I have some locos that are either new or just acquired and they are not running up to par with some of my others. I want to go in and take them apart and get them running a little better. Some are a bit noisey and probably could use some oiling and while others need to have contacts either cleaned or replaced.
One locomotive in particular seems to run tight like it is struggling to get up to speed. All my locos are Athearn Ho scale diesels. Most are fine and great runners but just a few need some fine tuning.
I guess I was curious as to where to start. What am I looking for and how do I go about performing the proper servicing to ensure the long term health of my fleet.
Athearn locomotives are the easiest and most forgiving to clean. First take a paper towel, douse it in 93% alcohol lay it across the tracks, lift up one end of the locomotive and place it on the paper towel and turn on the throttle full blast. The spinning wheels on the paper towel will clean the wheel surface. do the same thing to the other truck.
Now remove the wheel covers by gently slipping a jeweler’s flat tip screwdriver between the molding of the truck and the wheel cover and then carefully pop them off. Be careful not to break them. remove a set of wheels /gears and take a q-tip dipped in alcohol and clean the gears one at a time and then put them back. be sure that the square brass bearings fit in the metal slots or the cover won’t go back on once your done. Do this one at a time until all the gears are done. Before replacing the cover, put one (and only one) drop of labelle’s oil or wahl’s clipper oil on the center gear. (Too much oil is just as bad as no oil at all.) The drop of oil will find it’s way to the other gears.
Next, remove the shell and with the jeweler’s flat tip screwdriver gently pry the worm gear housing off the top of the truck. clean the worm gear with alcohol and then add 1 drop of oil to it. Also make sure the square bearings and any shims are in the original location or the worm gear housing won’t fit on right.
Finally, clean the armature of the motor. (It’s the small slot ahead of the motor windings that is copper and spins against the two small rods that press against it. I use a pencil eraser with a small rag tied around it also dipped in alcohol. I’ll run the locomotive motor full throttle holding it with one hand while holding the pencil eraser against the copper armature with my other hand until it is a shiny copper color again. Pu