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The same thing happened to me only with an Athearn 2-8-2 light Mikado. The problem was the contact surface between the wheel axles and the bushings they ride in within the engine frame. It was a painstaking job, but I took the engine apart and found that the main gear drive was way overlubricated and after running the engine a while, lube had flowed onto the axles, affecting the electrical contact surfaces which led to the surging problem. I cleaned the axles and bushings with goo gone on a Q tip, relubricated sparingly, and reassembled the engine. After that the Mike operated perfectly smoothly again. I don't recommend this procedure, however, unless you have some experience with steam loco disassembly, good eyes, good dexterity, and lots of patience. It's not an easy job even for someone who has done it before. If you are uncomfortable at all, take it back to the store you bought it from and have them clean it or replace it. <br /> <br />Before you do anything, though, try simply cleaning the drive wheels with goo gone. This could also cause the problem. <br /> <br />Good Luck!
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