heritage 2-8-8-2

[Schraddel]

e-paw!
That seems to me a common problem with some older Roco motors:

That is an other Roco motor type than, but the ame problem. Have a look onto the commutator.
It was starting with running slower and still slower and then the magical smoke escaped...
The cause were too soft carbon brushes.
They wear rapidly and the gunk of them was collecting into the interstice of the commutator segments. Thus causing a kind of short and the motor was running slow. Simultaneous the temperature rised until the commutator melts down.

Later Roco outfitted their motors with harder carbon brushes and thus solved the problem of short living and melting down.


As it is sometimes difficult to get Roco spare parts in the US, some of the Athearn Genesis Line locos were equipped with Roco Motors:
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That should fit into the 2-8-8-2. This were the revised ones with harder carbon brushes.

My two cents.

Lutz