IHC Steamer Problem...

[Anonymous]

[V]Well after a very long 8 weeks and many screw-ups at IHC, I finally received my 2-6-0 Mogul from them.

With much anticipation and bated breath I couldn't wait to get it homeand give it a test run. Once the kids were safely tucked in their beds and the wife was off doing her own thing, I headed down into the basement. I carefully unboxed my newest engine and placed her gingerly on the rails. My first impression was "Wow! She's really small compared to my K4 4-6-2!" But, then again, that's why I ordered her. I needed a smaller steamer which would have no issues with my tight 18" radius turns. Anyway...back to the story...

I connected my power pack, set the direction (DC pack) to start the engine in motion. Incredibly...nothing happened. I boosted the throttle bit by bit until it was all the way up....Nothing happened. I touched the tender, mind you...barely touched the tender, and she took off at full throttle! "Okay" I said, "That was weird." The loco ran quickly around the first tight turn it encountered and then started doing something I can only describe as a "Yip". Starting and stopping as if the power were being switched off and on, until finally it stopped cold. I touched the tender again, giving it a little boost, if you will and it jumped back to life. I took the shell off the unit and checked to make sure that the wiring was all nice and secure, and it seemed solid. I put it back together and gave it another run. Same thing, and the "yip" isn't happening at any specific location on my layout. To me, the symptom seems like the gears are slipping or not meshing properly.

Has anyone seen anything like this before? Was it fixable? How was it fixed?

Trevor
8x4 HO Layout powered by a Bachmann Magnum

[ndbprr]

Your problem is intermittent power pick up. Don't know this engine so can only speculate. You said you just touched the tender. Does it use the tender for power pick up? If so check the axle wipers for dirt and contact. Then work your way to through the system. If it does have tender pick up there should be a wire under the drawbar that makes contact with the pin on the engine. In any case your problem usually isn't too serious. You just need to work your way through the pick up system until you find where the problem is. A pair of alligator clips on the rails can help you by connecting one to the engine and then touching various areas to determine where the problem is. At some point it will run or won't.

[Anonymous]

More info....

I also tried running it in reverse with the same result. I gave the front end a little push, just a tap, and off it went.

The unit does pick up power from the main drive wheels and the tender. The tender contacts are all touching the axle as I would expect and the contact bushings on the drive wheels all seem to be touching as well. I will have more time tonight to run a more thorough diagnostic, but if anyone has experienced this sort of problem I'd love your input on probable causes and solutions.

Thanks gang,
Trevor

[Pennsy58]

If there is a pin connector between the engine and the tender check the wires for tighness in the pin socket. unplug and re-plug the socket. Had a different ihc steamer act similar and it was the wiring harness.

[Anonymous]

It's obviously ready for the trash pile.

Tell you what - just send it to me, and I'll make sure and take care of throwing it away for you...

Just kidding...

Good luck. It does sound like an electrical problem rather than a mechanical bind. If it were a bind, I'd also look for a short. Does your power pack indicate that it might be shorting at all? If so, it wouldn't move. Then, if your "bump" cleared the short, it would take off. A side rod shorting against a leading or trailing truck might account for the "yipping" around a curve.

Good luck!

Rob

[TomDiehl]

Since you say this is a new engine, I'd return it for replacement. There may be some minor problem with it, or something you may find will cause you to damage it by trying to get to it. Most new items come with at least a 90 day warranty, but if you disassemble it, you may void the warranty.

This sounds like more than just needing a break in run. Let the manufacturer worry about it. With the current prices of these things, they should at least run when you get them.

[Anonymous]

Clean the track then clean the track again. It sounds like you have a bad pick-up problem. Start with the track and then clean the wheels and try again.

-OT

[Anonymous]

Don't think it's track related. My Atlas GP-7, and Bachmann Spectrum K4 4-6-2 both run smoothly over the same track.

TomDiehl, ummm thanks for the "return to sender" idea, but after the hassle it took just getting the unit in the first place, I'd rather not have to deal with IHC ever again. I'll work on the loco myself and if I fix it I fix it, otherwise, I chalk it up to a bad experience and move on.

