# Help Mantua Burlington GP20 #5628



## Themaverick19 (Dec 1, 2016)

First off I am a novice when it comes to trains...I inherited set from my father...I enjoyed it as a kid so pulled it all out for my son...I hooked it all up ran great after I cleaned the track. Now the engine Tyco Mantua Burlington GP20 #5628 won't run on the track....it just sputters along the track engine running hard but wheels don't spin. I cleaned the track again still did the same thing. I pulled the engine off and just attached it to a couple of wires and wheels go like crazy....I cleaned all the wheels still same result. Majority of the track I have is brass, but have a little nickel same results on both.....does anyone have any suggestions....I want to get this running to see if my son would even enjoy it before going out and new decent track and accessories
THANKS


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

It is likely that either the motor broke loose from its mounting or you have a broken gear. You need to pull the shell to see which.


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## Themaverick19 (Dec 1, 2016)

*Thanks for help*

Why would the wheels spin when I hook the engine directly up to wires if it was a gear again just a novice


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Themaverick19 said:


> Why would the wheels spin when I hook the engine directly up to wires if it was a gear again just a novice


OK, I misread our first post. You might have a partially cracked or loose gear -- it works when no load is applied but it it slips under a load.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

Themaverick19 said:


> ...I hooked it all up ran great after I cleaned the track. Now the engine Tyco Mantua Burlington GP20 #5628 won't run on the track....it just sputters along the track engine running hard but wheels don't spin. I cleaned the track again still did the same thing. I pulled the engine off and just attached it to a couple of wires and wheels go like crazy....I cleaned all the wheels still same result.
> THANKS


So lets verify where you are at:

You cleaned the track at the start, and the loco ran fine.
Then the loco started to sputter and not run right.

Questions:

When you try to run it, the motor is running hard, but the wheels don't turn?
Then when applying leads to the loco while holding it up, the wheels spin freely?
The track is clean again and it doesn't help?

If the above is the case - that the engine is spinning freely on the track but the wheels don't turn - then it sounds like a gear problem, as posted in the reply above.

If the motor sputters on the track, then it's a problem of electrical connectivity. Sometimes the wheels or track may _look_ clean, but it's not. 

So verify the above situations and we can go from there.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

Unless the traction tires have rotted off


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Sure sounds like a gear problem. Gear on motor slipping (not likely) or cracked axle
gear (highly likely). Like stated above. Time to take shell off and see what is going
on. Then you may have to take the power truck apart. Usually a clip on bottom of truck.
Crack may or not be hard to spot. Under no load crack closes but under load it widens
and something slips. Motor spins and wheels don't. Not right. Something slipping. Its
a direct hookup.

Be careful with plastic clips. They are old may be brittle. You don't want to make things worse.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

time warp said:


> Unless the traction tires have rotted off


Excellent point, I didn't think of that!


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## slammin (Mar 25, 2016)

Keep in mind, if this is one of the early GP20s, 1970s or earlier, they used a "pancake" motor powering only one trucks. Even new they weren't great runners.


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## ggnlars (Aug 6, 2013)

Missing traction tires will cause this problem. Units designed with tires have to have them in place. If not the unit will lean into the slot where the tires were. This causes the other truck contact to break. This causes the sputter effect. The unit rocks back and forth 
making and breaking contact. 
This is a classic Mantua drive, which has been out of production for a number of years. The tires are very small diameter o-rings that I have not found a source that makes them. The best option is to get a trashed unit and get the tires from it. Not all of these will be good. About 3/4 are usable if your careful. There are no guarantees on how long they will last.
Larry
www.llxlocomotives.com


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

Judging from the picture, the engine you have uses a riveted MU2 power truck.
I have parts for those, plus I live in Indiana so I maybe could help you out. No reason that old train can't run again.


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## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

Hope you get the loco running so you and your Son can enjoy the trains.


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