# Garage Sale H.O.



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

My wife's aunt gave us an old garage sale train set she picked up around the mid 80s. I already made a roll under the bed N-gauge table, but an H.O. is going around the room on a shelve. More of a project than buying new, but some random pictures of two power packs, engines, cars and tracks.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Turns out there's a lot of train and tracks. Forgive if too many photos, but people usually like photos. I haven't made an inventory list yet. Around 20-25 pieces of just straight track, ~40 pieces of radius, ~12 short pieces, ~12 turnouts and switches, 2 power packs, bridge supplies and wire.

I'm excited there's three engines, 8 cars and two cabooses that can probably piece together a value with track ~$400-$500.00 if baught used in a hobby store.


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

I see brass track, but I also see steel or nickel. I'm no expert by any means, but was there nickel track in the 80s?


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Paulywog0667 said:


> I'm excited there's three engines, 8 cars and two cabooses that can probably piece together a value with track ~$400-$500.00 if baught used in a hobby store


Sorry to be a downer, but I don't think those things are worth that much....maybe half that much, at best....

They weren't that much brand new, and you never said if they even still work.....?


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

I just walked through a hobby store and baught a one engine, 2 car and a 2'x4'ish oval N-gauge at ~$135.00 with no power. The H.O. was probably realistically $5.00 at the garage sale, but if at a hobby store each working turnout doesn't look under $15.00ea. Not for sale though. You may have misinterpreted. A used H.O. car is between $10-$30ea. at stores. I believe they're a rip off, but to ME a Sante Fe and yard slugs are a non local dime a dozen.

I'm a fan my computer power pack made a free train power pack, but I'm not going to pretend a new toy train power pack doesn't start at $50.

***There is some mixed track. I haven't inventoried to see what's what. The hobby store guy did give a history on track. The set was baught garage sale in 1984ish. Which nickel or steel, idk.

Hopefully the engines move, but the layout is for a kid's room. What doesn't work will cosmetically be in shelves. One engine from the hobby shop if the three don't move at $150.00 and free track at least.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

The only engine that I'm really hoping to work is the Baltimore & Ohio. Knowing my luck the Pennsylvania one is like new. I look at DCC systems and see micro controllers at 3 for $10.00, but they still seem to be $200+ an engine in stores. Brass track is sneaky pricey at a decent 4'x8' layout. I'll have to buy more though. The set needs to make it around roughly a 10'x10' bedroom. It literally saved me $400+.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

The P.A. engine has lights on and wants to move on dirty brass track. Been sitting for at least 35 years in a garage. The engines and track need cleaned. D.C. motors usually aren't horrendous priced anyways. Both power packs have accessory voltage. One has full train voltage. I don't like a.c. and d.c. coming out of a powerpack though. 

I haven't seen the engine in stores. They'll be on a newer variable voltage power supply anyways.


----------



## Chops (Dec 6, 2018)

An interesting collection of vintage stuff. Will be interesting to see what you can do with it! :smokin:


----------



## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

OP: You can use a magnet to determine if the track is nickel/silver or steel.


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Realistic pricing*



Paulywog0667 said:


> The only engine that I'm really hoping to work is the Baltimore & Ohio. Knowing my luck the Pennsylvania one is like new. I look at DCC systems and see micro controllers at 3 for $10.00, but they still seem to be $200+ an engine in stores. Brass track is sneaky pricey at a decent 4'x8' layout. I'll have to buy more though. The set needs to make it around roughly a 10'x10' bedroom. It literally saved me $400+.


Paulywog;

Try cleaning and oiling the locomotives you have, and then see what runs, and what doesn't. Cleaning can be done with a Q-tip soaked in alcohol for the wheels, if they're only slightly dirty. Heavy dirt, and corrosion, will require more drastic measures. Take the plastic body shell off the chassis. (One of the locos in your photos has the shell already off.)
Shells on old steamers were sometimes held on by a screw hidden inside the smokestack, and/ or screws on the bottom. You'll need to look carefully at all sides of each loco. Another common shell fastening device were small tabs on the chassis that fit into slots in the shell. Again a careful eyeballing under strong light should reveal how the shell is attached. When you get the shell off, you will probably need to remove the congealed old grease from the gears. That old grease should be replaced with plastic-compatible grease from the hobby shop. Labele is one good brand. Some other types of grease can damage the plastic.

