I have two indentical Athearn ready To Roll, D9-44s, in which I have installed DCC and sound. I've installed DCC in over 30 locos, so that is not a problem.
Both locos run fine on straight track, but stumble and go dead when they go into a curve. The track is clean, and my other locos run fine all the way around the layout. I'm puzzled that two locos of the same make, would have the same problem. Does anyone have any suggestions what the problem might be, or quick fixes, or experiences with this, before I tear these locos apart? Thanks.
Im not sure if yours are the same but the rtr rs-3 has poor power pick up from the trucks and I finely had to run wires direct from the truck side plates and bypass the rtr rivet system . Im sure some one well help here with experience with your type of locco
I'm not familiar with the models you have, but if they are the newer products with plastic clips to hold the wires on the truck electrical pickup wipers, remove the cips and solder the connections.
I've worked on a couple of Athearn RTR models where the plastic clip had fallen off and the pickup wires were very loose or had pulled out completely.
I just had pretty much that same problem with a freinds ready to roll SD40T-2 it would stall at certain places. It turned out that one of the rivets was not seated on one of the trucks. After dissasembly and taking a punch and a hammer to get the rivet in right it works great. It took over a hour to figure it out too.
Scott O'Dell
Thanks for the replies, guys. I guess I was looking for a quick and easy fix. I'll figure it out. We shouldn't have to go through this. My Atlas locos are the best running locos I have!
I had hte same problem with my RS-3. I was amazed it only had wireson one side of the pickup. I soldered wires to the other side so I had all-wire pickups instead of using the bolster and frame, and that fixed that one.
I'm working on an SD40-2 now, when I first say it I thought it was a Genesis since it had wires on both sides, but that didn't help poor pickup, the rear truck was doing nothing. New wires and soldering them to the truck side seems to have cured it. I can't believe the reliance on rivets on this thing - the posts for the wires to the truck sideframes, and then the motor clip for the top motor wire is simply a piece of metal riveted to the circuit board! Yup, not soldred, RIVETED to the circuit board.
Reliability? What reliability? I don't recall my old Blue Box locos having these problems, at least not after repalcing the top clip with a wire, but then again on DC it would coast over a dead spot whereas with DCC sound you know IMMEDIATELY if power is lost even with a keep-alive cap.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
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