# I think I ruined my American Models GP9



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

It was running good but sounded like the gears might be a little dry.
I was able to get the bottom plate off one of the trucks. They are a
little tough to get off. As I pried it off it popped off and one of the wheels 
fell out. I have never had trouble doing a lube job. Well untll now. Both
wheels are metal so I did not see which way to reinstall. Lubed the gears
and axle bearings and put back together. AM does things a little weird.
There is only 2 wheel wipers. Both on the same side of the loco. That does 
not make sense to me. I put the GP9 on a circle of track and it ran but was
putting out a lot of sparks. It never did that so took the truck plate off and turned
the wheel set that fell out the other way. That was not correct cause the transformer 
circuit breaker quickly blew. I turned the wheel set around and now no run.
May have burnt the board up, no smoke though. One of each wheel set has one
insulated wheel. Does someone know how the wheels should go? Any help appreciated.
I guess if I ruined the board I could get a Dallee. I need to know how the wheels go.
I have no light, no nothing.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I doubt you damaged the board. I had the same problem the first time I took an AM truck apart. It is counterintuitive how they are assembled with the insulated wheels and wire wipers. There is a picture on the AM website under "Troubleshooting." If that does not help I can walk you through it tomorrow.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks Tom. I will look on the AM site and let you know how I did.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

Good luck. The wipers and insulated wheels are on the left hand side of both trucks. Uninsulated wheels with no wipers on the right.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I see that on the AM diagram. LOL, not the way they are installed on mine.
will change them later. Got some grass to mow first.

We had an earthquake here friday. 2.8 so not terrible. Missouri has the New Madrid fault
running through it. We have 3 or 4 tremors every year. This was the first time I heard the
plates moving. It sounded like the biggest clap of thunder I ever heard. I thought it was thunder.
Epicenter was only about 4 miles from me. It did rattle the house. We had a really bad earthquake around 1900. No, I was not around for it. It leveled downtown St Louis. Around 500 killed. Mississippi river flowed backwards for 3 days. I do have earthquake insurance on the house. I live about 15 miles west of St Louis. In St Louis county. As close as I would lke to be
to downtown St Lous. A very crime ridden place. Average of six people shot every night..


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I think you are speaking of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811/1812. They caused church bells to ring as far away as Chicago. One was about 8.0, the others around 7.5. You would not want those 4 miles from your house. Some seismologists say another large quake on the New Madrid fault is overdue.
All four insulated wheels with wipers are on the left side, all four uninsulated wheels, no wipers needed are on the right side. This way all eight wheels can pick up power. Much different than how Gilbert did it.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

One happy fellow here. Tom you were correct on a couple things. I did not smoke the board.
And how to install the wheels. She runs fine. No sparks. I was correct on one thing. It did need
a lube. It now sounds like I think it should. I let it run 10 minutes in forward and 10 minutes in reverse. Like a break in period. It got better and smoother. Slow speed is pretty good. Thank you for your advice. I really thought she was a goner. My eyes are not bad but I could not see the wheel insulators. I used my meter to see what was what. All is fine, thanks again.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

That's fantastic! I use a supplemental high intensity LED light when doing close work. As you see the AM wheel to axle insulators are really thin. That is why conductive lubricants can cause problems on the AM diesels.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Not sure why AM only uses one wiper per truck. 2 would be better. Although mine is working good now.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Mopac it sounds like you have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Good save. Amazing what a little information will do. That is why I have amassed a good size library of Gilbert repair manuals and yearly catalogs from the 40's and 50's and a couple of the Lionel/Flyer catalogs to get set numbers from, for the most part. I realize you were working on an AM locomotive which I have never owned. I got several cars but never bought a locomotive. 

Kenny


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Kenny, I also have a set of AM Prr E8s. They are cool.


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## Chuck7612 (Jul 2, 2017)

mopac said:


> Not sure why AM only uses one wiper per truck. 2 would be better. Although mine is working good now.


They are not needed on the other side because the current flows through the wheel axles to the truck/gear tower to the wire soldered to the top of the gear tower or from gear tower to chassis to the wire attached to the chassis.


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