Help Cleaning the pick-ups on an Atlas GP-38

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I’ve had some problem with the engine stalling on every piece of dirty track on the layout. Tonight I took it down to clean it. I’ve got the shell of f and the weights removed and I can see that the copper pick-ups are dirty. I’m assuming they rub on the axles, but I can see any way to get anything under them.

How do you guys clean them.

2

You Might not need to go into there ,thats just wear and tear wouldnt hurt but it sounds like the pick up on the contacts from the front and rear axle might have carben in them clean the contacts on both sides and try again

Carl…

3

Thanks. I can see the black gunk in there, I just can figure out how to get something between the contacts and the axles. The space they are in is smaller that all but my smallest jeweler’s screwdriver and I once I wrap it with something, it is too big.

Do I need to completely pull them, disconnect them from the drive and chassis? I got the impression that wasn’t necessary.

4

I don’t have this engine at hand so this may be useless advice but there is a sort of dental flossing pick I have seen at drug stores, like an ultra fine toothpick with a tiny tiny brush at one end. It is much smaller than the Testors picks the hobby shops sell – sort of a miniature Q-tip – that are used to apply paint or glue or lubricant but the principal is the same in that the brush would hold some fluid. You might be able to apply some track cleaner fluid in the general area but don’t bend the contacts

Dave Nelson

5

Chip,

I am not sure about the newer Atlas loco’s like plus, it hasbeen awhile so my adivce might not work, but worth checking

Taking apart the truck by removing the plate from the bottom is pretty straight foward. I thini the cover is held on my 6 tabs. Pop that off, and you can remove the side frames to acces the pick up plate alot easier. I did this to paint mine. Only adivce is to get a couple of small screw drivers to hold the tabs up. Simple and straigth foward, but it can test your nervs trying to get them all at once.

6

I’ll try popping the sides off, but I was told I had to get at them from the top. I’ll be a little disappointed if I took the body apart for nothing. It;s not easy getting two decoders and a speaker in the space I have,

7

Anyone else?