I recently received a used HO scale Engine - I do not know who the manufacturer is, no markings that I can find, but for what it’s worth, it’s a Soo Line GP35 #729. When I run it on my layout, it seems to run fine, except for it sprays sparks from the trucks at certain points in my layout. I’m relatively new to the hobby and have no experience with working on engines. Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to correct this? I’d hate to retire the engine for fear it’ll set my layout up in flames.
The wheels and track are probably dirty. I have a few old engines that used to do the same thing because of dirty track and wheels.
sounds like dirty wheels to me. I would take a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a q-tip and lightly run the swab over the wheels turning the motor by hand (thats if it won’t run at all). Since yours is running I take a scrap of clean rag(old t-shirt or something like that) wet it with the rubbing alcohol and place it on the tracks. Place one truck on the tracks over the t-shirt wetted with alcohol, and the other on the bare rails. Turn your power pack up a little bit. GENTLY hold the locomotive slightly up and in place so that the wheels will splin on the rag. Do this for about 10 to 15 seconds then reverse the engine and do the same with the other truck. Run the engine around and see if this eliminates the problem. Also you may want to clean the track as well. That can be done with the same alcohol/rag option or a Brightboy/hard eraser.
Hope this works for you.
Randy Johnson
Dallas Center Iowa