I have an SW1200 which keeps stalling in place. It will sit there huffing and puffing away and will move when you press down on the end, until it stops again. I have tried adding some lead tape but there isnt much room in the shell. Anyone else have this problem? I really like the locomotive.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
Let's assume you have an HO model. And every so often it stops moving, but the wheels keep on turning, slipping on the rail? And the lights stay on, a second indication (other than wheels turning) that the locomotive is getting power? And you are running plain DC?
If this is the case, it sounds to me like your locomotive is catching on something, a turnout, an uncoupling magnet, a track nail that didn't get pushed down all the way, anything. I have a Bachmann 44 tonner that would stall on uncoupling magnets and turnouts. Bachmann very kindly mailed me replacement truck bottom covers, gratis, the original covers had been molded too thick and were striking things in the trackwork. Does the locomotive always get stuck at the same place on your layout? If so it suggests a problem in the trackwork.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
It is HO and I run DCC, Power Cab w/an SB5 booster. I havent noticed if the wheels are slipping on the rails, but it is definitely getting power. It is not particular about where it stalls, I dont use track nails and I dont use uncoupler magnets. I had that 44 tonner at one time and got tired of it, it just never ran right so I switched to this locomotive for swtiching my yard.
It could be the wire on the uncoupler, might need adjusting, or the coupler itself is sagging? I've had them ketch on road xings or switch frogs.
Den.
Nope, the coupler is not sagging. I have had sagging coupler issues before on other cars. It is an obvious problem and an easy fix.
Gear disingagement? Had that happen once on an MDC shay, retaining cover would come loose on the truck.
rrebell, what does that mean?
On the bottom of some diesel trucks they have a cover plate to hold everything in place, sometimes a top plate or other. What happened with the MDC is the cover plate did not latch correctly so would work loose and the gears would not mesh so motor would run but no movement. Depending on the truck the non latching could be elsewhere like the type that use two halves ect.
I don't have anything with sound, but my experience with a loco that you need to press down on slightly, when it stalls, one side of a truck was lifting or dropping, ever so little, to cause the power loss, and loss of a contact.
When I have a trouble spot like that, I just creep the loco over it, and get my eyes as close as I can, and watch what happens, using a light to help to see whats going on.
Mike.
My You Tube
Ok, I'll what I can figure out.
But, Mike, the other locos dont act like the SW1200. and there is no complete power loss, the engine sounds keep coming. and there does not appear to be a trouble spot. The loco is an equal opportunity staller.
If the sounds and everything keep working (does the headlighjt stay lit?) then ther is no power loss, it's a mechanical problem, not electrical. Perhaps try running it with the shell off to see if the motor is spinning which would indicate a problem with the gears, or if the motor also stops, which means there may be a problem with the motor.
It should be fairly easy to tell if the wheels are spinning in place just by looking at them when the loco is stuck.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
FAntastic Randy...thanks, I will trouble shoot later on.
Have you talked to BLI? Mine did the same thing when it was new. Bad decoder. BLI sent new and runs fine.
Gary
No, Gary I havent...Boing, I should have had a V8.