When you have each mechanism clean, and lubricated, you can test it by holding two wires from the "DC" or "Track" output screw terminals of one of your power packs against the wheels, one wire to a wheel on either side of the locomotive; with the power pack's speed control turned up nearly all the way. The loco should run. If it does, then try holding one of the wires against the wheel on one side, with the other wire wrapped around a small metal file, and hold the file against the wheels on the other side. This should clean any rust, or heavy dirt off the wheels. Reverse the wires & file to clean the wheels on the opposite side. Another thing that will need cleaning is the metal contact wipers that rub against the back or top of the wheels. Use the Q-tip & alcohol for this job.

The locomotives won't need to be good, smooth-running, locos to amuse a kid. Youngsters usually like things to move fast. That fits in well with what you have, since those old locos won't run reliably at slow speeds.
I recognize most of them from my teen HO-scale years. They are not even close to the quality of today's locomotives. That fact, plus decades of economic inflation, are the reason for those hobby shop prices you saw. You can possibly get a more realistic idea of their real, (very low) value by looking at E-bay.

I would suggest you keep, and enjoy, what you have, and forget about selling these things at anything remotely resembling the prices you saw at the hobby shop. To do that you would basically have to swindle some unsuspecting soul who didn't know what he was buying. Not a very honorable thing to do.

The "micro controllers" you saw may possibly be DCC decoders. If they are, then one for ten dollars would be a very good bargain. Normally they cost $20, or more, often much more, each. "Three for ten dollars" sounds very unlikely if they are actually DCC decoders. The locomotives you have are unlikely candidates for conversion to DCC by installing decoders in them. The old three-pole, high current motors in them are not compatible with the low current output of most decoders.
Yes, buying a locomotive with factory-installed DCC is more expensive than buying a DCC decoder separately. The $200 price includes not only the decoder, but also the locomotive. 

good luck;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:

PS. the files attached below contain lots of info for new modelers. You may find them useful.

View attachment WHERE DO I START 3.pdf


View attachment 1 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 2 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 3 & 4 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 5 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment 6 How to build a better first layout.pdf


View attachment All AboutTurnouts.pdf


View attachment Improving Atlas turnouts pdf version.pdf


View attachment Model Railroad Terminology 2.2.pdf


View attachment MODEL RAILROADING ON A BUDGET.pdf


----------



## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Steel rail track*



prrfan said:


> OP: You can use a magnet to determine if the track is nickel/silver or steel.



paulywogg;

A good tip from prrfan. 

If the magnet sticks to the rail, then it's steel rail and should either be thrown out, or used only to hold static display locomotives/cars. Don't use it as working track on your layout because it rusts, and when rusted it won't conduct power up to the wheels. Your train will then stall on the steel rail track. You can clean the rust off with fine-grain emery paper, but this stuff will start rusting again right after you clean it. 

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

traction fan said:


> Paulywog0667 said:
> 
> 
> > The only engine that I'm really hoping to work is the Baltimore & Ohio. Knowing my luck the Pennsylvania one is like new. I look at DCC systems and see micro controllers at 3 for $10.00, but they still seem to be $200+ an engine in stores. Brass track is sneaky pricey at a decent 4'x8' layout. I'll have to buy more though. The set needs to make it around roughly a 10'x10' bedroom. It literally saved me $400+.
> ...




I'm not against buying some newer from a hobby shop, but like you mentioned a q-tip and some alcohol first. I bought an N-gauge new from a hobby shop. If I go to the hobby shop, no reason to not swap out couplers to a new engine; if the engines don't work and steel track turns out horrendous, it's still little projects with a kid that can sit in a display case otherwise. A small basic oval of N-gauge to go on a 2*4 piece of plywood is $25-$30. The cars are $10-$30 each just for n-guage. New engines start at $100 for H.O.. The value is in not having to spend on maybes. The track can be cleaned and turnouts aren't oxidized together. 

It's like a whole box of, I look at all of them as overpriced, but they where free. Not many people debate value if they work good. At minimal not spending to fill a display case.

