Hi all. I have a number of new, old stock LL locomotives including several GP38-2's, F7A's, GP18's and all run super smooth and quiet. I haven't had any issues with any over the last couple of years except that recently one of my F7 units started behaving erratically. When I removed the shell to have a look at the motor and drive train, I noticed one of the wires leading to one of the trucks had broken off. I managed to solder it back on but it was very awkward and difficult to do. Is there a tool or gadget that can hold the wire in place on the metal tab leading down to the wheels while one solders it? Do all locomotives have this problem or one brand more so than others?
Most newer locos, even Life Like uses the Kato design without wires. Bending the wire and using what even you can find as a weight to help hold the wire in place. Try to reroute the wire so it doesn't bend as much when the truck moves.
Go to my favorite reference, for a peak at whats inside many different locos http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/trainstuff.html I don't know who he is, but he's helped me a bunch
Mark (Spookshow) is a good guy and a great modeler, although he plays down how good he is most of the time. He usually hangs out on the Atlas Forum. As for soldering: There isn't a specific tool for it but I have used closed tweezers or hemostats to push wires where I want them. They won't hold it to the tab but positioned right they can keep it close enough to solder. Micro Mark sells them for about $10 but you can probably find them locally just as easy. Look at Medical supply or craft stores.
No modeling toolbox should be without those. I use mine like they are my actual fingers. Those, and clamping type tweezers.
The power routing on those Life Like locomotives is of the "old school", that is, the state of the art has passed them by. My personal opinion of them is, as long as all you have to do to them is clean and lube them, and resolder the occasional wire, they are good enough for everyday use. I have a soldering iron with a long, thin tip to get in where the solder needs to go. If you don't, there's a steel pin that holds the main gear in place in the truck, as well as holds the truck on the frame. Pull that pin out, and the truck will drop down enough to tack the wire back in place. Put a drop of oil on the gears, and one on each piece that rotates or revolves against another, and put it back together, and put it back in service.
Also, you can use a dab of flux (paste kind) to "stick" the wire end to the tab while you solder. Enjoy those GP18's- I've had one in NP (the infamous #378) on-and-off for about 13 years, about half my life. Fun little locos
I've had to resolder one of those wires on my LL GP-38s before. Taking the truck off of the frame by removing the pin is the way to go. I've got a really small soldering iron that has a farily sturdy base it clips into. I leave the iron in the base. That way both hands are free to hold the wire and truck in place till the solder sets up. Brian
