Ok....she is an awesome looking and running locomotive. WElllll it was anyways. It will stall out at different places on the layout...never in the same place twice. It happens on straights as well as curves. I have cleaned the wheels...numerous times. I fear some 'debris' has gotten into the axle points and is causing intermittent electrical problems. Sooooooooooooo...how hard is it to get these trucks off the frame? I see from different sources this isnt the old split frame with screws you loosen and pop the trucks out of the frame. In fact...this is the first time I am dealing with this type of frame (gulp). I dont wanna bugger this thing up (its THE Wifes and she would kill me !!). Any 'technical' advise for truck removal would be appreciated. I have googled the question numerous ways...and the only results are on board removal and replacement. Grrrrrrrrrr. TIA.
While I don't have the E5 (yet), the type of construction appears to be the same as the E8/9, F40PH, PA-1, and P42. The hardest part can be getting the shell off the frame. The first time for any unit is more difficult than those following times. You have to spread the shell with toothpicks or equivalent. After the shell is off the lighting circuit board and the two copper strips under it must be removed. You might look at the Digitrax web page that shows the decoder for the E5, this will give you an idea of what to expect in removing the light board. Then you have to remove the gray plastic sort of cover over the truck that you want to remove. After the cover has been removed, you have to use a jeweler's screwdriver on each side of the truck to release it from the frame. After the truck is off the frame it is disassembled like any other Kato truck. After you take the engine apart once you will see that it is no harder to take apart than any other Kato unit but just different. Mark
Hey Mark... Sorry I missed this reply last month. Dont want ya to think I was being rude and ignoring you. I do appreciate the helpful instructions/advise. Gonna get to the E5 maintenance soon...thnxs