DCC decoders: I have breadboard and Arduino has an awesome hobby community base. Decoders are sort of copy/paste to an ethernet shield and controlling trains from a phone or laptop to a type of breadboard controller/decoder. Starter books for Arduino teach to write the code. Sort of like uploading your own horn noise and installing little speakers. Then a button for the horn. A lot of people have copy/paste versions too.

I'm hoping the next spending is for suspending a shelve from the ceiling so the train goes around the room. Not expensive, but probably the same as two new engines. Newer H.O. flex track is cheap, but 18" radius of brass is still like 4-$5. No reason to debate a box full of keeping a kid busy.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

I put 12v to the motor leads of the three engines. Just bad connections from track to leads. Hardcore little motors compared to N-gauge.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Almost worth spending $100+ on a new engine to not clean stuff like that, lol.


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

I've had good luck with Tarn-X to clean track. It should also work on wheels.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Stan D said:


> I've had good luck with Tarn-X to clean track. It should also work on wheels.


I probably have Tarn-X. There's been a few decent recommendations.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

I found one of the engines online. It's a RivaRossi: Pennsylvania Railroad 0-6-0. Probably not something I would spend $70+ $30 shipping on, but there does seem to be some less expensive U.S. versions. It's missing a pickup, bottom cover and the body is missing the lower front end. I'll still reconnect the wheels and put in an LED, but researching that there's a few and fixable was neat. Turns out nothing special about the 84 in the box though. They had a bunch of 0-6-0 in the 70s & 80s.

Might be a random shop out there, but probably some aluminum coil and it used to run different. The B&O still seems the one making it to the track.


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Looks like you found a box of fun!

As others have said, not alot of value in there, but don't let that stop you. Most of my collection consists of stuff like that. 

As for tarnished rails an effective cheap option to clean might just to be to fix a basin of vinegar and dump the track in there. after a relatively short period of time take it out brush it quickly and then thoroughly rinse off the vinegar then give them a shake and set them in front of a fan to dry off.

Vinegar is my go-to solution for tarnished and rusty metal parts of trains too. I don't toss the whole loco in there, but I've resurrected some nasty looking wheels and metal parts with a simple vinegar soak.


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

A long time ago I have one of those tank locomotives. I don't remember the maker, but it might have been Tyco or Bachmann.

It was a lot of fun for a kid and his first layout.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

The actual basic cars aren't a bad find either. The B&O was probably originally with the caboose missing a base, but that looks a 0-4-0. The Pennsylvania tender engine is probably the most track ready, but that's sort of a no no if you live in Ohio by Cleveland. Lol Dawn dish soap didn't really do much beyond cleaning dust. I didn't find any Tarn-X, but have vinegar.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

MichaelE said:


> A long time ago I have one of those tank locomotives. I don't remember the maker, but it might have been Tyco or Bachmann.
> 
> It was a lot of fun for a kid and his first layout.


When I was a kid mine was a basic diesel engine and cars, but a few oil cars extra. The N-Guage I got for a basic roll under the bed table I made, but then my wife's aunt was like, here's a box of free. After $135.00 for an engine, two cars and an oval of non powered track from wanting local instead of yard slugs out of California. A box with 8 functional cars and three engines motors turning on isn't bad. The track is bonus, but will probably not dodge a trip to the hobby store for more track. The turnouts aren't really value for a shelf going around the room and not nearly enough footage in the box.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Went through some more of the box. I'm not too familair, but seems a decent amount of basic bridge material. An incline/decline with basic gray bridge (~8' at 3 supports each piece) and a four riser bridge for in a water scene. Or probably what some would call around half a 4'x8' set of basic track? The rest of the box seems enough to loop into a yard. Maybe for different engines to grab cars.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Which seem basic of basics, but still neat. Doubt something that'll make it into the project as is, but they might be basic to hide in scenery. The piers seem like they want to hold something besides just track.


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

Did you ever determine if the track was steel or nickel?


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Stan D said:


> Did you ever determine if the track was steel or nickel?


I grabbed a magnet off the refrigerator and tried a couple pieces, but nothing. I've only looked inside the Pennsylvania RR engine to find a manufacturer. They all seem 80s dirty, lol. Debating if maybe her uncle tossed in track from one of their kid's sets too. Supposedly they knew a serious model train guy, idk. I'm still researching the stuff and only found one engine and the pier/bridge kits so far. The slots in the piers are to mount an under track look. I like the brass look though. Oxidation would be the conductivity risk. A track cleaning car handles dust.


