# Faulty old decoder or damaged train?



## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

I have an old athearn 4-8-4 northern locomotive with DCC & Sound. The engine is from like 2008 so it has an old crappy MRC Decoder.

I was running it last night on a club layout in a consist with lighted passenger cars. It was consistently shorting and it would sometimes randomly stop. While it did its random stopping and was idle, while the controller still having power going to the locomotive, I could slightly hear and then feel the motor through the shell slightly vibrating. I then tried doing it alone without being on a consist or with passenger cars and it did the same thing.

so my question is: Is it shorting and stalling because of a -14 year old crappy decoder or is there something actually wrong with the locomotive itself?

Im planning on putting a TCS decoder in it but i want to make sure that this is just a decoder issue


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Well, if the locomotive hasn't been cleaned and lubricated in 14 years, I'd start there. Otherwise, my bet would be a failed decoder.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I agree with CTValley...there's bound to be gelled
lube and power pickup wheels loaded with
non conductive gunk that could be the cause
behind your loco woes.

I note you felt a vibration while the loco was stalled.
That could indicate a binding gear train that is
causing the motor to 'buzz'. (gelled lube?)

Does your controller indicate an actual 'short
circuit' when the loco stalls? If so, that would
normally be a symptom of a loose electrical connection
in the loco.

To get the answers to these problems you'll just
have to remove the shell and see what is
happening.

Don


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## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

DonR said:


> I agree with CTValley...there's bound to be gelled
> lube and power pickup wheels loaded with
> non conductive gunk that could be the cause
> behind your loco woes.
> ...


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

MRC decoders are not real high on most modelers quality charts. Replace it. If you got 14 years out of it, consider yourself fortunate!


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## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

Well, I purchased the loco off of ebay with no prior knowledge of its life. So I'm not sure If it has ever had maintenance done to it in its life span. Ie had it just over a year and I haven't ever done anything to it, but I've only used it a couple of times. I am however surprised that it still works being 14 years old, with that decoder.

How often should locos be maintained; lubed, cleaned?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

When you buy a used locomotive off eBay, or from anywhere, the first thing you should do is take the shell off and inspect it….clean it and lube it while the shell is off, even if you don’t think it needs cleaning….you have no idea how the previous owner treated it, so start there….


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## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

I know as a modeler this is terrible, but I have actually never done maintenance on any of my locomotives. So I am sort of unsure as what to do and I don't know any products that I need.

I do know rubbing alcohol is one thing though


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Alcohol is for cleaning the wheels and removing
'gunk' from the gear train. You'll want plastic
friendly lubricants as offered by Labelle's
at Hobby Shops. They
have both 'grease' for the gears and 'oil' for
the bearings. Graphite or the dry white powder version
is used for couplers and truck wheel bearings.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

UP-Railroad said:


> I know as a modeler this is terrible, but I have actually never done maintenance on any of my locomotives. So I am sort of unsure as what to do and I don't know any products that I need.
> 
> I do know rubbing alcohol is one thing though


Yes, a good cleaning is definitely in order. Not to nitpick, but you want isopropyl alcohol, not "rubbing alcohol". While they both contain the same active ingredient, rubbing alcohol contains essential (scented) oils that you don't want on your loco.

Many other solvents that you are likely to have around the house will also work: mineral spirits, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, and other solvents; anything that will remove petroleum-based and mineral oils.

Use the lubricants Don suggested.

Pull off the shell and any other parts necessary to get to the drive train and clean all the parts carefully with a moistened swab. Relubricate with fresh products as sparingly as possible. I use a needle or toothpick as an applicator; some hobby lubes come with a needle applicator on the bottle.

Reassemble and test.


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## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

Ok great, thanks. 

How often should you do maintenance on locos?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Depends on your operating environment. If you're in a closed, climate controlled room that doesn't get very dirty, you can go years between sessions. For a dirtier environment, you need to clean more often. Rather like the oil and air filter change intervals on your car. I do mine annually, more or less.

However, lubricants will start to harden after about ten years, especially if the locos aren't run very often, so that's probably as long as you can reasonably expect to go between cleaning / lubrication sessions.


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## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

Oh ok. I was thinking that it was more like every couple of months


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

UP-Railroad said:


> Oh ok. I was thinking that it was more like every couple of months


For a quick clean on the wheels, yes, but the deeper clean and re-lube does not have to be done so often. I clean track and wheels every couple of weeks, but my layout space is in a dusty basement.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

OP asked:
_"How often should you do maintenance on locos?"_

For me, it's _"when they exhibit evidence of needing it"._
Until then, it's just "run 'em".

For opening engines, you'll probably need:

a few small screwdrivers, both Phillips and flat-head
at least one "tiny" screwdriver (such as the kind sold with eyeglass repair kits)
tweezers (probably more than one set with different-shaped jaws)
something soft to lay the engines on (upside-down)
a BRIGHT light (or more than one).
a good pair of glasses (if you wear them) that enable you to clearly see small objects

Plus a box with various couplers (assuming Kadee), lubricating oil (I like LaBelle 108), some 91% alcohol, an old toothbrush (for cleaning gears), something to serve as "a basin" for the alcohol (small dish, etc.).

Along with A LOT of patience.
Helps to check the net for pictures, videos, etc.


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## UP-Railroad (Apr 18, 2018)

J.Albert1949 said:


> OP asked:
> _"How often should you do maintenance on locos?"_
> 
> For me, it's _"when they exhibit evidence of needing it"._
> ...


ok great, thanks. I'll work on it this weekend


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