I have an older (early 1980’s) Model Power Pacific 4-6-2 loco with the Puff-A-Smoke. For some reason, the loco will not move when placed on the track. The headlight lights just fine. I removed the Superstrucutre and applied track power directly to the motor pickups with the same result…headlight works but the motor will not turn. The motor does spin freely when turned by hand, and the worm gear and drive gears all spin freely too so it’s not a binding problem, it’s definitely a motor problem. Here are my questions: 1.) How do I get the motor apart to check the brushes and commutator (once I desolder it from the rest of the chassis wiring)? This motor is much tougher to get apart than my old Athearn motors. 2.) If the motor does need replacing (maybe I should just do it anyway?), what would anyone recommend as a good replacement? I appreciate all assistance.
I would try using some spray contact cleaner on the motor. You may have a stuck brush or spring. Here’s a diagram of that model in case you need it. Doesn’t say much about the motor though.
http://hoseeker.net/modelpower/modelpower462pacificpg2.jpg
It does show brush removal. #28, #33 and #34.
while I suppose it could be a bad brush, or a huge build up of hair or something that keeps a brush from at all touching a commutator face, but if you have applied 12 v. DC directly to the two motor brushes and the motor does not turn, then I begin to think you might have a burned out motor.
Dave Nelson
Just off hand did you run the loco hard? Does it have burned smell to it? These type of early MP steamers had really cheap motors in them and would not take heat well. So just a guess here is the motor is toast and needs replaced. Check out the NWSL web for a replacement motor, I think you will be surprised with a new motor installed.
I didn’t run it too hard back then (I was a teenager) but the motor did smoke slightly and smelled burned when I first set it on the track and applied power, and then it completely died. So it might be toast. I got it all apart finally (thanks for the diagram, Loathar) and cleaned the heck out of it. Too late to put it all back together tonight, and I broke one of the contacts so I need to do some repair soldering anyway. Tomorrow’s project! Silly question…what is “NWSL”?
NWSL is North West Short Line. At one time they imported brass locomotives but now they make speciality tools (such as the Chopper), replacement wheels, repowering kits, and much else besides. Their website should be a “favorite” for most model railroaders.
Dave Nelson
Sorry to say but i think the motor is history, this is common on these models as I stated. Check out the supplied link from the other poster here and go to the NWSL web site.
Dead motor.
First step, look for a drop in specific replacement. Orders of magnitude simpler solution.
If no drop in replacement exists, you will need to balance between new motor quality, and new motor machining and placement. This could be time consuming but ultimate satisfaction should be possible, if you have the patience to extend the trial and error process to conclusion.
The more research you do before beginning, the happier you will end up. The internet search engines are your friend.
One last thing I suggest is my own weird answer to lots of electrical problems: hose the motor down with WD-40. Often, that magically cures electrical problems. If it doesn’t, go for a replacement motor.
Good luck.
Interesting suggestion, and that might have worked for the problem that I ultimately discovered, which is that I think I had so much crud buildup that it just prevented any electrical contact for the motor brushes. I got the motor completely apart and washed everything (except the armature wires of the motor core, of course) in hot soapy water and air dried. I also had to go in with a Q-Tip and clean out crud from the motor housing and the magnets. I then polished the commutator with 600, then 1500 grit sandpaper using my electric drill (cool tip from Jim Volhard’s book Maintaining and Repairing Your Scale Model Trains), and cleaned up the brushes and springs real well too. Put the motor back together and applied power and it runs! So I must have just had too much crud buildup in the motor itself or a brush was stuck or dirty or something. Now my problem is I can’t get the whole locomotive back together properly. There is a black plastic “trim” piece that hides the wiring underneath the main body (this piece is not named or even shown on the exploded diagram) and this piece just does not want to seat properly and prevents me from reassembling the loco. Grrrr…