Tenshodo 060t baldwin ho loco help

[Anonymous]

Hi all I'm new to this forum and this is my first post and hopefully you guys can help me out, I live in Melbourne Australia and have recieved a HO scale tenshodo 0-6-0t baldwin die cast loco, it is very old (maybe 50+ years) and runs (barely) but makes an awful sqealing/squeaking sound from the motor (when the thing has done a few laps around the layout it starts to struggle and then stops allot (overheated bearing?).

So my questions would be: What is the squealing/squeaking noise? Can it be repaired without repowering it? Will it be expensive to fix?

I have heard that these are very good locos when well maintained this one was bought from ebay and has not been run for 15 years or so.

Cheers guys

P.s. This is a really informative site and I have learnt allot in the last couple of weeks of coming here.

[tomikawaTT]

I'm rather familiar with the Tenshodo 0-6-0; mine is 48 years young, original motor and runs like a Rolex.

Sounds like you got one which was never, ever lubricated! First, disassemble the motor from the frame. Try rolling the frame alone, to check for binding or seizing. Lubricate with a few droplets of oil. Then, check the motor by turning the worm with your fingers. If tight, lube the bearings and rotate the armature to work it in.

Another, less likely, possibility is that the brushes are worn out. If so, check the commutator for scoring. Worn brushes can be replaced, but a scored commutator means the motor will have to be changed out.

I can't help you with finding replacements, since I haven't been to Japan for a long time.

Incidentally, the prototype for that loco was actually run in Japan, on 42 inch gauge track. The model itself is HOj (1:80 scale, HO standard gauge), but the scale difference is so small that it isn't noticeable when the Tenshodo is placed next to a Roundhouse saddle tank 0-6-0T (also Baldwin, from the same decade.)

[Anonymous]

I took it apart and had a look, it appears that one of the magnets on the side of the motor ios slightly pushed in and the armature is brushing against it, I have taken it to my local hobby shop for a service/rebuild.

Thanks for your help.

[Anonymous]

We also have these locos running in Melbourne Australia although they are on a narrower guage, the are three of four Locomotives of this type and they are all in beautifully restored running condition. They run on the "puffing Billy" tourist railway (It was an old logging railroad.)

[Anonymous]

Hi, I´m Christian fromGermany,
I can´t you give a special advice for this engine ( i don´t have this engine) but if you needa new motor the best would be the best a Kato motor(sold by walthers) or a German "Faulhaber"(but who sold it?).

[Anonymous]

I bought this engine on ebay for a steal, US$22 delivered, the paint is chipped off in allot of places but I plan to sandblast it and repaint when I get it back (it has also been renamed "The Rat" which I plan to remove). It is made by Tenshodo in Japan and it is around 50 years old and hopefully will last for at least another 50. I will use it for occassional shunting duties and then it will be part of my museum fleet when I get a decent diesel switcher.

I am modelling contemporary UP and SF at the moment