Atlas N ALP-45DP Problem

jwb3 Oct 17, 2019

  1. Alexander Montagano

    Alexander Montagano New Member

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    I am having the exact same problem. I am not happy considering the money I spent on these.
     
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  2. SecretWeapon

    SecretWeapon Passed away January 23, 2024 In Memoriam

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    Once you loosen the screws on the trucks, it solves a lot of issues. I loosen them to the point of when you turn the car in your hand, the trucks move freely. I had uncoupling issues also. A drop of ca on top of the coupler in the closed position solved that problem. Atlas will fix your engine if you send it back to them.
     
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  3. platypus

    platypus TrainBoard Member

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    So I had mine repaired by Atlas. Went from hardly moving to being able to go at at what is maybe 1/3 of what a typical engine would do.

    Had not run it in a while and found that it now starts off at slow crawl and warms up to about 1/4 of typical speed after about 5 minutes. Thinking about trying the motor cleaning but I don't have any track cleaner or other stuff like that on hand. Need to figure out what kind to get. Also just debating seeing if I can get a new motor for it. Will have to email Altas and see what they say.
     
  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Look for an electric motor or parts cleaner, which leaves no residue. You should be able to find such a thing at any electronic supply. Possibly at the auto parts store, or a hardware/home supply big box store.
     
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  5. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Go to any LHS that carries R/C cars. They have plenty of options for motor cleaner sprays.
     
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  6. platypus

    platypus TrainBoard Member

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    So Atlas just recommended a general cleaning and lubrication with conduct-a-lube. Figure if I am going to do that might as well do the more thorough cleaning recommended here.

    Have a trip to the LHS planned to pick up some other things. Will have to give them a call and see what they have in the way of contact and track cleaner.
     
  7. platypus

    platypus TrainBoard Member

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    So the ALP-45 is a pain to disassemble. The motor is blocked in by the circuit board. The circuit board is secured by two screws and white foam tape.

    In getting the circuit board off from the foam tape I managed to pull off one of the truck wires. Looks like I have to take apart the worm gear housing to get the truck out enough to expose the contact for the wire.

    Still have to figure out how to get the motor out from then rest of the frame so I can use the ACT-6006 on it.
     
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  8. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Friends do not let friends buy locomotives from Atlas! About the worst designs possible, always issues with the motor leads under the decoders. And now this new twist on un-maintainability.
     
  9. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    The old design is still good. Why they got rid of that is anyone's guess!!!!! :mad:
     
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  10. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Because a handful of people complained about the old design that worked great !!:mad::mad::censored::censored::censored::censored:

    Hardwired trucks...........

    "Back To The Future"

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2024 at 5:10 PM
  11. platypus

    platypus TrainBoard Member

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    So I got the loco apart cleaned the motor with ACT-6006 and contact cleaner spray. Put it back together and it is not any better. I did have the motor brushes out to clean the commutator so I wondering if they aren't seated right and causing too much friction. The loco was very warm after running it for a few minutes which didn't seem right. Probably because I had it at full throttle and it was just crawling along. And I also ended up with the motor in backwards. On the plus side some of the wires are now color coded so it is easier to tell then apart.

    The design is a nightmare for maintenance. I ended up breaking 3 or four solder joints on the pickups and speaker. There is not a good way to get the trucks and gear towers out. So I had to pull off the truck side frames to get the pickups out. There is very little clearance so I ended up basically making butt joints with the end of the wires when soldering in some places because there wasn't enough room to turn the wire.

    I have some other Atlas GP-38/40 of the old split frame design and they are good. Much easier to work on than this.
     

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