While running my HO Proto 2000 GP9 it will suddenly lose power, then just pushing the locomotive about 1/4" it will start again. Since all eight wheels pickup power, it doesn’t seem to be dirty track. I’ve checked all contacts from the wheels to the brass pickup bars on the trucks and everything seems fine. And the wires from the pickup bars to the DCC module seem fine. Any ideas?
perhaps the section of track in question isn’t getting power (bad rail joiners?)
Check the wheels closely. Even a small amount of grime can give a DCC equiped loco fits.
I had the same problem with PK2 GP30 and GP9. Take a look under a magnifying glass at the wire contacts where the lights attach. Check very carefully around the slide on plastic boots. If just one stand of wire is touching an ajoining contact the locomotive shorts out. When you push the locomotive you are probably moving the wire enough to end the short, then it flexs back and shorts out again.
My GP30 drove me nuts, trying to figure out what I did worng. When I exammined it under a magnifying glass I saw one small stand of wire touching an ajoining contact.
JIM
I had a similar action problem with a GP 18. What I found in the end after checking that the Axle Gear was actually melting where it met the bearing and causing the wheel bearing to slip in and lock. The push would free it up. I also noticed that it took a while to warm up when starting a new run with the unit.
I replaced the LL gear with a spare Athearn ( dropped right in) and some teflon lube and I have had no problems since. Hope this helps
regards
Trevor www.xdford.digitalzones.com FYI
I’ve got a P1K RS11. It periodically gets stuttery, first on unpowered frogs, then just generally. I’ve revived it a couple times by cleaning oil off the axels. I think oil and debris prevents good power pickup through the axels to the small square bushings that slip into slots in metal plates on either side of the trucks.
Jim
Welcome to the dirty little secret of Proto2000 Geeps and SDs. [swg]
This problem is oh-so common on these locos and it’s enough that many of my long-time modeling friends steer clear of P2K diesel locos – they look great, but these performance problems are enough to make you want to heave the loco out the back door. [:(!]
Believe me I know, I own 6 of the GP’s and over a dozen of the SDs.
The main location of the problems are in the power trucks on both the GPs and the SDs – but the cause is different. Since you have a GP, I’ll deal with the cause and possible solutions here.
First, you need to remove the power truck and then take it completely apart, examining each of the gears for flash or cracking. Lifelike will replace cracked gears free-of-charge. Carefully remove any flash you find with a sharp X-acto knife.
Second, Lifelike way over lubricates these locos and the contact point of the trucks with the frame is typically swimming in lubricant. Not good, it makes for very intermittent contact.
Clean the power truck of all lubricant by soaking all the parts in rubbing alcohol and dry them well. Now lightly lubicate (a couple of drops is plenty) the assembled gear tower. Also clean all the excess lubricant off the chassis center pin area where it contacts the trucks.
This will correct most of the problem, but if the problem continues, then you can replace the power truck tower with an Athearn GP truck (direct drop in fit) … but doing so will make your loco sit a little hig
[quote user=“jfugate”]
Welcome to the dirty little secret of Proto2000 Geeps and SDs. [swg]
This problem is oh-so common on these locos and it’s enough that many of my long-time modeling friends steer clear of P2K diesel locos – they look great, but these performance problems are enough to make you want to heave the loco out the back door. [:(!]
Believe me I know, I own 6 of the GP’s and over a dozen of the SDs.
The main location of the problems are in the power trucks on both the GPs and the SDs – but the cause is different. Since you have a GP, I’ll deal with the cause and possible solutions here.
First, you need to remove the power truck and then take it completely apart, examining each of the gears for flash or cracking. Lifelike will replace cracked gears free-of-charge. Carefully remove any flash you find with a sharp X-acto knife.
Second, Lifelike way over lubricates these locos and the contact point of the trucks with the frame is typically swimming in lubricant. Not good, it makes for very intermittent contact.
Clean the power truck of all lubricant by soaking all the parts in rubbing alcohol and dry them well. Now lightly lubicate (a couple of drops is plenty) the assembled gear tower. Also clean all the excess lubricant off the chassis center pin area where it contacts the trucks.
This will correct most of the problem, but if the problem continues, then you can replace the power truck tower with an Athearn GP truck (direct drop in fit) … but doing so will make your loco sit a little higher off the rails. You can alter the truck to get the loco to sit lower (and look more correct) but that’s an entire article in itself.
The very best solution ($90) is to get a ProtoPower West GP9 chassis and completely replace the guts of the P2K. A couple of minor modifications and that great looking P2K shell drops right on the ProtoPower chassis. You will now have a GP that runs as nice as it looks. [swg]
Whew! As you can see, correcting the
Yes, Athearn still sells directly to the public, and they have a complete parts list on their web site.