Hi All

Chapter two in the faulty pickup adventure (there are 4 chapters...;(  )

My Heisler, not sure how old, but had little running, had been fussy as the rear truck would stall now and then.  I finally put it on the bench, and using the power supply determined that rear truck was not operating properly. The truck is suspended under the bunker with a screw into a rod, and there are 4 contacts two for motor and two for pickups.  These use copper strips on top of motor block and a system of 4 pins, two brass ones which I think are pickup power up and two gray metal ones which I think are motor power down.  They contact a set of 4 thin copper strips under a plastic piece in the bunker.
This allows the truck to swivel and tip. Well, the 4 screws that hold the upper contact plate in place had unscrewed themselves (?) but somehow due to residual magnetism, were still hanging around.  So I put them back, cleaned both contact surfaces and put it back hoping for a cure, but, still having a contact problem.  Testing seems to indicate power from the board to the motor is present, but I am having a loss of power to the motor from where the gray pin contacts the upper copper strips.  I do not see where to go from here as the upper copper strips seem intact.  The gray pins do not seem to drop down and up as freely as the brass looking pins that conduct power up from the truck.  I would welcome any thoughts on this issue
Thanks

Jerry

I have the Bachmann Spektrum 2-4-4 Forney locomotive. It began to stutter on my track powered layout. It had previously been a very smooth and powerfull performer. I took it to the workbench to clean the wheels. I do that by putting the loco on her side and touching power supply wires to the wheels and using alcohol and a Qtip to clean wheels.
Well, applying power to the two rear drive wheels, and wheels spin.
Apply power to the two forward drive wheels, and nothing. Ah ah, it seems there is no pickup from those drivers. Both sets of drivers have the little spinning wheel pickups, they appear intact. Cleaned them with spray electronics cleaner, still no aparent pickup. BTW, loco runs fine on battery power.

It is less then an year old so I can send for repair for cost of shipping, but wanted to ask for any obvious issues others may have had?

Thanks

Jerry

I talked to Rich from Bachmann at ECLSTS.  My 3 truck shay wires broke and I needed a new 8 pin plug and wires.  He sent the part to me gratis.

I appreciate the customer service

Jerry

Greetings:

The wire from the locomotive to the tender that terminates in a long white plug that is inserted into the front bottom of the tender has lost 3 or 4 of the tiny wires which fatigue and break at the back of the male connector.  While I could probably patch the wires up and try to put them back into the plug, it will likely happen again due to the small wires and lack of strain relief.  Has anyone come up with a more robust wire/plug installation or repair for this situation?

Thanks

Jerry

I bought a new rail truck 4 months ago, and recently took it out to see how it ran.  Ran it on my layout, runs OK, then put it on Bachman rollers static to help break it in.

That is when I noticed that the right rear wheel was not turning true.  Careful examination seemed to indicate that the drive mechanism rear transmission and axel are OK.  However the right rear drive wheel is not quite perpendicular to the axle.  It has a slight oscillation when it turns which makes the rear of the car wobble somewhat.  I very gently tugged on the wheel,it does not change its position on the axle and since the axle looks very fragile so I did not put any pressure on it. 

Any suggestions concerning this issue?  Might this result in long term risk to something in the drive train or just a little goose like wiggle?    Thoughts appreciated

Jerry

I decided to add weight to the front truck of my Annie, a recent model.  Took the bottom plate off to get at the truck, and discovered that there are 2 wires, red and black that come from the truck for power pickup.  They both come up from the truck through the spring, then through tiny holes in a washer and up to the motor area.

The red wire from the truck has "delaminated" with the insulation separating from the wire over about 1 1/2 inch of wire, including it seems the wire coming through the hole in the washer.  That is one tiny hole and small dia wire. 

Does anyone know the gauge of the wire and a source for this as it must be the right size to go through the washer.  Or an alternative approach to repair this?  I am concerned about a short developing with the exposed wire.

Thanks

Jerry

I have a recent anniversary 4-6-0.  I noticed a tendency to derail at switches, and checked the front truck.  Two problems: the wheels on both axels are slightly under-gauge and the red wire for power has somehow split leaving a bare wire and the red insulation separate.  Wire is still connected. The truck appears to have free movement.

The only advice I have seen on correcting wheel gauge is to twist and pull to move wheels apart.  I can see myself doing that, followed by a snapping sound and then a broken part....is that the best way to do this?

I assume I can remove the truck from the bottom and re-do the wire.

Thoughts appreciated.

Thanks


Jerry

I have a new Annie 4-6-0 unlettered locomotive, item 81099 that  I bought mail order.  I was running it on a test stand and noticed that the middle drive wheel on the right side was oscillating while turning.  A close examination  showed that 5 of the drive wheels have brass bushings where the axel passed through the block, but the oscillating wheel does not.  Is it possible it was left out during assembly?  Any ideas appreciated. Thanks

Jerry