does anyone do repairs on HO engines?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi,

In the last fiew years I have acquired a number of HO engines which for one reason or another are not running well, or at all. (A Proto 2000 Geep hit the floor and still runs but not smoothly; an Athearn Mikado stopped dead in its tracks for no reason; a Sunset PRR 2-8-0 runs really badly and always has; a brass PRR P-5 short circuits). I bought the MR book on repair and maintenance, but I really doubt if I’ll be able to fix any of these problems: can do some stuff on a workbench, but I’m not very good at diagnostics, much less delicate soldering. Plus I really don’t have much time these days. So I wondered whether there were repair people out there. My local shop said they could do it, but they then went out of business. Does anyone have any thoughts, or recommendations?

2

I’m good at repair & diagnostics, and I’d look them over for you, but I doubt you’re anywhere nearby. There’s a place in Connecticut where you can send them for repair: http://www.modeltrainrepair.com/contact_us.htm

I think the Athearn Mikes had a problem with cracked axle gears, so that may be the issue with that engine.

3

Where are you located? Maybe somebody knows a shop in your neighborhood that handles repairs.

Most of us eventually learn to do minor repairs ourselves. These things are mostly simple mechanical linkages, and only take a few hand tools to get them apart. Steam engines with all sorts of moving valve gear are a bigger problem, but even they can be tackled with a bit of patience.