I pulled an old Athearn SW 1500 out today that no longer runs. I purchased it maybe 10 years ago and I was hoping to detail and repaint it. Being that the engine does not run anymore, I was hoping that a thorough cleaning might get the unit back into service. Never having cleaned this engine before, what should I use to remove the caked on grime on the wheels and contacts? Is it safe to simply bathe the wheel assemblies in some solution? If so, what?
I know there is an article on locomotive cleaning in one of my MR’s, but I could not find the exact one.
Try carefully scraping the grime of the wheels with a small flathead screw driver. Then, try cleaning the wheels with a swipe of a isoproponal soaked paper towel. that should help.
Lots of things can cause a loco to fail to run. First electricity has to get to the motor. Dirty wheels, broken wires, dirty sliding contacts, dirty motor commutator, stuck brush springs, broken or missing brushes all can interrupt the flow of electricity. Athearn motors have the bottom brush connected to the chassis by a metal finger under the motor. Breakage or corrosion can interrupt power. Usually a motor will hum if it’s getting power. To be really sure about it, use a multimeter or a test lamp to make sure you have juice at the motor brushes. Sometimes an armature winding wire breaks off from the commutator. These can be soldered back in place.
After you have electricity to the motor, old dried up lubricant can be so sticky that the motor just cannot turn. Clean and lube the motor bearings (lightly so the oil doesn’t get on the commutator). Take the trucks completely apart. There is a springy clip on the bottom of each truck that can be popped off with an Xacto knife. After you do this everything comes apart. Plastic parts can be cleaned with hot soapy water and a toothbrush. Metal parts can be cleaned with alcohol, paint thinner, or GooGone. I would avoid things like lacquer thinner or MEK lest a spill eat a plastic part. Take a clean white pipe cleaner and wipe each tooth of each gear. This will get invisible bits of black plastic flash that makes noise as the engine runs. Wheel bearings want oil. I use 3 and 1 myself. Plastic gears don’t really need lube, but most of us lube them anyhow. Gears want grease to prevent the lube from dripping out onto the track. I have used automotive wheel bearing grease and Vaseline.
Be careful putting the wheel sets back together. One wheel conducts electricity to the axle and the other wheel is insulated. Both wheels in each truck must be the same way around, otherwise yo
As others have said carefully check that power is getting to the motor. The bolsters on the frame and trucks collect crud as dose the connector strip.
Lubrication is important. In one reply there is a reference to using 3in1 Oil. NEVER!!! use 3in1 Oil. It is not plastic compatable and may damage the gears in the trucks. I recommend Labelle 106 grease for gears and 108 oil for bearings. Both these products are plastic safe.
To clean wheels I drape a cotton rag or paper towel over a piece of track that has power supplied. Wet the rag/towel with paint thinner/mineral spirits and with one truck on the rag/towel hold the locomotive to keep it from moving and apply power. The spinning wheels on the rag/towel should clean the crud from the wheels.
The commutator and brushes need to be clean too. I use a liquid contact cleaner on a Q-tip for that turning the motor by hand.