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Paulywog0667 said:


> I grabbed a magnet off the refrigerator and tried a couple pieces, but nothing. I've only looked inside the Pennsylvania RR engine to find a manufacturer. They all seem 80s dirty, lol. Debating if maybe her uncle tossed in track from one of their kid's sets too. Supposedly they knew a serious model train guy, idk. I'm still researching the stuff and only found one engine and the pier/bridge kits so far. The slots in the piers are to mount an under track look. I like the brass look though. Oxidation would be the conductivity risk. A track cleaning car handles dust.


Looks like you've got a nice loop going. Have you tried to power up any of the locos?

The track that isn't silver is most certainly brass. The only ones you'd want to check would be the ones that are more silver in color. If they're magnetic they're steel and if not they're "Nickel Silver". Steel and Brass track is tough to even give away, (I've sold off a few batches for the cost of shipping!) but it's good enough to make a practice loop and I know guys who still run good layouts with the stuff. At the very least, you can tack or glue it down to a piece of plywood or insulation foam and have somewhere to play with trains while you design your preferred arrangement. There are alot of classic track plans from Atlas and others that use basic sectional track like that to make interesting configurations in small spaces.e

As for research into your rolling stock...
-Southern Pacific Gondola and maybe the Burlington are AHM.
-The 2 axle docksider switcher. If metal it's probably Varney, if plastic it's Life Like. There's a possibility it could also be Bowser, but I doubt it. It looks like it's been modifed a fair bit. There's a discussion of the possibilities here. Unfortunately yours is missing most of the frontward detail.
-The Loco with tender looks like a Bachmann but I'm not sure. 
-NP Boxcar is AHM
-For the State of Maine boxcar (Bangor..) a Bachmann exists with the same markings, but yours likely predates it as the one I've seen doesn't have a separately applied ladder.
-Tank Car is also an AHM
-Flat with Trailers is TYCO. The orange guides that help hold the trailers in place are in the picture you posted with the wires.
-Both Cabooses are Roco

Though some of them also had premium lines as well, the AHM, Varney, Tyco, Bachman, Life-Like pieces of the type you've got are basic "train set" or "entry level" pieces. Not bad, but basic. Today's entry level stuff is not to dissimilar (sometimes it's the exact same plastic molds) structurally but nowadays metal wheels, knuckle-style couplers and sharp, multi-color paint jobs are standard even on base-level stuff.

In their current conditions (possibly excluding the loco with tender) you're looking at items that would fetch 1-7 bucks each at a train show. Perhaps a smidge more if a buyer were secured on ebay. Trust me on this one as I inherited a similar selection of rolling stock and learned the same lesson. Same goes for the piers and bridge set which can still be bought new, but are incredibly common used for a fraction of the cost.

I realize this might not be what you were hoping for, but here's the positive side. There's very little value to destroy, so they are an excellent opportunity to try your hand at...
-Basic paint touchup.
-Adding details with paint (start with small stuff like caboose windows)
-Masking and painting roofs and ends of boxcars and Cabooses
-Removing rust (vinegar and/or alcohol) and tuning freight wheel trucks. Even plastic trucks can often run quite well with a tuning.
-Locomotive cleaning and repair.
-Weathering rolling stock.
-Weathering bridges/piers. A friend of mine just painted and weathered up one of those cheap bridges and it looks dang SHARP!
-Complete repaints of rolling stock and decal application.
-Renumbering (usually via decal) when you have more than one of the same car.
-Light scratchbuilding of added details. 
-Stirrup (Ladder ends at bottom of rolling stock) replacement with wire or tichy train group parts is an affordable repair.
-Weighting rolling stock (one ouce plus a half an ounce for each inch it is long)
-As subjects for researching and learning about the era and type of a given car. Simply for learning or to research what kind of detaling/painting/etc to do.

Anywho, I hope this doesn't bring you down. Just because the value of old entry-level stuff has dropped off quite a bit, doesn't mean there isn't alot of fun to be had and it's the perfect way to hone your skills. As a cheapskate myself, I lean towards Athearn BlueBox and it's ilk as my preferred nexus of price and qualty as well as having more to offer for my chosen era of the 80's and later. However, I've still got quite a few Roco and AHM units in my collection and even some Tyco and LifeLike and I enjoy running them as well 

Hope this inspires you to get to work on these with no fear. 

