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lionel 8562 gp20 engine derailment

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  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: The ROMAN Empire State
  • 2,047 posts
Posted by brianel027 on Saturday, October 17, 2009 5:51 PM

If you remove the shell from your loco, you should see two metal tabs coming up from the motor truck that protrude through the frame. On the top side of the frame, one of those metal tabs should have (in this order) on the bottom a cup washer, a spring and a speed nut holding everything down.

Since the motor truck isn't moving as freely to and fro as it should, you are going to probably have to make an adjustment to the speed nut... it might be pushed down too far, not allowing the truck the proper play. Or it might be too loose. But usually the case is that the speed nut is pushed down too far. It could also be that it is missing entirely... this has happened to me. In which case I cob a washer, spring and a speed nut from my own parts.

I would advise on the purchase of any used loco, a quick maintenace run through, check the lubrication on the gears (especially on MPC locos with plastic gears), cleaning the motor brushes, checking the traction tires. If those are bad, those can cause trouble, nevermind loss of pulling power. A sure sign if those are bad is if the engine wobbles even going down straight track sections.

I'd use a little caution in mixing motors between postwar and MPC units. While the MPC units are fine unto themselves, they are a little different from the postwar pullmor motor trucks, especially with the plastic gears. I'd suggest running each motor unit together on the track along, unconnected with no cars and see how their speed compares with eachother. If the two locos run at noticably different speeds, one of the two motors will work much harder when the two motors are either in the same unit or connected to eachother.

Maybe others have done something of the like with no ill results. But on my layout, when I run locos together, I try to match up locos of similar strength and running characteristics.

 

brianel, Agent 027

"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • 57 posts
lionel 8562 gp20 engine derailment
Posted by Model A on Saturday, October 17, 2009 2:33 PM

 Hello people

 I found a 8562 gp20 engine at a swap meet . got for a chep price .  got it home and lub it up and it run ok . burt .  it has a problem it derails comming out of a turn . the motor truck don,t  fallow the track right . they want to stay straight comming out of curve . I have added weight to the engine help the front truck . but not the motor truck end  Any one have one of the engine and how dose run on O27 track  it just a a plain engine . nothing fancy . my intention was to remove motor an us it as a dummy to pull with a  1960  gp9 berlington i use now . so ia tring to hook them togetter  .  my layout is not big only 11feet long by 42 wide . thank you for any help i could get  MODEL A

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