I brought this EMD F40PH AND I AM HAVING TROUBLE GETTING IT TO RUN.I HAVE TRIED TO CLEAN IT BUT THAT DID HELP A LITTLE,MY QUESTION IS WHAT CAN YOU USE TO GIVE IT A GOOD CLEANING THAT WILL NOT HURT IT.I BROUGHT THIS FOR A LITTLE CHILD WHO DOES NOT HAVE MUCH MONEY AND HIS PARENTS ARE IN A BAD SITUATION RIGHT NOW AND HE JUST LOVES TRAIN’S SO I AM TRYING TO HELP HIM OUT.PLEASE GIVE ME SOME WAY’S TO DO THIS.I DON’T LIVE CLOSE TO A HOBBY SHOP SO I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING AT HOME I MAYBE ABLE TO USE.
What kind of track are you testing it on? Is the TRACK clean? I’m really no expert at cleaning locos, so you’ll have to rely on some other’s advice. I wish you luck, though!
You did a wonderful thing in helping a young person.[8D][C):-)][tup]
Unfortunately the regular Life Like HO locomotives, including the F40, are equipped with low grade mechanisms that are not high in quality, especially in the older truck motor units. Check all of the points where the wiring is connected and/or soldered and make certain that they are making good contact. Do you know if this locomotive has a truck motor or a center mounted open frame motor?
As for cleaning, I usually wipe a mechanism off with 70% alcohol. There is a method that utilizes tooth polish, but I don’t know if this would really be effective for this mechanism.
One suggestion for the future: Proto 1000 and Proto 2000 HO locomotives are still available for prices below $50 at discount dealers, such as MB Klein, as well as on ebay. I’ve purchased from Klein before and as dealers go, they are reliable.
Sorry about the caps lock,i did get the loco to run and he did have fun doing it and as soon as i can i will look into getting him something a lot better but just to see the look on his face when he ran that one after i got it going was just enough to make me feel good.So thank you guys for your help and great reply.
T[8D]hat look on the face is indeed a great feeling. Probably the same look I gave my dad when he bought me my first electric train set when I was about 4 years old.
I took some alcohol and cleaned as much as i could get of it and then i just put it on the track and away it went.Like i said it does run but i think it could run better.But the child is happy with it and that i guess is all that matter’s,his parents lost their jobs around christmas and did not have the money to get him a train and so i just felt the need to help him out and it is not a real expensive train but one that he can run on my 4x8 layout that i have and as soon as i can afford to get him another one we will have fun with this one.