oil on the motor bearings, if nothing else. I'n not keen on the idea of using mineral oils on the gears as they're usually plastic or nylon and I'm never sure how things will interact. For track cleaning I again use a glass-fibre brush and an old camera lens bulb-blower brush to clear pointwork.
Use a Minitrix wheel cleaning brush - twin copper brushes in a plastic block which you put on the track. Put on the volts, hold the loco on top with the wheels pressed lightly into the brush. The wheels will start to revolve and will be cleaned. Regarding removal of fluff and lubricating the others had their say - I can only agree. Sometimes you need to check the pick-up strips that run on the wheels.
I hope you were able to put the locos together again...
Quote from: Rhobat Bryn on November 18, 2011, 13:34
I tried to watch your video by clicking on the link but all I got was a blank page.
It is an MP4 file so you will need to ensure that you have a plug in that plays MP4's. I use Firefox and have
We use a Minitrix brush when Buccabury is out at exhibitions. Before each show I go through all the locos to check them and thoroughly clean the wheels and the Minitrix brush is handy for maintaining the cleanliness through the show; as soon as a loco returns to the fiddle yard it is 'laid over' and its wheels cleaned ready for its next turn of duty. At least, that's what usually happens when I'm on fiddle duty!
Thanks everyone for your tips. I am in the process of trying them out. I did manage to get the body off the mini-trix chasis and found that the motor was stuck. I gave it a gentle poke and it is currently runny happily round my test track.
No sir, you did not 'give it a poke'.
Now you are among serious modellers you must learn to use 'modelspeak' within these forums.
What you actually did, sir, was to carry out certain 'fine adjustments' to the electrical components.
A 'poke' is what pig farmers sell their produce in. :-)
I beg to differ Mr. Deadhorse Esq.
'Fine adjustments' are normally carried out by making use of "a big 'ammer". I expect an immediate apology for your erroneous advice to our more 'careful' brethren.
Yours etc. Disgusted West Midlands.
In my country we have another description for a hammer. It's sometimes called the 'American screwdriver'. ;)
Quote from: keithatsibford on November 29, 2011, 17:38
<snipped>... I gave it a gentle poke and it is currently runny happily round my test track.
That's digital operation for you... :D
Ahem...
Down here in London we've always called it a Birmingham Screwdriver... ;D ;D
Quote from: Tigger on December 01, 2011, 12:00
Ahem...
Down here in London we've always called it a Birmingham Screwdriver... ;D ;D
Whilst in Birmingham they are correctly referred to as
Brummie Screwdrivers... (Whilst screwdrivers are Brummie Chisels... :-\)
And my father always called them a Universal screwdriver (Scouser).
--
Rod
And in the Black Country ( The centre of the known universe) they'm Brummagem sponners. Worro aer kid ;D.