Old locomotive repair

[DaleS]

I have an old (maybe 55 years) HO locomotive. It ran fine 5 years ago. It is made of metal but not brass. There are no manufacture's id on it. Most of my dad's train cars were Roundhouse, I don't know about the locomotive. I am kind of new to the HO world but I think it is a steam locomotive. It was knocked of a shelf by a cat. I recently tried to run it and found the wheels would not move. Since it wouldn't work I took it apart and found the motor turned fine and so did the wheels. The motor is open on the sides and has a worm gear on the end that engages the wheel assembly. When they are fastened together nothing moves. While I would like to get in running I am not prepared to spend a fortune on it. I would have included a picture but I don't see how to do that. Any thoughts.

[mbinsewi]

Welcome Dale.  At the very top of the General Discussion forum is a "how to" for posting pictures. 

Check it out.

Mike.

[RR_Mel]

If it is a MDC/Roundhouse it requires a wire connected to the tender.  The wheels on the locomotive pickup power from one rail and the tender wheels pickup power from the other rail.

 

If the truck (wheels) on the tender have been rotated 180° they will not pickup power from the correct rail.  If the wire between the tender and the locomotive isn’t in tact the motor won’t get power.

 

Figure out how to post pictures and that will help ID the locomotive.

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[richg1998]

A picture will help a lot. Possibly a MDC loco. All my MDC locos have a open frame motor with a worm on the motor shaft that drives a worm gear on an intermediate shaft with a spur gear driving the spur gear on the driver axle. If you do not have that intermediate gear assembly than probably not an MDC loco.

I do have a real old MDC loco, 4-4-2 which is all metal with the worm on the motor driving a worm gear on the driver axle now that I remember. Probably 1950's vintage.

Rich

[dknelson]

When you say the wheels turn when the motor is removed, do you mean the engine can be rolled down the track and it rolls freely?  That would be good.  Or do you mean you can turn them with your fingers?  If a wheel was knocked out of quarter or is at an angle on the axle that could cause the engine not to run.

Quite possibly the tumble to the floor caused the side rods or main rods to bend and bind. 

When troubleshooting this sort of thing, the way I'd go is to remove the motor -- do the wheels turn freely down the track then with the rods all attached?  If not remove the side rods again -- I think you indicate the wheels turned freely then.  THen you add rods back one at a time, and test for turning with the wheels on the track, until the wheels stop turning freely and you have found your problem, perhaps a simple matter of flattening a bent side rod.

But if all rods are back in place, the motor is reinstalled and it still does not run then we are likely talking an electrical and not a mechanical problem.  It is very easy when re assembling a steam locomotive kit to get one of the wheels turned around. You need all the insulated sides of the wheels on one side of the engine, and all the insulated sides of the wheels on the other side of the tender.  Very easy to get them crossed up creating a short circuit or, if all insulated wheels on both loco and tender are on the same side, no circuit at all.

Fortunately the assembly instructions for Model Die Casting/Roundhouse steam locomotive kits are on the very useful "HO Seeker" website.

http://hoseeker.net/mdcinstructions.html

Perhaps you can find your loco pictured there and read the original instructions.  That might help.

Dave Nelson

[snjroy]

Yup, a picture would help a lot. I have a few MDC locos. The ones I have can be identified by a tiny MDC loco on the side of the boiler, not too far from the smoke stack. It looks like a pressure plug... Older models, and those with thick paint () may not have this signature...

Simon

[DaleS]

Hi Dave

I was able to identify it at the link you sent.  It is a switcher kit 2-L*5-L5 0-6-0.

When disassembled the motor turns in my hand, the wheels turn freely in my hand.  I did notice that when placed on the tracks it takes a little downward pressure to make the wheels turn and they don't turn smoothly.  the motor will turn electrically but not if attached to the wheel assembly.  There is electricity where it needs to be to turn but it wont budge.  If there is no mechanical problem the must be a huge gear ratio in there.  I think something is binding but I can't imagine what.  I have checked that all the non insulated wheels on the tender are on the opposite side fron the non conductive wheels on the locomotive.  I have electricity at the motor but it does not turn if attached to the wheel assemble, even if I hot wire it.

The site you pointed to had the directions and they  suggest dismantling the whole thing and cleaning it good.  I may give that a try.

Thanks again for the help.

Dale Schultz

[RR_Mel]

I have two of the same locomotives.  The motor mount screw is critical to adjust the worm to gear mesh.  There are  two motor screws that are critical to correct alignment of the gears. 

 

 

Juggle the two screws until the motor worm to axle gear just clear each other.  Too loose and it will slip, too tight and it will stall.  It should run perfect when adjusted correctly.

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[doctorwayne]

DaleS

...I have checked that all the non insulated wheels on the tender are on the opposite side fron the non conductive wheels on the locomotive.....

Dale, it may only be the manner in which you expressed it, but you want the conductive wheels on the tender to be on the side opposite to the conductive wheels on the locomotive.  The current path is from one rail, through the conductive wheels upon it, then through the motor, then to the conductive wheels on the other side and then to the rail which they're on.

Wayne

[dinwitty]

If you can put the engine on the rails and the wheels turn freely, the motor worm gear may not be engaging, or the fall broke free one of the gears. The standard for older steam is pickup on the right side of the engine, the tender on the left side if you were looking overhead with the engine on top. Look for insulated wheels, usually the wheels have an insulation just under the tread, that will clue you. Be sure the wire is connected to the tender. I own one of these. What you may have to do is remove the boiler from the main frame and start inspecting parts. Check to see if the worm is meshing with the gear. If the motor mount screw is loose, just tighten it down. There may be more to the story on inspection, so just a few clues to look for.

[DaleS]

Thanks everybody.  I will be out of town for a week.  I will get back at this when I return.