lionelroar88,
You don't need a cradle. You can just lean the loco against something, just be sure the wheels and rods up aren't against it. I sometimes use a few books to help hold a loco. Sometimes, the loco is stable enough that it can rest upside down without any help. I have worked on locos this way for years.
jimtrumpie wrote:lionelroar88,Have you tried placing the locomotive on its back and running it by touching one wire to a roller, and another to the frame or a wheel? If you ran it this way, it will help determine the source of the trouble. While it is running, watch the wheels turn. If they don't turn true to the frame, that could mean a bent axle, which will cause the trouble you described. If they do turn true to the frame, than the trouble is most likely caused by a tracrion tire. The tire might not be seated on the wheel fully, or there could be something between the tire and the wheel that prevents the tire from laying flat on the wheel. The tire may also be twisted.
lionelroar88,Have you tried placing the locomotive on its back and running it by touching one wire to a roller, and another to the frame or a wheel? If you ran it this way, it will help determine the source of the trouble. While it is running, watch the wheels turn. If they don't turn true to the frame, that could mean a bent axle, which will cause the trouble you described. If they do turn true to the frame, than the trouble is most likely caused by a tracrion tire. The tire might not be seated on the wheel fully, or there could be something between the tire and the wheel that prevents the tire from laying flat on the wheel. The tire may also be twisted.
I don't have a means to do that yet... I was thinking about this on the way to work this morning and I think it is time for a padded work cradle... I also need to fabricate a wire with alligator clips so I can hold the engine with one hand, clip the wires to the engine and control the test transformer.
I checked the traction tires last night and they are fine, no twists or anything like that...
As far as track being too tight, I'm not sure that is the problem either as the engine still does this when running on the elevated track which is only secured to the supports, not to the ply base...
Once I get home and have everything set up for testing and run some tests, I will post the results!
Thanks one and all for all the help on this! The EOB board for this puppy should be here today or tomorrow, so I want to get this figgered out quick!
Have you tried placing the locomotive on its back and running it by touching one wire to a roller, and another to the frame or a wheel? If you ran it this way, it will help determine the source of the trouble. While it is running, watch the wheels turn. If they don't turn true to the frame, that could mean a bent axle, which will cause the trouble you described. If they do turn true to the frame, than the trouble is most likely caused by a tracrion tire. The tire might not be seated on the wheel fully, or there could be something between the tire and the wheel that prevents the tire from laying flat on the wheel. The tire may also be twisted.
JeffPo wrote: My Lionel Hudson, from a Hobo Riding the Rails set, has a shake to it.
My Lionel Hudson, from a Hobo Riding the Rails set, has a shake to it.
And the track can't be blamed in this case.
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fifedog wrote:88 - well, here is an epiphany for ya. While running my layout last night I noticed my son's Premier GP38-2 had a slight wobble. Then I noticed some of the freight cars had developed a little shimmy too...wherever I had fastened the track too snuggily to the plywood subroadbed. Sometimes it is too simple.
Wow, that is interesting because although I have never seen the engine shimmy on my O gague layout with MTH Realtrax, the Garden Rail Road will shimmy if the track gauge is not perfect. The gauge of the track can be affected by weather and/or too tight of connection to the roadbed. With the bigger engines it is even more noticable.
fifedog wrote: 88 - before doing all that, try taking the boiler off of the chassis. The whole thing should be held on with about 4 phillips-head screws. Blot away the spilled smoke fluid, and look to see if any got around the battery connections or wire harnesses. That fluid should evaporate eventually, and a few passes with a hair dryer might help.In the future, you may want to make sure that your motive power is packed away up-right. I've got that t-shirt.
88 - before doing all that, try taking the boiler off of the chassis. The whole thing should be held on with about 4 phillips-head screws. Blot away the spilled smoke fluid, and look to see if any got around the battery connections or wire harnesses. That fluid should evaporate eventually, and a few passes with a hair dryer might help.
In the future, you may want to make sure that your motive power is packed away up-right. I've got that t-shirt.
Hey all,Thanks for the replies.The Good News: it isn't the siderods, they are straight as arrows. The traction tires are fine as well...The Bad News: it appears I have a bigger problem. When I took the engine out of the box there was a bit of moisture under the front wheels, looks like I overfilled the smoke unit? It isn't smoking either... it is still doing the wobble as well... I disconnected the tender and I hear a 'tick' 'tick' 'tick', not sure if this is the siderods or the motor... since this is still under warranty I am going to call the LHS and see if I can take it in for warranty repairs... I don't know what I will do if it can't be repaired as I think my wife bought this via one of the biggies and I think it may have been my favorite people at CharlesRo...FUN! LOADS OF FUN!
dougdagrump wrote:Take a look at the traction tires, maybe one is breaking or already broken.
I have had that problem with several locomotives. It has to be your traction tires.
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
Thor,That would make sense, if the traction tires are a bit higher than the other wheels.Thanks, I'll check this all when I get home.Brent
daan wrote: May be a bent siderod? try to find out if the wobble corresponds with the motion of the wheels or with an arrangement of the siderods. Does it infect the speed? If not, see if the wheels are still quartered right and if the axles are straight. Also, as mentioned above, check the traction tyres.
May be a bent siderod? try to find out if the wobble corresponds with the motion of the wheels or with an arrangement of the siderods. Does it infect the speed? If not, see if the wheels are still quartered right and if the axles are straight. Also, as mentioned above, check the traction tyres.
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