Athearn P42 rumbling noise problem

[NP01]

Hi,

First post. I have an Athearn P42 in Amtrak scheme. I had my LHS put in a digitraxx decoder in it and ever since the loco makes a rumbling sound, typically when I go at anything but crawling speed. I have opened the it up a countless number of times to see if there are wires rubbing etc with no luck. I have not been effective in using the search function, so I would appreciate any tips from the community. 

NP

(Building a freelanced 6x20 modern era HO layout)

[Mark R.]

Based on what I'm reading, I assume the engine didn't make this noise prior to the decoder install. (?) You also didn't mention what Digi-traxx decoder was installed. IF the decoder has BEMF, try dis-abling that feature and see if that makes any difference. I've had a couple engines where the BEMF caused an un-desireable noise coming from the motor.

Mark. 

[NP01]

Thanks Mark and Dave. It has a DH163D ... I suppose a basic decoder. Indeed the rumble started after buying the decoder. But, I converted my (then 8x4 oval) layout to DCC pretty soon after buying this loco and did not run it until adding the decoder to it ... So I am not sure if the rumble really started due to the decoder. 

I will look into BEMF. I will perhaps just lubricate it everywhere a bit ... Right now it's totally unusable because of the noise. 

 

Thanks. 

Neeraj. 

[cacole]

You're probably hearing the normal Athearn Blue Box locomotive growl.  Very few of them didn't make a growling noise.

[NP01]

Update. I have this lubricant pen (good product, overpriced as always) - "Never Stall" - and I really went in there and squirted everywhere. In the past I had been very judicious. And seems like it's gone. I have to see if that sticks- the loco is quieter when it is not growling also. 

To me it is very disappointing as based on the comments made it seems this is a wide spread problem. 

Thanks. 

Neeraj. 

[selector]

Lucky, lucky!!!   Most of us would kill to get real rumbling sounds out of our scale locomotives, especially if they have sound decoders in 'em. 

Crandell

[NP01]

Update after running for 2-3 days. It is still working GREAT! It almost feels like the performance has improved. The loco is now pulling 3xWalthers Amtrack 85' bilevels (these cars are heavy) + 5 single level Athearn blue box pax cars up a 2-2.5% grade. I think it was the gears which turn the motor axle by 90 degrees (above the trucks). 

Neeraj

[NP01]

Sorry for bumping, but update after two months is that this engine still ROCKS! It is continuing to pull 3 Walthers Superliners (HEAVY!) + 5 Athern Blue Box Amtrack coaches up 3% grade with no noise.

So now I have to recommend NeverStall pens.

- Neeraj 

[sakel]

I googled it and............$20.00 FOR ONE PEN!!!! Geez are these people trying to break me!?!?!?!?!?

[ba&prr]

One of the best things to do with any new loco is to break them in. I run mine on an oval in one direction at slow speed for about 20 minutes, then increase speed to half for 20 minutes and finnaly full speed for 20 minutes. I then run the loco in reverse using the same procedure. This helps "seat" the gears in. Make sure there's grease on the gears before doing this. Joe  

[rrinker]

 The old trick was to disasseble the gear box (one at a time so you don;t mix allt he pieces up!), wash off any lubricant, and reassemble with Pearl Drops tooth polish as the 'lubricant'. Runt he loco in both directions for 15-20 minutes each, including swiviling the trucks both ways (so if you have a circle, run it forward 15, reverse 15, then turnt he loco end for end and repeat). Then, disassemble again and wash out all remnents of the Pearl Drops, reassemble and use correct lubricant, I prefer the Labelle's stuff. The slight abrasiveness of the tooth polish with wearint he gears for an even mesh.

 I did this with a Athearn Blue Box S-12 when I replaced the stock gears with an Ernst slow speed gear set - it crams 2x as many gears in the same space to double the reduction. After going through the polish steps, witht he worms removed, the trucks would roll, not skid, on a piece of glass, the gears turned that freely. Add in the motor tuneup tips to quiet the motor itself, and I had a loco that was th eqivalent of plenty of higher priced models in the performance department. I also repalced the sintered iron wheels with NWSL nickle-silver wheels, and of course got rid of the top metal clip and replaced it with flexible wire soldered between the truck tower clips and the motor. The downside of the NS wheels was less traction, in exchange for FAR superior power pickup and much less dirt. However, as an experiment I stacke das much weight as I could on the loco and it moved a 40 car fully weighted train up the steepest grade on the club layout - until the weights started falling off. At normal switching speeds it was as quiet as any Atlas.

 Hmm, I shoudl still have that loco somewhere, dunno what I can do with it though. It's undecorated, but Reading never had an S12. Back then I was going to get it painted for Lehigh Valley, by a fellow club member as a trade, I installed ditch lights, flashing beacon, and constant lights in one of his locos (this is pre-DCC days), but I ended up leaving before he got around to doing the painting (plus we lost our space).

                            --Randy

 

[JustinAmtrak]

You and go to your local pharmacy ang get actual needles with syringe and its no questions asked i use the for injecting grease intosmall Rc engines and Airsoft guns