I recently aquired a 2000 Atlas Trainmaster and it has a little trouble entering turnouts. I noticed that the wheel flanges are a bit more narrow than the rails and the trailing truck (when entering a turnout) climbs up the switch. Also, I noticed there is a very very slight wobble to one truck. Anyone have any suggestions on how to correct these issues for this locomotive? Also, the headlight barely comes on at all, I took the body off and found black shrinkwrap around the bulbs and practically over the whole thing. Should I remove this shrinkwrap? Has anyone toyed around with the light board to increase the voltage to that lamp?
If you do not have a wheel gauge you can eye-ball the gauge by holding up a MT wheelset to the engine wheels and compare them. You can then adjust accordingly if the gauge is not correct.
The best way is to take the truck apart and twist the wheels in opposite directions to move the wheels in or out. Sometimes with the trucks still together and mounted on the locomotive you can spread the wheels by inserting a small screw driver between the inside of the wheel and the sided frame and twist.
Oh, are the wheels simply pressed on the axle? I'll give it a try tonight. I may have to adjust about 3 or 4 of this loco's wheel gauges!
Sheldon: Make sure the truck frame is snapped in position. You'll get a wobbly truck if the frame of the truck isn't completely seated. Stay cool and run steam....
Sheldon, I just did this to one of my Atlas SD50 and it's very easy. It wasn't as severe as your situation where the loco would climb a turnout. In my case it would short each time it crosses a turnout. Not a problem if you are going at moderate speed. But at slow speed, it would short and then stop altogether as there was no momentum at slow speed to carry it through the short. I knew it was the wheel gauge and all six axles were too narrow. I tried spreading them apart while on the trucks. Not a very good idea as you have a very good chance of breaking a fragile detail on the shell (railings, horn, etc.). I ended up removing the shell so I can keep it in a safe place. Then I loosen the frame and both trucks drop out. Pop open the undercarriage/truck frame and you have full access to the axles. You can then just pull them out and re-gauge.
On the Trainmasters that I have seen, the light board uses "actual light bulbs" instead of LEDs. The length etc. of the board is the same as the GP38 and most others. You could replace the original light board with the latest one with "golden white" LEDs, like I did, or convert everything you own to DCC (just kidding ???). Cutting the shrink wrap on the light bulbs will have very little if any effect on the light output. The original light board on the Trainmaster has two diodes and no resistors. Mark
Although not the cheapest way to go, Richmond Controls EZ-LITE LED lighting kits are easy to install, have great effects and excellent color, and certainly would solve the 'low light' problem. On your SP Trainmaster, Sheldon, you can get a 'Mars Light' effect LED light package - I have a SP Trainmaster like yours with a EZ04 light package, and it's wonderful to see the Mars light effect in operation. I've no connection with Jim Hinds and Richmond Controls other than being a very satisfied user. For what it's worth, just my 2 cents worth.
I use the screw driver method. wedge it in between the wheel and truck and slowly twist. You'll feel the wheel pop out a little bit. I had similar issues, read more here: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=82617&highlight=switch
Thanks for all the help guys! I got too nervous to take the whole truck apart, so I ended up doing the screwdriver method after I had the truck out. It crawls across the turnouts now perfectly. Although, I still have a very slight wobble, but very hard to notice. John, what exactly is the mars light effect. I've been very curious about what that is. That sounds like a great solution, but I might try replacing the lamp with one of my own led's first.
The Mars Light is a 'alternating bright and dim' lighting effect. The prototype had some sort of internal rotating light (I think), and Jim Hind's lighting effect simulates this by a tiny circuit that varies the current to the LED to create this effect. If really desired, I'll take a little Quicktime movie of this effect and post it for you to see.
