Proto 2000 Issues

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hello All.

There are a number of posts regarding the wiring issue with the GP38-2 (number board lights). This is a pretty straightforward fix - just wire them across pins 4 and 8 with (using MRC decoders, you will need 12 volt bulbs).

But I have another issue. I’ve just received two of these locos, and they run fine at low speeds, but when pushed up to higher speeds (scale 40 MPH+), there is an intermittent howling noise accompanied by erractic speeds. This is especially noticeable when there is slack in the drivetrain - like when going downhill. (Lifelike Proto 2K GP38-2 with MRC 1650 decoders). Same in both units.

Any ideas?

2

I had the same problem, I sent them into Walthers and they sent them back and said they were fine. I took them to a repairman and he said they were fine, got them home and they acted up again at higher speeds. They hit ebay at a very discounted price. I will have to stick with Athearn and Atlas now.

3

It’s the worm gear to the trucks. They need to have a washer installed to take up the slack.

I beileve the metal washers from an Athearn worm gear will work.

This sound will also occur if you have two locos consisted together and one pushes or pulls the other.

Alan Jr.

4

Alan has hit the spike on the head as far as the worm gear fix.

Not sure about the gear noise…I have seen and heard reports of the same problem in DC operation.

5

Thanks for the info. Does the fix have to be a metal washer? Can it be a Delrin (plastic) washer instead?

Tom

6

Todd,

I hope you won’t give up on Proto 2000s too quickly because of this bad experience. Yes, they’ve had problems here and there but they doesn’t hold true for the entire line. I have a Alco S1 and a 0-8-0 switcher that are just jewels.

Tom

7

Don’t give up on the Protos. Shimming the worm will help.

My 2 SD7s do this, especially will a long train, when decending a grade. I will back off and start to throttle down. This will usually stop the slack action. I don’t seem to have this problem with any of the geeps or SD50s.

8

I never heard of such but,can’t see any reason why a delrin washer wouldn’t work.

9

It doesn’t matter what the washer is made of. It only has to take up space. I had to do the same thing with my PA1. I used washers from an old MDC unit.

10

Todd,I gave up on P2K because of the crack gear issue…Now I am looking at 2 P2K I&O GP30s…

Not sure if I will go back to P2K or not.I am still hearing issues like yours and including a crack gear in one of the newer NW GP30s…None the less I do like those I & O GP30s and not sure what I should do. For me and purely based on the 30 Geeps that had crack gears,its a Burn me once shame on you.Burn me twice shame on me type of thing and a very heavy decision to make.

I still prefer Athearn and Atlas locomotives.

11

Larry: After replacing the cracked gears in my Proto 2000 units that had them I’ve had no trouble out of them.

In fact, lately, I’ve been having lots of trouble with the more expensive Athearn units. My AC4400 has been so much trouble that I put a label on the bottom of it that says ‘Honorary Tyco’. I had to replace the motor, resolder all the wiring and rebuild the trucks. What a lemon!

12

Minuteman - many thanks for the info (and to everyone for your comments). I guess this would be called a thrust washer and can be installed on the end of each worm where it is supported by the small metal block bearings on each end of the transmission casing. Now all I have to do is find the washers!!! Yup - these are not Atlas, but they look pretty good from 3 feet away, and Discount Rails sells them for 49.99. Next - consisting will be an issue I’m sure.

13

Wow! [:O] And I thought I got a good deal for one from M.B. Klein for $68.

I’ve only run mine back and forth on a short piece of track. So, I haven’t noticed the issue with the slack in the worm gear. Nice to know that there is a solution, even before I was aware that there was a problem. [:)]

Tom

14

Jeff,After I replace gears in those 30 P2K geeps(a mix of GP7,9,30s) I had enough of LL junk.I classified P2K less then AHM,Tyco or Model power and just a tad above the old AT&T(remember those) junk…

Needless to say it was disheartening to have to replace gears in all of my geeps…I find a 100% failure rate highly unacceptable.Sadly I still see and hear reports that P2K has some minor glitches.

15

Jeffrey,

your still having prblems with that Athearn unit. I wonder what they did to make it a problem child. Did you check to see if the power trucks were good?

16

That’s why I had to rebuild the trucks. The pickups were so sloppily installed that they were shorting out on the curves and turnouts.

17

Hello All The howling, yowling noise from the gearcases is gone. I checked the worm gears for slop in the shaft around the small block bearings, and there was no room for any shim - it was actually quite snug. So, I totally dissasembled the trucks (removed bottom case cover, wheels, worm drive on top, but I left the idler gears mounted in the gearcase). Thoroughly cleaned the inner case with GooGone and flushed with water, then 70% rubbing alcohol. The I relubricated with Slick50 (high viscosity synthetic oil that is plastic compatible). All this took about an hour to do and get it all back together. It runs totally quiet. The howling was, I believe, caused by lack of proper lubrication at the factory - I probably only needed to put in the Slick50.