steamer question

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

just got back from a train show. Dad bought a Mantua steamer. won’t run on the track but lf you put test leads on the wheels lt runs. any ldeas?

thanxs!

2

Hi,

Don’t know if its a vintage or new Mantua, but my first thought is the track and/or pick-up wheels are dirty.

If the loco is on the track, and you touch a wire to each of the two drive wheel sides, and the train moves, that’s a likely scenario.

Also, the pick-ups that take the electric from the wheels to the motor may be dirty or out of adjustment.

In short (no pun intended), it sounds like a little “lubing and tuning” is in order.

3

If other locos run on that section of track, you might have a loose wire that, when the loco is inverted to touch the leads to the wheels makes contact, looses it when loco is right side up.

Just a thought.

Good luck,

Richard

4

Do other locos run on the track with no problems?

This shouldn’t be a serious problem to solve, especially since the motor runs with test leads on the wheels.

Tell us more.

Rich

5

Mantua is a good make. You should be able to get it to run.

  1. Clean all the wheels, and the track. I use GooGone, but alcohol will work.

  2. Make sure the wheels are installed right way round. Two rail operation requires the wheels on the left be electrically insulated from the wheels on the right, otherwise you have a short across the rails. HO wheel sets have one wheel insulated and the other wheel fast to the axle. Make sure the insulated wheels are all on the SAME side of the locomotive.

  3. Check to make sure the locomotive is getting power. Look at the headlight. If it doesn;t have a headlight, add one, or at least put a 12 V test lamp across the motor brushes. If the lamp fails to light, the locomotive isn’t getting juice. If the locomotive has a short, most power packs will shut down, removing juice, to protect themselves from overload.

  4. Check the tender connector. Many locomotives pick up juice from one rail in the engine, and juice from the other rail in the tender. In which case a wire or a conductive drawbar brings juice from t he tender to the locomotive. If this connection is corroded or paint choked, the locomotive won’t run.

Good Luck

6

if you have a tender, make sure the powered wheels (electrical pickup) are on the left side of the track, the engine should have power pickup on the right side. Any leading/trailing trucks should pickup power on the right side if they can pickup power, but often they are fully insulated.

What kind of engine is this? take a pic.