After I did a little peeking inside one of my hand-me-down Bachmann engines that isn't the best running in order to see if a little clean-up was just in order, I saw the the 'innerds' weren't that complicated... Has anyone else tinkered with refurbing locos? is it worth it? Where might I get just the (Bachmann) motor section?
Do you mind saying what kind of loco? Diesel or steam? I think that steam locos of most any kind can be improved significantly by electryfing the tender or improving electrical pickup. I did that with a Bachmann 4-8-4. OTOH, I had Bachmann F7s and I finally gave up and made them unpowered. Maybe others have some better ideas. [ 26. September 2003, 03:47: Message edited by: sapacif ]
All deisel types - sry, shoulda specified The motor 'seems' to run, thinking its just the contacts... but now having put it back together it does nothing Anyone in the DFW area know of any refurb shop?
I would double check the contacks on the motor (should be done with screws near the top of the motor housing) an then to the trucks an amke sure they aren't shorting out at either end. Also, MAKE SURE the brushes in the motor are present, they can be missing that will cause this problem, AND check to make sure the brush springs are located properly! They to can cause this, The srpings have to me able to compress an decompress freely in the brush cylinder, an keep a good contact with the brush itself, an the retainer clip. The wire mounts at the top of the motor housing are screws through this retainer clip, which is an electrical contact point. I would suspect, the unit has a headlight (at least) if this doesn't light, you can be sure the wires are shorted some place as the light bulb wires will lead to the motor contacts. This will indicate that you have a short some place. IF the light does burn, you have a problem someplace else possibly in the motor. if the motor is ok, brushes an brush springs are their an working properly, you might want to check the wheel contacks that pick the electric off the wheels to get it to the motor, the wheel wipers, one can be bent so that its creating a short as well. OR is simply not making good contact with the metal wheels to supply the motor with electic, if this is the case, a slight bend in the contact will put presure on the wheel to pick the electric off of it to get it to the motor. IF the wheel wiper or contact is bent really bad, try to *GENTLY* straighten it, an then add a slight bend in it to put presure against the wheel. Just be extrememly carefull as these little electical wheel wipers are thin, and brittle, an won't take much to bend them that it breaks part of the wiper off at the bend itself. IF the unit is all wheel pick up, make sure the front an rear traucks are in paralell with each other, front an rear truck, picking up from the left all wired together an then front an rear truck picking up from the right all wired together otherwise this will cause a short as well. And the color of the wire doesn't mean a thing, you may have to trace it to which side it goes to, to be completely sure its correct. HTH
ok, its running again - but even at 100% its still very slow - light is 100% on but I had some new friends show up today... so the refurbing is on hold for a bit
