Getting ready to sell all 3 of these, but was just wondering if anyone knows what might cause this. I'm probably going to just let the person that buys them fix it. That is If/When they sell? It's at FULL throttle too, speed step 28. Thanks! The other 2 of them run like brand new though. Both of the working Atlas U25B run fine as seen below! I have them numbered according to their decoder #, this is #6 & #7 running smoothly. The one not working properly is #5.
Looks like dirty wheels/trucks. Atlas locos seem to be especially susceptible to that. Is this DC or DCC ? you mention speed step 28.
Commented on your video on YouTube. but something is either out of alignment or a gear is broken. You'll need to take it apart.
You need to take it apart. I believe there is a sort of doughnut on the ends of the motor, between the motor and the flywheel. Those doughnuts are made of plastic and are the motor mounts. They are brittle and can break with age. The other possibility is a mis-aligned drive line. You need to Beardenize them. http://u18b.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Bearingblock09.pdf
Oops..........didn't put my headphones on and was going by the visual and missed the noise. There's not much in the upper drivetrain that would make that noise, so it's probably something in one of the trucks. Does the buzz change when you run the loco faster and slower? If you are interested in fixing it, I'd pull the trucks out of the chassis and disassemble them. Check all the gears (and clean the wheels and bearing cups) and be sure all the pins are in place when you reassemble. Also lightly lube everything.
The doughnut thingy is what troubles me most about the purchase of older Atlas locomotives. I understand that some try to fix them with super glue and others have purchased replacements for these from Shapeways as 3D printed parts, but I understand that these can be brittle. Ralph
You talking about these cause they are a PITA to seat properly. Have taken these Atlas U25B's apart too many times over the years. Actually I think just the one #5. I hate opening these locomotives, hate it. The other two #6, #7, have run really well over the years. Some people enjoy working on locomotives, but not me N MOTOR SADDLE SET ITEM# 440103 Video of trying to fix them. He had to pause cause he was so frustrated, and I agree! That's basically what mine is doing, again! This one has been a pain since I bought them a few years ago. Time Stamp 3:00 and he shows how much of a PITA it is and turns the camera off for a bit while he swears, just like I did when I had to put #5 back together several times. I really don't want to take this thing apart again
I recently rebuilt a couple of U25B's and I remember having the same issues with those damnable rings!!! I'm glad mother wasn't around to hear me or I'd have been eating several bars of soap! The way he was fiddling with it with his small screwdriver was the same I was doing. I finally used a tiny bit of solder paste on the rings so they "Stuck" to the motor ends. Still had to fiddle with them a bit, but it helped enough that I didn't use as many "railroady words"
So it's called using Railroady Words, nice! I thought it was Cursing Made me laugh, thanks! What is Solder Paste?
Oh, yeah.... these have those crazy rings! They've definitely had me talking in tongues trying to keep them aligned during reassembly!
I might just throw them up on eBay as is and let whom ever fix it themselves. Or maybe I will try one more time? Who knows at this point. Just thinking about it makes me curse
Well this does not look right? Could something be melting in the gears inside or something? Guess it is time to open it up, dang it. I bet it is that Saddle Set thingy. What you think? Using Railroady Words ahead of time, aka Cursing
LOL. Soldering Paste, the stuff you use to help clean the areas when you solder so the solder flows. Vaseline or that excess grease in the gears could also work, anything to help those rings stick to the motor so they stay in place while you reassemble frame halves.
Yeah I fixed it and it is running great. Better then ever actually. This one as making a noise in Reverse in the past but no longer does and it WORKS now, Yippeee! Got it back together first try aligning those Saddle things up too. It might not be a n actual miracle, but it is close. That's a joke BTW! It was a plastic gear in one of the Trucks that got out of wack. Technical term there
Good job! To me, tinkering, troubleshooting, fine tuning and repairing locos is a very enjoyable part of this hobby. Taking something that was sounding like a coffee grinder and then making it run silky-smooth (like what you've done here) can be extremely satisfying. But I would also be happy to not ever have to keep those dang rings aligned again!
I agree and hate those things, but got really lucky on the first try this time. That never happens with these Except this time!
I had to install a decoder for a friend recently in a RS-3. It had those rings! It took me ONE HOUR(!!!) (multiple tries) to put it back together correctly. I told him next time I see those rings (he had 4 more locos to decoderize) I'm going to throw his locos in the trash. Friends don't let friends own locos with those rings!
