Engine Maintainance...a must read!

[cpr_boy]

Hi gang. I want to share an experience I had. I started in n-scale last May and have built a small bedroom layout. I have a few Kato engines and they work wonderfully. After awhile, I notice their performance decreasing and would constantly stall. I tried everything from constant cleaning of track and wheels to checking my wiring but nothing really helped. Last night, I was at my wits end, so I dismantled one of my engines, removing the truck assembly to see what I could find. There was lots of fur from my over-shedding CAT wound up in the wheel axles and gears. It was in all my locos and 2 hours later, I cleaned all of them and PROBLEM SOLVED....they run great now! I vaccumed my entire layout today and will have to do more "house cleaning".

To make a long story short...engine maintainance is a MUST esp with n scale. I was in HO 10 years ago and don't remember this happening. These little engines need TLC and will repay you with years of enjoyment. I hope this helps anyone with a similar problem.

Cheers
cpr_boy
"learning things as I go along!"

 

[brakie]

Absolutely! Good maintenance on locomotives is a must in any scale.The HO locomotives I use at the club gets checked and clean every 90 days due to the above normal use these units see.My N scale locomotives get checked and clean as needed as I use these on my industrial switching layout.

 

[Blake]

Yup, just like a car you have to look under the hood every once in a while.

 

[MCL_RDG]

On the lighter side...

...my girlfriend's Jack Russel Terrier sheds like crazy- everythings white with fur after a visit! Well, as much as I love N-Scale, I do have a G-Scale train I run at Christmas. I was surprised to find the 4-6-0 running rather slow. I figured I'd layed too much track for the little power pack to feed that big motor. But, No. Just as cpr said, there was just fur in the mechanism. As I pulled it out I amused myself with the thought that perhaps the whole damn dog was up in there (snicker-gufaww~~~~~~).

Mark, an anonomous respondent.

 

[sschaer]

... perhaps the whole damn dog was up in there ....
Mark, an anonomous respondent.

i know how it looks if 3 g scale sd45 at notch 8 hit a cat ....

 

[joe ramirez]

I have this problem where the train on certain sections will jerk alittle. After it goes around a few times the stalling gets better. I have every joint solidered and I have sanded the tops of the rails, I have not opened the engine yet but what else can I check? Oh one last thing, I have the rail power 1300, the problem is that I have to turn it up to 55 just to get the train moving. Any ideas?
thanks in advance
joe