So I made a christmas tree layout this year with my n scale fleet, knowing full well that laying kato unitrack on the hardwood floor was a bad idea. I did my best to combat the dust and cat hair but yesterday my most reliable engine bit the dust. My P42 Genesis by kato just stopped dead on the tracks. Other trains run fine. I don't know where to begin with troubleshooting. There seems to be a lack of good info on the web. I have all the tools and some mechanical ability as I came from the RC hobby. Also on the dead list is my kato sd40-2. It needed a cleaning so I disassembled and reassembled, now it runs noiser and worse. I know it has something to do with the gears...possibly a mesh problem or dirt. I cannot disassemble the truck to reveal the gears inside the plastic case. Is this even possible? Lastly, the Atlas U-Boat...newer series is also not running. A tough season for my trains indeed.
Gear problems? When I disassemble my locos for the first time...I score a line on the top of the bearing blocks at each end of the worm gear. After a good cleaning with 90% alcohol and blowing off all the excess with a small air gun...or compressed air cans used for computers...I line up them score lines in the up positon in each bearing notch. It seems most of those plastic bearing blocks only like one position once broke in...and thats the original one! Dont forget the tiny plastic thrust washers too. Easy to lose and easier to say the heck with when reassembling. Most important...dont over oil !!! One drop per gear assembly per truck is usually good enough. To much oil is worse then none...JMO .
I guess I don't understand what you mean by scoring the gears with the razor blade. Is this done in between the sprockets. To clean out flashing from molding? Also, I really need help with troubleshooting locomotive electronics and how to test a motor. If any one has any tips they would be much appreciated. Thanks.
I got my kato amtrak p42 genesis working flawlessly. I was able to disassemble the trucks and clean out all sorts of nasties from the wheel and gear assembly. I think the copper lead was obstructed by grime. I am relieved that I can now pull my new consist of passenger cars. Now onto the sd40-2.
I shot a quick video of my Amtrak Superliner on my christmas layout. Check out the video here. [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU2sC88UkB8"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]
No...you lightly score the "bearing blocks" (which are on the "worm' assembly) on the top with a hobby knife before disassembly....so they go back in exactly the way they came out. See attached pic My idea of lightly scoring the blocks is to make it easier on reassembly when cleaning the whole mech. JMO .
