So I have my first locomotive, a Kato Conrail SD40-2 and it’s a bit noisy especially under slow speeds. I’m not really sure how noisy it is, because it’s my first so I have nothing to compare it to, but people usually describe them as very quite so I’m worried.
What can I do to fix this? I broke it in by running it at slow speed for about an hour, and the noise continues. It’s almost like a light humming sound, not a gear churning sound.
Thanks in advance…
What you are probably hearing is the motor and drive train. Those 12 wheel diesels sometimes do that. I have 2 Athearn BB SD40-2’s, one runs almost silent forward, but makes a light screech going backwards at any speed. The other runs great. You might to check out your gear train, make sure it’s properly lubed. I don’t know if a cracked gear could make that kind of noise. Might want to check it out. Send me the result by email. It might help me with some things I have.
Jeffrey Wimberly, Leesville, La.
I’m out of my mind, but leave a message anyway.
[soapbox]
My one and only Kato diesel (SD80MAC) came brand new with a noisy motor, which makes a humming sound at lower speeds and gets real noisy at high speeds. I’m guessing the problem with yours is either bad bearings or a bad commutator. Mine has both, making it the second noisiest of my high quality diesels. If the motor is the problem, then all you can do is replace it. A new Kato HO scale HM-5 motor is $20. I’m sorry if this response disappoints you at all, but I can’t think of anything else that can be done.[:(]
Thats why I buy Athearn, you know there going to be noisy. ( just joking ) but I do have many Atlas and Katos and some of them do make some noise but as they get older they get better.
As for as I know, Kato didn’t make SD40-2s in Conrail paint, but they did do straight SD40s.