Moose running a Bachmann Spectrum Doodlebug around a wee Kato test track to break it in. Yes, Moose know, Moose know, 8 1/2" radii curves with 9 3/4" radii easements are probably a wee bit tight for this feller. So far though, she's doing fine. Started out not wanting to move at all in reverse and quite a lot of stuttering in forward direction, but ~ 30 minutes at different speeds, forward and reverse, is loosening her up well. Still has problems at low speed in reverse, but that might be expected given the tight radii combined with her length and single powered front truck.
A moose, a controller and a doodlebug. Can't get much better than that!! Except, shouldn't that be a steam powered doodlebug.......?
Felt good Alan, it felt real good... Can Moose report you for saying that? No, wait, steam good! Now, how to convert a Doodlebug to steam...
I see Moose uses an MRC Prodigy Express too. I've had mine for several years now and have had zero problems with it.
What is your standard break in procedure? Does it include a check/replacement of the factory gunk/grease?
No, not quite the normal break in procedure. Usually run for about an hour, different speeds, forward and reverse, with larger radii Kato track set up on the dining room table. Generally, if there are no obvious visible lubrication issues, including too much oil, AND if haven't read any concerns about the specific model coming from the factory under-lubricated, then just run it.
Do you mean the stuff that looks like earwax gone bad? Or the stuff that resembles chunky peanut butter left to rot?
Yes, that is the stuff. Bachmann & life like we’re famous for using that stuff. I have cleaned it out of many brands, although I really do not know who put there on most because they were bought used. These models get little or no testing coming from the factory. Looking for what is usually done in this case.
Life-Like's grease was actually that white stuff and it looked kind of like white lithium grease and it wasn't so much what they used. It was how MUCH they used. Enough for ten locomotives. Doug
Looks good Moose! Running any train even in an endless loop is always a good thing! I bought a used Proto 2000 locomotive in HO scale, for those who may know, these come with the shell off so you can see the mech, and before it even hits the rails you are working on it. Well I can honestly say this engine had never been run before. It was a GP30 and when I tried to test it and break it in the thing moved maybe 1/2 and inch and froze up. It would not go any direction. Ok... off to the bench. I quickly found the problem when I took apart one of the trucks. There was this glob of grease that had hardened into something like fishtank silicone and when I tried to move the engine it got jammed in the gears locking them in place. All other gears were bone dry! My guess is this glob was supposed to work it's way into the rest of the mech as the train was run for the first time. I don't think any one was really expecting the engine to sit on a shelf for who knows how many years before actually getting to run for the first time. It was the only P2K engine I owned that didn't need the final gears replaced from splitting. I am guessing also that the gears splitting had something to do with the grease. I cleaned them off and used a silicone based grease to lube them with, and that engine while ugly ran really well.
And chairs, a chandelier, and drapes, to boot! At least the train room is close to the kitchen. Model railroading can work up an appetite...
Moose attempted to run a Spectrum 2-6-6-2 fresh out of the paint shops ... Yeah, things didn't go so well. First off, its a used locomotive that Moose had acquired several years ago and replaced the tender and installed a decoder. Moose suspects that there may be issues in electrical connections common to the drawbar as manually fiddling with the tender seems to momentarily make 'er go ... ... ... And second, this locomotive doesn't like that bloody 8 1/2" & 9 3/4" radii sections of test track.
This sounds like a problem that was common on Mantua/Tyco steamers. The drawbar connection would lift the tender wheels off the track breaking the circuit. I found that putting conductive springs between the tender trucks & the tender frame would solve thus problem. The spring would force the truck down keeping it on the track maintaining contact, even with some oscillation from the drawbar. The tender should always be able to float vertically relative to the boiler. I have read that there can be a stiff wire connection along this drawbar. Surprised that flexible wires were not used to allow the float. Hopefully you can get it running well.
Moose having a go at breaking-in this wee Model Power 2-6-0, who's fresh out of the paint shops and ready to hit the rails servicing all mountain destinations of the Klickitat Mountain Railway -- including Moose Lodge! ... ... ... She runs quite smoothly at all speeds and in both directions, and it doesn't seem to notice those tight 8 1/2" & 9 3/4" radii sections of test track. Yeah! That's a good thing, as the branchline that leads up to Moose Lodge has some of the tightest radii track ever laid...
Thank you, good sir! The HO design's of Mantua/Tyco are likely quite different than the N scale brethern. However, it is possible for what you described to happen if the draw-bar is installed upside down -- don't ask how Moose know. In this case, the draw-bar is correctly installed with the stiff wires (811X-MT005 & -MT006) below the draw-bar (811X-00F05), so the tender shouldn't be lifting up. Moose suspects the issue is either or both the stiff wires not being close enough together at the locomotive chassis "Draw Bar holding pin", and/or not far enough apart at the tender end in order to contact the forward truck side plates (811X-MTB04). Please look at the attached PDF.
So how about soldering a wire from the metal strip in the tender to the stiff wire on each side. What we have here is three contacts that require a compression contact. If any lose tension the contact is lost. oxidation will also interrupt the circuit. I would try to replace as many of these as possible without impacting the visual & operational integrity. Should be doable.
Moose now concerned that there may be an issue with the tender pick-ups themselves, as these Spectrum tenders usually provide reliable electrical conductivity on clean track even without locomotive conductivity... Worst case, Moose will solder small wires to tender contact strips, add ring terminals and fasten to locomotive chassis halves; this will allow the tender to still be disconnected from the locomotive. But first, will examine the various tender & draw-bar wire contacts.