Thanks for all of your input guys. Much appreciated,
Trevor

[Blind Bruce]

Trevor,
If all these tips fail, you may have a "dead spot" in the motor. If that is the case you may need to return it to IHC in spite of the hassle. A telephone call to their customer service is sometimes better than a letter and definitely better than e mail. If it were me, I would return it.
BB

[Anonymous]

I have an IHC Pacific with the same problem. It seemed worse after I installed a decoder. I do not believe it is related to electrical pickup. It may be something binding in the drivetrain or, as was suggested, a flat spot in the motor. I have run it at high speed quite a bit, giving it a nudge when needed, and it is improving. I had it running quite smoothly in reverse, even at slow speed.

I also had a mogul which ran beautifully but suddenly developed a problem. I wondered if it was because I had parked it over a large under-the -track magnet for some time. When I traded it in at my LHS, we discovered that it was shorting somehow, causing other engines on the track to stop also.

[Anonymous]

Man, that stinks! Don't you just hate it when you finally get a chance to run your new locomotive after waiting FOREVER to get, and then it craps out on you? It's happened to me, and boy do I get frustrated!

Good luck with yor 2-6-0. Hope everything works out.

[Anonymous]

1st, exchange the unit.
2nd, refund.
3rd, then get a Spectrum 2-8-0 consolidation.

Every now & then we get stuck with a lemon but you don't have to eat it.

[JohnT14808]

While I have not had the same problem with the 2-6-0 Mogul that I have I might suggest:
Is the track level? Are all contact wheel sets contacting the track? How heavy is your tender? My tender has this HUGE weight in it...suppose that is there to keep the tender in contact with the track, along with improving pulling strength?
Another suggestion...test at a lower speed. No need to have the puppy jump from track to floor.......
[8D]

[Anonymous]

i once read in a model railroader book about maintaining model trains(i think, maybe it was somewhere else...), and it said that with new engines, the greese in the gear box often gets stiff with age, and just needs to be worked in but running around the track in diferent directions a few times.

[Anonymous]

I got a IHC pacific loco and it stops all by itself. Its not the tracks or anything else. I think that it is a little small loco also. The price was right and I was think of Buying a IHC hudson, but not if it does the same.,

[mechanic]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SILVERCHAMPION

I got a IHC pacific loco and it stops all by itself. Its not the tracks or anything else. I think that it is a little small loco also. The price was right and I was think of Buying a IHC hudson, but not if it does the same.,

Hi.
I just got my brand new Hudson back from IHC yesterday.
It was a returned Christmas present.
This loco suffers from a problem with the motor mount.There is nothing in the mount to keep the motor from "backing away" from the universal and the slack allows the universal to fall out and VOILA! the loco. wont move. Its a P.I.T.A.
Its fixable but I thought I'd give you a heads up.
I have a 2-6-0 and a 0-8-0 of theirs that run great though.
Their customer service/support really sucks BTW.
Oh almost forgot, the problem in the first post does sound alot like a bad connection somewhere and I'd def. ship it back.
Later
Eric

[Anonymous]

I had problems with a 2-8-0 from IHC that turned out to be a siderod hitting a siderod screw that was starting to back out of the threads in the driver. I made an engine cradle to hold the loco and tender upside down. I then took the leads from the power pack and touched them to the drivers and tender wheels that pickup electricity. I was looking for an electrical problem, but with the engine in that position was able to see the siderod hitting the screw head. Anyway, this is a good way of trouble shooting your loco and also starting the break-in of the unit. Let us know what you find out.

[Anonymous]

FYI...

I called IHC and spoke with customer service. They said to put what I told them on the phone into a letter and return the loco with it.

So I wrote the letter while at work, and set it aside. I forgot to bring it home with me. So Friday night I'm down in the train room. I put the little 2-6-0 on the track, just one more try... AMAZING! It runs just fine. No Yips or jump or starts. I have made no track changes (cleaning or otherwise) and done nothing with the little loco. I'm beginning to think I'm a little loco[:p]

So I think I'll hold onto it and give it a few more runs before my 90day warrantee runs out.

Thanks to all who offered suggestions.

Trevor