# Headaches with my AF 283



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

My 283 has taken me down the garden path for the past few days. My Atlantic's and Pacific's ran on my small layout without too many problems but when I tried to run the 283, it would derail and fall over at various points. I spent two days realigning the track on both vertical and horizontal axis. I checked and re-gauged the wheels. I weighted the pilot truck. I had thought that my 283 problems were over. NOT!!! :thumbsdown: The layout has 8 turnouts on it and the problem occurred only at one specific turnout after my realigning of the track. I found that the frog was a little high and the pilot would catch and then derail. I took apart the turnout and tightened up the frog. Still a problem. I took a file and removed a small part at the converging input end. OK some small improvement, but still intermittent. It was hot in the garage and I was ready to give up but I turned the 283 180 degrees around and not a problem. Go figure? :dunno: I suppose that the culprit is the frog end when approaching from the diverging track.:smilie_daumenneg: Maybe in the cool of the morning I will attempt again.hwell:


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Broke, it seems there always something with these old gals. My northern runs way slow
in reverse and has quit smoking. It ran good when I got it and I have not serviced it yet.
I guess it is time. I need to order some new wicks and wire from Jeff Kane.

I wonder why the derails are only on the 283. Sounds like you are getting closer to finding the problem. Keep us posted.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Broke, how you coming along on that 283? I don't know but I doubt the frog is too high and derailing the front pilot wheels. It may not be sitting along side the stock rail and
the wheels are picking the frog. I should be getting my new to me 283 today or tomorrow in the mail. I need to stay off that "for sale" section of the forum. Yesterday I bought a 4 car set of brand new N&W heavyweight passenger cars. O gauge. They will be beautiful. Certainly don't need them, but I like N&W. Now I will have to buy a N&W
steam locomotive. I don't have one. A J Class loco would be nice but lionel's J class has the pulmor motor and I like can motors so I will see what I come up with. MTH is expensive. I have a Southern lionel steam engine with can motor and
it is a sweetheart.


----------



## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

It sometimes can get frustrating but usually you can get things straightened out. Try rotating the pilot truck so that the other wheels are leading, look closely at the switch when it flips. I've had switches that sometimes don't move completely against the rail and have to hit the lever again. Your weights aren't interfering with the points correct? Check the pull-mor drivers and make sure they they aren't missing pieces causing the engine to rock while sitting on the track. One last thing, and I confess to doing this more then once, make sure both track pins are in the holes and one isn't next to or on top of the rail. I have also had engines in the past, for whatever reason, don't like to enter from the diverging route but work flawlessly in the other direction. As you said, go figure!


----------



## dooper (Nov 9, 2015)

Tom Barker in his repair manual suggested spraying some Radio Shack electronics cleaner into the smoke tube and then waiting a day. It has worked for me in the past. I do not know if the CRC cleaners are the same or not. My local Radio Shack closed and I bought all they had. It is good stuff, but is flamable. Just got home from a 5220 mile road trip and stopped at Radio Shacks in several small towns out west and could not find any. I do believe it is on their web site.


----------



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I think I got my CRC at Walmart. It is flammable but will not hurt plastic.


----------

