I HAVE 3 HO LIFELIKE E-7’S ,3 PA’S AND ONE GP7, ALL OF WHICH OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD AND UNDER WARRANTY HAD TO BE REPLACED.THE DIESELS START SLOWING DOWN AND SOMETIMES STOP AT FULL THROTTLE,
BUT THE HEADLIGHT REMAINS ON. I CLEAN MY TRACK AND
WHEELS FREQUENTLY.ANY SUGGESTIONS??
You’ve got me stumped. I have close to 20 Proto’s and I’ve found them very reliable. I can’t believe that you could have been so unlucky four times. Did the store/manufacturer replace them without examining them? It’s likely to be the same fault in most cases. If you’re running them a great deal (you’re lucky to have so much time), you may just be wearing down the brush contacts in the motor. This would stop the motor dead, but leave the lights on. I don’t think the brushes are replaceable on the Proto motors, but it might be worth looking into. I haven’t replaced a brush since the days of the open frame motor, but they’re inexpensive and often easy to replace.
Like Steven I own a few of these products and have never had a problem. I am just as stumped. Maybe though you do not have a powerful enough powerpack and locos draw to much. Or maybe the engines are good but there are problems with the track work. Again these are the thoughts of a ‘baffled’ railroader!!
I model in N scale but have seen similar problems on some locos, not confined to any one brand. I regularly service my locos, including lubricating the worm and motor bearings. I have found over the years that you must be very careful in oiling the motor bearing on the commutator end of the motor. Any excess oil will quickly find its way onto the commutator and cause intermittent brush contact. On a few occassions I have had the symptoms you describe due to a build-up of oil and carbon. This may not be your problem, but it is worth checking out. I use a soft piece of rag ocer the tip of a very small screwdriver to clean the commutator if I do not want to disassmble the motor. I also use what we in Australia call methylated spirits, which I believe you would know as denatured ethyl alcohol, to aid the oil removal process. I hope this is of some use to you.
All the best.
I have a similar problem with the GP7 and the GP30 but not the F3A or B units. Neither do I have a problem with KATO or Atlas locos. It seems alright at first but after a year I have to pen the throttle a bit more.
I have a LL GP30 that is starting to show the same effects. I have never oiled the unit. It has very few hours of run time on it. I too would like to know where to start.
Dave
This almost sounds like a dry gear problem. If they start out ok and start to slow that means heat is building up somewhere, so it could be in the worm and gears. When it stalls completely does it just sit there and hum? I service mine about 2 times a year. I am building a new layout and have had some of my GP7’s in storage for about a year, had to pack everything up so it did not get full of dust and moister. I fired them up about 2 weeks ago and 8 of the 10 ran fine but 2 of the Proto’s seem to have a drag on them. A good lube and they were fine then.
I have used a few different things over the years for lube. What does everyone else use. I would like to try something different. Anybody use mineral oil anymore?
Labell #106 on the gears. I have many P2K also, they acually run better the more that they are run. Are these the only locos that do this, or do you have a power/ voltage problem?
Next to all my Atlas equipment and Stewarts, these Protos are my best running locos. I have never had any problems except for the cracked gear issue on my GP9s and 30s. Simple fix…
Anyone try a dab of white lithium grease on the gears instead of oil? I always seem to get oil on the brushes and thats the end of my train…
Rich
I’ve got over 50 Proto 2000 loco’s and all mine purr like a kitten. This is the first I’ve heard of ANY locomotive slowing down and then just stopping by itself. Are you maintaining them? Storing them in a damp area? I bet the problem is more neglect then anything else.
The Labell #106 has Teflon. A small amount of this, just to coat the gears, is all you need. I have never found any old, dried or crusted lub in these Protos, but check the gear case before just adding any grease. Older Bachman’s were notorious for packed dried up gear cases.
I have quite a few Proto 2000 locomotives. The only one that has a problem is an E6-B. The pickup on the front truck are whacked so I have the rear pickups wired to the motor of the E6-B and the E7-A permantly coupled to it. The only other locos of mine that have problems are a Genesis 4-6-2 and a couple of cheap (early 90’s) Bachmann’s.
Seems to be a hit and miss problem with some P2K locos.
Now…Try cleaning the drive to enclude the commutater…It could be the light board went bad.
I also heard of guys removing the light board and getting far better operation out of these units.
Guilty.
are you talking about the old Life-Like toy locomotives or Proto?
Good question. I just assumed he was talking about the Proto’s. If his problem is with the Life-Like standard line locos I can see where he would have a problem. Those things are almost as bad as Tyco locos.