My trains all stopped!

N

neddle

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Jun 18, 2006
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I have recently unpacked all my N gauge locos and rolling stock (thinking about selling them on ebay). I decided that it may be worthwhile to test them so I purchased some brand spanking track and a controller. When I set it all up the motors on my locos spun but they would not move the wheels. I stripped down a diesel shunter and cleaned it before reassembly, but it resolutely stayed as stationary as a Virgin train.

These locos have been in boxes for the last 10 - 15 years. Could anyone tell me why they won't move? Is it something to do with the magnets weakening?

Would appreciate any help you can offer.

Neil

Addendum: I thought it may be a problem with the controller so I used a 12V power adaptor and placed the bare wires directly on the track and then on the wheels of different locos to no avail.
 
N

neddle

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Jun 18, 2006
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Well the motors did not vary in speed although a couple seemed to vary in direction. Any ideas?
 
Z

zedob

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Dec 26, 2004
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I don't know about those manufacturers, but could you possibly have the track wire leads connectd to the AC terminals on the power pack? AC will make a motor hum and the armature bounce like it wants to move, but won't.
 
6

60103

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In only 15 years, I don't think you should have all the magnets giving up or all the drive shafts or whatever falling apart. (one or two, maybe, in a couple of dozen). Minitrix have a good reputation.
Could they have been lubricated with a grease that's hardened?
You could try a 9volt battery for power. The terminals on them match OO/HO wheels but might work on N.
 
S

shortliner

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Dec 23, 2004
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In all seriousness, I wouldn't waste a lot of time and money trying to do a great deal with either. Graham Farish have been out of production for a long while, and Minitrix hit the rocks when Lima went broke. Farrish was mainly sold in UK - Minitrix was too, but also had some continental. IRC farish was a different scale to most other N gauge - rather like the OO/HO performance. Something like 1:148 against 1:164.
Try a 9v battery and see if the motors are actually turning - If so you have gear problems, and how you will cure that I really don't know - if the motors DON't turn you probably have a magnet problem - although it may be a case of dirty commutators, which are probably oxidised - very fine emery paper, 400 grit or higher, might solve that problem.
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands
 
R

Russ Bellinis

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If you have access to the commutators, the best thing to use to clean off oxidation is a pencil eraser. The rubber will work like a "Brite Boy" track cleaner. Also if you have carbon in the gaps between the segments of the comutator, a small jeweler's flat screw driver tip can be used to clean out between the segments.
 
N

neddle

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Jun 18, 2006
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You people are genius'! I tried the 9V battery and the trains moved a full half-wheel rotation! So it's not the grease (tried that a couple of days ago), it's not the magnets, it's something to do with the power source. Talk me through the whole AC thingumy (it's been a very long time since I fooled around with this stuff). Surely one wire on one track and the other wire on the other track will make a train go? Swap the wires and the train goes in the opposite direction. What am I missing? Why does the motor hum and not turn?

Thanks for your help so far.

Neddle
 
S

shortliner

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Because it should be running on DC! 9 - 12 volts. AC will do it no good at all!
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands
 
S

shortliner

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Yes - but you need AC in at whatever your house voltage is - and DC out at 9 - 12 volts that goes to the track! - If you're using a wall-wart it needs DC out otherwise all that is happening is that your motor is trying to change direction 60 times a second.
 
N

neddle

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Jun 18, 2006
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I see... hmmm... starting to make sense now. So I have a powerpack / adaptor in the wall socket which is plugged into a train controller, the current then goes through two wires (all supplied together) to the track. What is the problem?
 
S

shortliner

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Your controller should be outputting DC Check what you are getting at the track AC or DC - If it's AC that is not what you want and why it tried to run on the battery which is DC!
 
N

neddle

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The adaptor supplied with said controller is AC - AC therein lies the problem methinks. Well done chaps you nailed it. I shall instantly attempt to dig out a 240V AC - 16V DC adaptor.
 
N

neddle

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Shortliner again you are ahead of me. I am using a Bachmann controller and when DC is input it works but does not change direction and THEN STARTS SMOKING! I am indeed English and believe I may require a less foreign one! Thank God I took the battery out of my smoke alarm to rest my trains!
 
S

shortliner

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Email me at chacmool at lineone dot net with a phone number
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands
 
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