Hi guys,
Well today I was testing some newly laid track, and suddenly, my Atlas S-2 died. IT turns out that the front wheels move, but the back ones will not budge. With further testing, I found out that the back wheels are still picking up electricity from the track, just not moving. I’m thinking there’s a loose wire somewhere, but if anybody has any ideas before I open the loco up, I’d appreciate it.
Not sure how this loco is configured but is there one motor with a drive shaft going to both trucks or 2 motors, one mounted on each truck? If it is a single motor with drive shafts, one of the drive shafts may be disconnected. If you have 2 motors it is most likely a loose wire on one of the motors. I model in Oscale so if you are in a smaller scale I may be totally off base here.
if you’ve got some wheels picking up power and some of the wheels moving there must be a gear problem under the hood. if the loco has eight wheel pickup and eight wheel drive but only half of them will move under power you may have a loose universal going to the gear tower or a stripped gear. you’re going to have to take off the shell to see.
move when power is applied or when one flips them with a finger?
If the power is getting to the motor to move one set of wheels it is not a loose wire.
It almost sounds like it has thrown a drive shaft to the rear wheels.
Some times the plastic driveshaft couplers will come loose and spin on the metal shafts. (motor OR power truck.) Take the shell off. Put it on the track and see what’s spinning and what’s not.
Super gluing the plastic couplers onto the metal shafts usually works. Clean any oil off both parts first.