New Member

I’m a new as an active member, but I have been aware of this forum for quite a while. A Marklin Z guy, mainly F7’s and American steamers. MTL F7’s also, but kind of turned off by their poor running. Newer models worse. They look good, however. I have a bunch of wheel-wipers with instructions, but I’d rather have an engine transplant when that is available. All Marklin track/turnouts/power. Have Peter Wright turnouts that I purchased when he was still producing them. They are “drop-ins” for Marklin turnouts, and I may use them some day. I do enjoy Z’s and this forum is terrific.

 

Welcome luckykid. Getting locomotives to run smooth is the biggest obstacle yet thrill when it’s done.

I’m borderline obsessive compulsive about my locomotives running smooth. No matter marklin MT or AZL eventually all will start to run balky. So here are a few things I do that always helps. First I’m DC not that smart or that motivated to run DCC. Everyone knows I use Jorge’s delux controllers to run trains that helps and I use gaugemasters. That combination alone fixes most issues.

That aside dirty wheels on locomotives are in my mind the number one culprit. I clean mine regularly with 90% alcohol on paper towel with power turned up to clean one set at a time. Dust will build fast. I have old house and my furnace probably pushes years of dust through in air. So I clean track and wheels regularly.

Often people forget to clean wheels on rolling stock. Pick a car up and often you’ll see a gunk buildup. Clean those too regularly.

With marklin steam clean brushes if you notice stuttering that helps a lot and lube just not over lub. For mt f-7s get used to taking it apart and cleaning contacts from frame to wheels. That really helps. Also sometimes just loosening the frame on the MT f-7 makes it run smooth. I don’t know why but it does

AZL be careful cleaning wheels and notice where traction tires are. I try to keep them away from alcohol as I don’t want them to dry out.

Also AZL sometimes a wiggle on the board will make it run smooth they seem to loose contact and a touch works.

Now on my gp 9 and 30 and one of my gp 38s I just took the board out altogether and bent motor tabs to slightly touch frames. Well sure I have no warranty or lights but they run smoother than any loco I got!

So those are my tips maybe one will help you

 

Thanks for all the welcomes. I did not know about the special controller that is available and I will check that out. And, I have heard about Don’s train repair services, but I got the impression that he is majorly backlogged, so I never followed up on that possibility. I’ll check that out too. As for cleaning, yes, I know you’ve got to do that regularly. I’ve been using alcohol to clean my tracks and wheels and it’s amazing how often it needs to be done. Also, I have had my MTL F7’s apart, and sometimes just doing that makes them run better when they get back together. I guess I will try doing the wheel-wipers myself at some point. Again. thanks for all the information. I have no-one here, locally, that I can talk to about Z’s. And I never get to train shows.

 

Welcome to group. About MTL F7, one of our great contributors, Glen Chenier, had created 15 or 20 year ago copper wipers that are due to improve pick-up. Unfortunately I don't know if some are still available.

Dom

 

Welcome to the group, Luckykid. Mr. Chenier passed away a few years ago. He installed his wheel wipers and LED lights in a couple of my MTL F7's. The performance improved greatly. I'm not sure who else is doing this work now. Have fun. Jim

 

Thanks again for the continuing advice. I have a few sets of wheel wipers that I got from Glen Chenier. He gave them to me because he said that he could no longer see well enough to work on small trains. A very nice man, and I'm sorry to hear that he passed away. And, I'll check out the Seattle group that was suggested, although I am now working as a lighthouse keeper and don't have much time to travel around.

 

Hi, Luckykid. May I ask what lighthouse you keep? Massachusetts doesn't have many (if any) manned ones left. There is one on Long Island close to me in Quincy, MA. Jim

 

Hello Boston Jim, British Columbia has 27 staffed lighthouses along the Pacific Coast from Victoria to just south of Alaska. It also has others that are automated. My job is to serve as a relief lighthouse keeper, meaning I go out to fill in for someone goes on vacation or has some other need to be away for a period of time. The Atlantic Coast of Canada has very few staffed lighthouses. I've visited the easternmost one at Cape Spear in Newfoundland. It is automated now and also serves as a museum. It is at the easternmost point in Canada.
Hard to work on model trains with my job, but I do a lot of reading and planning.

 

Thanks, Luckykid. That is pretty darn cool!!!You must have read some books by Edward Rowe Snow, he was a maritime historian from MA. who published many books about our local maritime history, ship wrecks, lighthouses, sea monsters, lost treasure, you name it. Thanks for sharing with us. Be safe. Jim

 

I wasn't aware of him passing away... Sad to learn this.
Dom

 

I only talked with him on the phone once or twice and you are correct, he was a great guy, a real gentleman and an asset to the z community. He has big shoes to fill and that is probably why nobody has stepped up. RIP. Glen. Jim