# Introduction and request for help.



## coleys0 (Jun 22, 2012)

Hello All

I am new to madel trains and have only just started with second hand sets until I get a little more experiance. My first set is a Lima and I have to say I am very impressed with it's performance for it's age. It's easy to maintain runs well and very reliable.

Last week I thought I would move to the next step and purchase a locomotive as the trains that came with the Lima set were diesel engines. However I have hit a problem with the locomotive in that it runs for about 30 seconds very well and then suddenly stops dead until you switch the power off and then it will run for another 30 seconds. The train is an old Great Western 6110 Airfix it cost me £30 from Ebay and it was described as a very good runner.

The previous owner assures me that it was running pefectly when he had it but I have tried it on a friends track and it has exactly the same problem. My friend and I cleaned the wheels and the track, checked that there were no loose wires and all the soldering was intact and everything seemed OK.

I was wondering if any of you guys can offer any advice or point me in the right direction to fix it or even if it's only purpose will have to be as a stationary display because it cant be fixed. It's a shame really it is a very nice looking engine and deserves to be in a running state.

Thanks in advance.


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## seabilliau (Dec 12, 2011)

ColeysO,
Before we get to the train you may need to provide a little more info. Lima I believe is OO, correct? That is similiar to to HO here in the states. Please confirm. Your next step might be to try and visit a local retailer. Usually the local hobby shop is happy to help as most retail stores rely on quality customer care since they have a harder time competing against internet only companes in prices.

You also might want to go and visit the other portions of this site that focus on either HO or OO as well as someone may not be reading this portion of the site. 

Hope this helps.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Lima and a few other brands like Hornby are OO scale, which is the euro equivilant to HO scale, as for HO and OO the workings are generally the same, and there are a few who know both (like me), I have a few hornby trains my self, along with Jouef, as for fixing it, have you checked with your local hobby store? if not try that first, see if they can do anything, if not I would offer to look into it (can't promise a fix) but I can at least try to diagnose if its fixable. Based on what you say it could be electrical or mechanical, does the train move if you give it a push (once it stops), if unsure test it first.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, he's in the UK, so shipping would be a bit steep for you to look at it.


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## UPBigBoy (Jan 2, 2012)

I've only run into something like this once; the Lima set may be an AC powered system and the newer engine my be DC or visa-versa. Do you have a way to check your track voltage and whether it's AC or DC?


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## coleys0 (Jun 22, 2012)

Thanks for your responses I never expected such a quick response The Lima set is OO as you have correctly stated and I am pretty sure that this problem is electrical.

I did take it to a proffesional train model shop and he had a look at it and tested it on a track in the shop to which he said that the train wouldnt get any better than it was running and parts were not available to service the engine or repair it. I don't think he was particualy interested in such an old engine but i'm not ready to give up on it just yet, I mean if i'm going to take this seriously I need to learn to repair and maintain the equipment myself no matter how old it is.

I think UPBigBoy may be on to something with AC / DC but i'm not entirely sure I am such a noob at this and will have to learn how the electrics work and will need to purchase the equipment to test it.

The symptoms of the problem is that the train completely stops after about 30 seconds but it slowly powers itself down as if the power was being taken away from it slowly, it wont start again even if you push it and you have to take the train of the track and put it back on before it will start again.

I don't know if this helps with a diagnosis but if you put another train on the track with the problem train it causes the good train to have the same problem until you remove the problem train and then everything runs fine again.

Thanks guys for your help this will be a regular forum I visit from now on it's packed with useful information just what I need


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## coleys0 (Jun 22, 2012)

I think I have found the problem thanks to UPBigBoy my transfomer is indeed AC and after doing some research the train appears to be DC this has yet to be confirmed.

Many Thanks.:thumbsup:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Is this what you have?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTytCUHG9K4

It shows some pictures of the inside towards the end.

There is this comment under the video about oil.

Hi John! I'VE FOUND THE SOLUTION! This 61xx was always a poor runner, and I cleaned her up inside but she still﻿ ran badly; then I had an idea. I knew my oil conducted electricity so I put a big bit between the axles and the holders in the body (it picks up some power through the body) and she now runs fantastically! You have to be careful not to spill it anywhere else, but have a go with some of yours if you have conductive oil - worked for this one! =D

Maybe (But I doubt it) will help you.
To me it sounds like something is heating up to cause the problem. 
I never fooled around with Lima's.

It picks up power through the body maybe a little oil between the axles and holders maybe this will help it?

Probably not, but easy enough to try.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

coleys0 said:


> I think I have found the problem thanks to UPBigBoy my transfomer is indeed AC and after doing some research the train appears to be DC this has yet to be confirmed.
> 
> Many Thanks.:thumbsup:



I posted the above as you were posting this.
Then maybe oiling will help it run better too?
Can't hurt to try.


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## coleys0 (Jun 22, 2012)

Thanks anyway Big Ed all advise is welcome:thumbsup: The UTube video is exactly the train I have 61xx.


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