Hello,



this time a Cab Forward from Intermountain was put onto my workbench: https://intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/59002.htm

Damage report: Loco does not move, sound and lights are doing. It seems to be an mechanical problem.

Testing the loco in mute mode: motor is reving but no movements at the wheels. The fault must be anywhere in the drivetrain.








For this i started demounting the loco. After removing some details at the boiler, some screws became visible and this allowed to take off the upper half and the cab.

















But not complete because there were some wire connections. As the SP has a lot of special headlights, it not a good idea to disconnect them. Let's make a workaround.

















At the rear end in the the smokebox this wire wad was visible.


















Front end too.

















After removing some tape more screws became visible and after removing these, the upper half of the ballast weight could be lifted out. This allowed a first glance onto the drive train. And of course of more screws.


Turning the motor gentle at the flywheel, no jamming, no cracks at all and the shaft and the universals were firm. The fault has to be searched further down.

















And here too, after removing motor and shaft, more screws.



















After removing theses screws, the lower half of the weight could be lifted out.


And guess, more screws. Ather removing these ones too, the lower half of the boilder and running boards was revoved.



















But before the articulated joints between the two group of drivers has to be removed; screws



















Now more test could be made.


The axle gear box of the rear group was o.k.


And the one of the front group was also o.k.


The fault must be within the transfer gearbox.

















Next step is to remove the transfer gearbox.



(to be continued)

I have an Athearn RTR DC GP40-2 loco that is stalling. I have had the loco for about 2 years and only had it out of the box to test it. About 2 months ago I got it out and an it with no problems. I have run it occasionally since then. For about the last two weeks I have not run the loco and when I did so tonight it started stalling. 

At first I suspected track issues. Track was cleaned and still having problems. Second GP40-2 runs fine.

Inspected loco and found bottom of gear boxes wet with lubricate. Cleaned this up. Cleaned wheels. Still having issues.

Removed shell. Found "wet" lubricate in many places. I could see the gears they appear to be very wet.

I need suggestions as to what to do next.

Conrail's WPMA-40 must of had a light day, as this was the only CR action to be found this afternoon.

Bruce

   

WPMA-40 makes its return trip back though Whiskey Point, on this hot and muggy Friday night.

Bruce

   

Conrail GP10 7560 leads WPMA-29 through Chestnut Neck.

Bruce

   

Can anybody help?

I just installed a decoder in a brass sharknose and It has a short that occurs when the locomotive is placed in speed step 1 in either direction. It does not short until this is done. The light works and the headlight function works fine, but when speedstep is applied it shorts out and trips the circuit breaker to the track. I can't find any wiring problems but I am wondering if this is a problem with brass locomotives. I found a few shorts when I was checking the locomotive before I installed the decoder.  (this is install 65 or 66 so I am not new to this) 
Charlie

Brand new from Baldwin, October, 1948.      
Charlie

I've been digging enthusiastically into Big Blue over the last few days and that's inspired me to make some purchases and get rolling on some railroad-related activities.

First I saw the layout section and thought that I ought to update my video tour of my layout from front-of-the-engine perspective - I've done quite a lot since my last recording using my son's helmet camera laid on a flat car (shown below).

   

Problem was....  I haven't charged the camera in a couple of years and the battery won't take a charge.  Having a new battery sent to me....

Seeing all the blue (maybe it's just the background) has inspired me to create the first Conrail blue item on my layout (I'm modeling 1976 when not much stuff had received paint yet) - decided to buy an N5 caboose (in Pennsylvania RR livery) from ebay plus decals from K4 (also on ebay).  Another project!

In my research over the past few days I also continue to see Kartrak stickers on a bunch of photographs.  (Kartrak was one of the forerunners of Bar Codes).  Decided I needed to buy some Kartrak decals in HO (K4 on ebay).  Those are going on most of my rolling stock as I weather each car.  Speaking of weathering, I put up some photos of my weathering of two CNW 40-ft semitrailers decorated for the Bicentennial.  Turned out pretty well I think. It's on the weathering section of Big Blue.

I was contemplating what I wanted to do for the next two days prior to leaving for Texas.  Tomorrow is Independence Day.  I model the summer of 1976, and last year I bought a pair of CNW 40-ft trailers to place on my 96-ft flat cars to simulate TOFC trains.  They are Walters units decorated for the Bicentennial and they are absolutely PRISTINE!  

   

It made me think.  Were these trailers brand new in 1976, or were the trailers just repainted?  Personally, I'm trying to weather most of my rolling stock to reflect the era - 1976 was NOT a good time for railroads, and I model early Conrail when stuff was held together with bubble gum and a prayer. I really wanted to find some grimy trailer examples.  Time for a web search...  Found this one....

   

So, the one on the trailer looks like the bicentennial paint was applied after years of trailer use, which was really what I was hoping for.  The prototype also has corrugated sides versus the flat sides on the Walters version.  I think I'll just ignore that difference. I figure that I'll tape off the red, white and blue stripes and other markings and apply most of the weathering treatments to each trailer and then give the stripes a dusting...  More photos of the process coming.