Hi ALL!I have this Rivarossi 4-8-8-4 HO Big Boy that's running sluggish. It's from 1997, been sitting around in it's box. All I want to do is flip it on it's belly and add power so I can oil it abd see how well it's running. This is usually simple on most Loco's. I've tried looking around the usual spots to add power and get it running upside down, it won't. It will run if you put it on a track, and this is without the tender. So what am I missing here ? Feeling real stupid here !!!
Help !! Ted
The electrical pickup of Rivarossi's Big Boy is pretty poor. They have contact "plungers" touching 4 out of 16 drive wheels, and possibly have 2 wheels picking up on each of the trucks. If the trucks are wired, they're going to the same rail as whatever set of drive wheels they're connected to. It's all a matter of finding them.
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I have one too and have added electrical pickup so I have 16 or so wheel pickup--can't remember, but there might be one or two I couldn't. I used PC board and soldered on some wipers. There are articles about this on the internet.
Anyway, the front engine picks up power on one side and the rear engine picks up power on the other. As the previous poster said.
Richard
If wired to standard, then the right hand rail/drivers, facing forward, is red+ and the left rail/drivers and/or tender is black- for forward motion. Might try hooking the black to the drawbar and probing the red lead on the drivers until you find one that gets power to the motor, then work from there to get a better connection?
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
TeddyB Hi ALL!I have this Rivarossi 4-8-8-4 HO Big Boy that's running sluggish. It's from 1997, been sitting around in it's box. All I want to do is flip it on it's belly and add power so I can oil it abd see how well it's running. This is usually simple on most Loco's. I've tried looking around the usual spots to add power and get it running upside down, it won't. It will run if you put it on a track, and this is without the tender. So what am I missing here ? Feeling real stupid here !!! Help !! Ted
I had the same problem
Mine was circa 97 and sat in my display cabinet
The original lubrication turned the consistency of chewing gum
Had the repair guy at the local hobby shop clean it out and relube
Runs great now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPxC5bamYns&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
51% share holder in the ME&O ( Wife owns the other 49% )
ME&O
I don't know about the newer ones, but the old ones have the motor in the cab. The feeds to the brushes were exposed in the cab.
Hi ALL!Thanks for all the ideas ! Attaching power to the draw bar did the trick ! I was easily able to able power after that. I have this ZEP 45 stuff, Teflon impregnated spay, I sprayed a little in a cup, used a Q-tip, then dabbed it on the moving parts, I could here it work, things started loosening up, she was on her way !
Thanks Again, Ted