I surrender

BestSnowman · September 11, 2009, 08:32:26 PM

I've mentioned in earlier posts my attempt at refurbishing an Athearn CNW SDP40 and finally given up. I'm at the point where i need to replace the wheels with some nickel/silver sets (as the original sintered steel ones don't stay clean enough to run reliably), when I can get it picking up power its horrifically slow and underpowered.

I figure if I'm replacing the wheels, motor, and adding a decoder I'm basically building a new locomotive and at a with the cost of a remotor I could probably find an SD of some variety for about as much* so I'm just going to take the gearing out and make it a dummy.

Since I'm also modeling an era after UP's purchase of CNW I can put it in a consist with a UP or any of their acquired roadnames and still be somewhat prototypical.**

*Bachmann's own non-DCC equiped SD40-2 is not much more than a repowering kit for an Athearn SDP40
** As prototypical you can be with an SDP40 in CNW paint.

BestSnowman · September 11, 2009, 09:30:54 PM

Well it may have gotten a reprieve, I was pushing it around the track with a GP40 after I had taken the gearing out and disconnect the motor and noticed that I was still getting sparks coming from the trucks. It turns out on one of the trucks the pieces of metal that bring up power from both right and left were a little to close and were arcing.

After bending these out a bit it runs pretty well, but still runs a bit warmer than I'd like. I'm wondering if this is because I'm running it as a DC loco on a DCC system. I'll have to see if it runs any cooler better on straight DC.

Robertj668 · September 11, 2009, 09:57:36 PM

BestSnowman

It is tough sometimes to call it quits on an refurbishing an engine. Especially when you spend more money on it than the cost of a new engine. But I think of all that experience that one gains form all of that work.

Hang in there.

Robert

Tylerf · September 12, 2009, 09:18:03 AM

About the heat from the motor, it is most likely the DC loco on dcc. DC locomotives really don't do well on dcc, this could also be part of the operation issues your having with it.

BestSnowman · September 12, 2009, 10:13:35 AM

Fortunately I haven't spent much on refurbishing it yet (aside from time). Yesterday I had bought a wire brush disk for my drill and spent a bunch of time polishing the heck out of the wheels. My frustration came when it stopped running after doing so.

Quote from: Tylerf on September 12, 2009, 09:18:03 AM
About the heat from the motor, it is most likely the DC loco on dcc. DC locomotives really don't do well on dcc, this could also be part of the operation issues your having with it.

I was hoping this to be the case but it appears to eventually overheat on DC as well. I let it cool down a couple of hours and then switched my layout to DC. It ran a lot better, especially at lower speeds, but after pulling 5 or six cars at speed for a while (longer than on DCC) but eventually it started overheating and performance dropped precipitously.

CNE Runner · September 12, 2009, 10:18:59 AM

Bestsnowman - Eddie Arnold had a song with the refrain: "Sometimes your best isn't quite good enough..." and this seems to apply to your locomotive. To put it another way: One of the hardest things, in life, to do is to say 'Goodbye'. Perhaps it is time to put that recalcitrant locomotive on the shelf and buy another...something I have had to do frequently in this hobby.

Ray

BestSnowman · September 12, 2009, 10:33:43 AM

Quote from: CNE Runner on September 12, 2009, 10:18:59 AM
Bestsnowman - Eddie Arnold had a song with the refrain: "Sometimes your best isn't quite good enough..." and this seems to apply to your locomotive. To put it another way: One of the hardest things, in life, to do is to say 'Goodbye'. Perhaps it is time to put that recalcitrant locomotive on the shelf and buy another...something I have had to do frequently in this hobby.

Ray

So true, It might still make its way to dummy locomotive (or just plain retired) but I have had one more idea. Rather than shell out the money for a repowering kit I'm looking at unused Athearn SD40 kits on ebay. If I can find one for a low enough price I'll either end up with a cheaper replacement motor or a new more prototypical SD that I can lash up the old CNW to in consist.

Robertj668 · September 12, 2009, 12:28:23 PM

I have a few engines I am very attached to. They are they the first few engines I received as a child. What I have done to a few is actually Buy one on eBay that is better shape than mine and take off the shell or other parts and repair it that way. And some I just replace and pretend it my original.

Right now I am going back and forth on my Chattanooga and how to repair it. It as crack on the frame and other things like that. This may be one that I just replace.

Robert

hotrainlover · September 12, 2009, 01:00:19 PM

Robertj668,
Is that the steamer?..... I wanted to keep my Chattanooga, that a friend had given me. The problem.... The motor is in the tender.... I converted the engine into a Cab forward, put a Athearn chassis under the tender, (which I installed a decoder in); and WHALLA... a better unit!!

Robertj668 · September 12, 2009, 01:11:44 PM

hotrainlover
Yes it is the steamer! My son want to put sound and DCC in it. But I rather get a better version of it then do it. I would love to see the "Cab Foward" Chattanooga. If you have a pic of it!
Robert

Email; Robertj627@msn.com

BestSnowman · September 12, 2009, 07:30:27 PM

I took the motor apart, again, and cleaned and oiled it up really good. Then I drowned the gearing in grease (not neccesarily drowned, but well greased) and its been running a lot better. It doesn't seem to start fading under use, in the mean time I've gotten started on my original project for the weekend adding feeders for better power distribution.

Robertj668 · September 12, 2009, 07:34:36 PM

Best Snowman
Great work! It is a great feeling isn't it.
Robert

CNE Runner · September 12, 2009, 08:51:28 PM

Just a thought...could it be that the locomotive was never run in properly? Now that you have cleaned and lubed the running gear; how about letting it run for 10 or 15 minutes in each direction...or have you already gone past this stage?

Ray

BestSnowman · September 12, 2009, 09:50:52 PM

I suppose it is entirely possible, I'll have to see if my dad remembers much about it.

I know he attempted to get a layout started several times but got interrupted everytime he tried (he finally got one going this year). I know he also had a layout as a kid but we never used it. If was broken in at one point it was probably 20 years ago and has been sitting in a box since then.

It would make sense though based on my observations of how he is building his layout now. He has a couple pieces collected but has barely run any of them because he hasn't "finished" his track work yet.

BestSnowman · September 18, 2009, 12:10:06 PM

I asked my dad about this locomotive last night and he said that it probably had not been run much at all.

News:

I surrender