I bet you can get at least one of those locos working (if not, give me a PM and we'll get you a cheap working loco) and after a vinegar bath all that track should be serviceable (don't bathe the switch machines). Likely all you need to buy is a new pack or two of rail joiners (old ones aren't really worth messing with) for a couple bucks and you'll be running trains in no time!

Also, if you happen to be missing any of the incremental supports for your bridge, let me know the height you need and I'll send them over. I bought a sackful of them at a show just to get the bridges and metal girder versions and I've got plenty of extra wooden support pieces.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

I have 4 basic piers I can make two bridges out of, but they're only valued at $4.99+tax and shipping for three.


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Paulywog0667 said:


> I have 4 basic piers I can make two bridges out of, but they're only valued at $4.99+tax and shipping for three.


I'm not sure what you mean.

Piers like the ones you have were sold too ways, IIRC:
1) Full height (which I think is what you have) for an extended overpass in a box of 4. I think it's still called set #81
2) In a graduated trestle set, sort of like what you have already but with the pier style instead of the wood frame style. I believe it is a 47 piece set, often sold as Set #80. 

The third element of the system is the "Pier Girder" #82 which is optional, but is similar to the base piece of your other trestle bridge. It is used between the tallest piers to add some bridge detail and stabilize things a bit.

An ebay search for "Atlas Piers" will get you lots of examples of all 3 items. The same sets have been sold for 50+ years.

The pieces I have for replacement are the wood style supports from a trestle set. If the Piers you have are the same height as your tallest wood support, you can use them to elongate your wooden trestle overpass.


----------



## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Don’t write off old track too fast. Check sold listings on eBay. 
I sold a bunch of old sectional track on there a few years back. Had all three types and they sold quickly. They didn’t bring a ton of money but did bring some. 

I had a layout with all three types and didn’t clean the steel sections any more than the others and trains ran fine on it. 
I used it on sidings and left the rust on the sides of the rails. As long as the rail head is clean trains will run.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Model numbers actually help. People keep responding no value, but all I found was a three pier kit at $4.99, not a 4 pier. I'm inventorying to judge value and decide how items could be used in a setup. They're obviously $5.00 plastic, but 1980s natural wear. I'm debating topics like a derelict engine scene for $65+ or a broken P.A. RR body scene. I usually end up randomly browsing online, lol.


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

Are you sure it wasn't 3 inch pieces for that $ ? Atlas sell these 3 inch tall pieces for $6.59 a each.

Side note- Thank you. This thread has motivated me to purge myself of some steel track I had. I hadn't used or planned to use it. I was just ignoring that I had it. It did have a tresle kit with it, which I kept.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Stan D said:


> Are you sure it wasn't 3 inch pieces for that $ ? Atlas sell these 3 inch tall pieces for $6.59 a each.
> 
> Side note- Thank you. This thread has motivated me to purge myself of some steel track I had. I hadn't used or planned to use it. I was just ignoring that I had it. It did have a tresle kit with it, which I kept.



Lol, not the ones I got. Looks like the Atlas #81. I'll probably split it to two bridges and get scenic (fake trees) to camoflauge the piers. Maybe 3" across not tall, but some stuff online seems might be worth $6.59ea.

I should probably organize a build better, but sort of what old box research phases are for.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Found the model numbers on the B&0. The B&O is another Riverrossi, but the front end and show pistons are missing.


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

That's a shame. Can't think of why someone would do that.

Here's a good link I found whilst researching my Cab Forward. It doesn't cover your B&O, but it may come in handy;

http://nnrrco.raybuettner.com/rivarossi_parts.php


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Stan D said:


> That's a shame. Can't think of why someone would do that.
> 
> Here's a good link I found whilst researching my Cab Forward. It doesn't cover your B&O, but it may come in handy;
> 
> http://nnrrco.raybuettner.com/rivarossi_parts.php


I've seen some of those PDFs, the B. & O. is closer to the 9209. The P.A. RR #84 has closer the style on that page. Even antique presentation with the caboose was $80.00. I don't know if they mark engine bodies RiverRossi after sale and production moving to China though. Is neat that solder connections aren't there and could use a lead free back in. Wasn't what I would call the worst sales pitch on a RiverRossi. Probably max asking price without new and/or including a box. The caboose top isn't bad, but might be what the extra wheel sets are from, lol. 

