JERKING TMCC

Classic Toy Trains Forum
1

i have a j3a hudson with tmcc. yesterday it started jerking as it was running untill it finnally shut down track power. track is clean pickups clean. what could cause this?

2

CATDOING,

I had a SP Atlantic that acted the same way with a lurch. I fixed it by purchasing a Electric Railroad Commander M board and it fixed the lurching problem. I don’t know if that will help you? Mine runs nice and slow now with no lurching problem.

laz57

3

Gentlemen,

My Lionel, TMCC, U30C diesel had probable gear, along with other mechanical and electronic, problems and after for a month of running fine suddenly things went haywire and besides running slow it was jerking and lurching in the forward direction. No problem in reverse.

A ‘Lionel Authorized Repair Station’ repair person said that the front truck might have gear meshing problems causing the jerking/lurching movement.
The unit is still at the shop and I hope it will work as originally designed (completely correct) and last for a long while.

Even though I had a problem with it and it’s only TMCC, I still love it’s features and I will buy more Lionel TMCC and Legacy items.

CATDOING, hopefully your engine is an easy fix, as laz 57’s is and will run smooth again.

Ralph

4

Hi RALPH,

I too had the U30 with a bad gear mesh in the trucks. Lionel had to replace both front and rear units. My U30 was the Burlington Northern.

laz57

5

Try turning it upside down and connecting some jumpers from the transformer only to the pick-up rollers and the chassis. If it will run watch for binding connecting rods, maybe a broken traction tire in the drive gears, or if your layout is ballasted possibly even ballast in the gears and last but not least inspect for broken teeth on the drive gears.

Hope this helps.

6

Hi, laz57,

My unit had a loose rear motor, then I find out that the front motor was, also, loosening up.

I love the dear thing for it’s looks and features, if only it will work as desinged and for a long time. It’s in the shop for repairs and I hope for it’s return, soon.

I hope that, if not all, then most newer products don’t have any bugs, because I would like to buy more of the new fang-dangle units.

Ralph

7

I have the J3a from the 50th Anniversary set. I keep the siderod holes lubricated with Labelle 107 (Medium). It seems to run a lot better when they are freshly lubed.