OK I have a new problem. Seems I should be a proving ground for the manufactures. Seems I can kill anything! [:D]
I had been using nail polish remover with a towel to clean the wheels. But, Ken from K-10’s Model Trains recommended using a powered wire brush. Wheels do seem to stay clean longer. But that is not what this question is about so lets not start any war on that subject.
Now that I am using the powered wire brush I have found 3 of my, diesel engines have lost power pick up to the front trucks? 2 are Athearn’s and one is a Blue Line. On the Athearn’s I can see the burnt spot on the board, on the Blue Line I have yet to take it apart.
What puzzles me is it is only the diesels, not the steam engines! I will add thank God! For the last year they get way more run time.
I know it has to be the turnouts. There is no reversing lops, plus the turn outs have plastic joiners where they go from the A line to the B line. There are no plastic joiners at the turnouts within a specific line, other words the A line and B line. I am fully DCC with an 8 Amp booster.
Sorry I have not been on the site much. But most of the folks here are pretty glad to rid of me! [:D] Over all my little empire is running very well.
what engines cause if its an athearn maybe if u welded the contact there wouldn’t be any loss of power. maybe if u gave a description of the locos a little bit more detailed[:)]
You don’t say what type of metal brush you’re using. I would only use a brass Dremel brush, but never steel because it will tear up the wheels. It’s possible that wire fragments are coming off the brush and ending up inside your locos, which could explain burned spots on the circuit boards, assuming the fragments are large enough to cause a short. I would start with the Athearns and find out what those marks are, and if they have anything to do with your pickup issues. One of the first things to do is get out your VOM and start working your way back from the front truck, to determine at what point the current is interrupted. Have you done this? You may also find that the brush has done some damage or knocked a pickup loose. It’s easy for a brush to generate enough heat to melt plastic, even at low speeds.
You might want to stick with 90% alcohol to clean the wheels. It’s easier on them and the electronics.
First Athearn is a FP-45 from the 70’s. I up grade the motor to a Genis Dash 9 motor with hex head drive and board. On that one I can see the burnt spot on the board comming from the front trucks.
Second Athearn, well not a problem now. I still ran it and it had a hard time making it up my grade with 20 cars. Tonight I opened it up and added some weight. Guess what? One of the leads came off. It is all so a Dash-9, but as I missed spelled it is fine now.
3rd engine is a UP GE AC 6000 Blue Line. It could be the samething where the leads came off. But, I have yet figured out how to take the darn thing a part? But there is another problem with it. It sounds real bad, ruffing sound. It could be it just picked up a spike and it stuck in the speaker box.
But that is another posting.
Brush is a brass or cooper brush. I will add my wheels stay cleaner longer now.
Hello Ken. I have an Athearn AC4400 (rtr) that lost power pickup from the front truck. Not only that, it fried the light board as well, creating a cloud of smoke that any steamer would be emensely proud of. I removed the charred remains and wired the truck pickups directly to the motor an dchanged the lights out with 12 volt replacements. The loco runs fine now, just can’t pull worth beans due to weight issues.
I also have one of those powered wheel cleaning brushes, the Kadee Speedi-Driver cleaner. I use it on every loco before it goes on the layout and before it goes back in the display rack. I wouldn’t take anything for it.