12v. to the leads turns the motor on though and at least one wheel connector in the box.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Went and baught a small screwdriver and found out the #99 with the Pennsylvania coal car is a Tyco. Put voltage to the motor. It spins the gear and no broken parts. Connections from the wheels just need cleaned.


----------



## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

wonder about that green winding. Looks consistent, hope it not copper patina.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Lemonhawk said:


> wonder about that green winding. Looks consistent, hope it not copper patina.


Just green coated copper. Seen it on a lot on new bare grounds too. The wheel axle sits on mini plunger looking pads. The wheel assembly is dirty. Wasn't getting much voltage from the tracks.


----------



## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Be nice to get it working. My first Loc was a Varney Dockside 0-4-0, no tender. 
Ran it to destruction. Not sure what that last picture shows, but I'm guess that the brushes have slid out of position.


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

Lemonhawk said:


> guess that the brushes have slid out of position.


I'd agree. I was wondering what they were. Makes sense.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Stan D said:


> Lemonhawk said:
> 
> 
> > guess that the brushes have slid out of position.
> ...


No, actually the motor assembly is sitting loose in the top half. The wheel assembly rests on the two circled plunger looking things. There's a plate that holds the motor. I applied voltage to the conductors, the motor works, the gear spins, but I haven't cleaned the wheels yet. Two odd little spring loaded conductors going to plates. I'll probably spray those with electrical cleaner before putting it back together.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Covered the weight with some tape too, which I'm guessing if not a 1978 or after model, lead. I'll probably epoxy it contained incase. Tape should help prevent + & - from arching though. Not that they should touch the weight, but. I'll test the engine shortly.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Idk, now putting the motor back on the base it seems like it's missing a connector/conductor. Does anyone know the actual contact points?


----------



## Stan D (Feb 1, 2019)

Sometimes a contact point comes from the tender.


----------



## lionellines (May 18, 2011)

I think that long, black wire connects to the tender. You might need the tender to have it run.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

It's not unusual to have one or possibly both power
pickups coming from tender wheels.

You can try applying power to the long wire and
the other side from power pack to the wheels.
Reverse the polarity if the loco runs backward.

Another possibility is that the tender picks up
all power, probably passing one side via metal
draft bar, and other side thru the black wire.

D


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Works, but doubt for long. The connections aren't great and it bogs down to smoke. Which it might just need oil, but motors and smoke usually don't mix. If I apply voltage, I need to give it a nudge to get the wheels moving. Seems like they're binding.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Stan D said:


> Sometimes a contact point comes from the tender.


That's what it does. Wheels seem binding to smoke if I leave it on more than 5sec. though. I'm guessing needs some oil since the motor by itself didn't do that.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Since the motor runs ok by itself, you have
binding in the gearing or the wheel/leverages.

It would help to use a plastic friendly grease to
the worm and associated gear and plastic friendly
oil to the wheel bearings.

Does motor apply too much downward pressure
via the worm to the gears?

Does the overheating occur running on track
or does it happen on workbench with no 
weight on the wheels?



Don


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

DonR said:


> Since the motor runs ok by itself, you have
> binding in the gearing or the wheel/leverages.
> 
> It would help to use a plastic friendly grease to
> ...


It seems in general bad connections, but wiggling wires has it between winding and running smooth. The tender wheels need cleaning.


----------



## Paulywog0667 (Jan 23, 2019)

Got it moving on a test track. Little rough from holding the camera and touching wire to the track at the same time, but the engine moves. Didn't really need oil, but better connections. 

https://youtu.be/ImQzt03UmgA


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Did you clean the wheels? Good to see progress and some movement.

My advice would be that cleaning the wheels and cleaning and lubing the mechanism should probably be your first course of action for all of these.


----------



## lionellines (May 18, 2011)

clean the connection to the tender as well. You may also have to adjust the position of the motor, including adding a shim under the rear to make it mesh properly with the wheel gear.


----------

