IT actualy is a stress crack, plastic that isnt "aged" properly shrinks by a certian percentage during that aging time frame. If its mounted to, say a metal axle or stub axle on diesels, that creates stress as the plastic shrinks and the metal axle does not. So you get a crack, usually along the mold parting line as that is the weakest point of the plastic casting. Seems to have become a fairly common issue but then again, most of our HO and O gauge trains come out just a couple different factories in China these days. So it spans multipule brands that come from the same base factory.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Well I have 3 possible causes and 2 are related. If they are Chinese in origin they often substitute off spec. cheaper unapproved material. Terrible problem if it us an airplane part but us trusting Americans think everybody deals fairly. The third thought is they were put on the axle hot and shrank initially or had induced stress afterward. Some plastics will try to revert to their original shape with time which could have stressed the wheels
That's what I have. Dual mode decoder, I haven't added sound, mine is decorated for the early BNSF merger, but says ATSF on the box.
I ordered new axle sets, should have them later this week.
I first noticed it, while removing the wheels for cleaning, and cleaning the contact strip.
While cleaning the wheels, I noticed they turned freely, so I took a closer look, and discovered the cracked sleeve.
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewi peahrens I'm curious, what year was the loco produced (roughly)? I'd have to search as find out. It's a black box cover, clear window to see loco, and called the Master Series. I'll have to look at the dates on the instruction sheets. It's a dual mode decoder, you move a jumper, from one side of the plug, to the other, to set to DC or DCC. I have 3 of these, bought NOS, that have been out of the box, only to make sure it runs. This particular loco, has been my switcher for the last 2 years. Mike.
peahrens I'm curious, what year was the loco produced (roughly)?
I'd have to search as find out. It's a black box cover, clear window to see loco, and called the Master Series.
I'll have to look at the dates on the instruction sheets.
It's a dual mode decoder, you move a jumper, from one side of the plug, to the other, to set to DC or DCC.
I have 3 of these, bought NOS, that have been out of the box, only to make sure it runs.
This particular loco, has been my switcher for the last 2 years.
Mike thanks for the heads up. Does your box look like this box? I just pulled one GP-38 off the track and I have at least one cracked axle sleeve also, the gear shows no crack. The loco. never shown signs of slippage. All though I did not pull all four axles. I had this loco. on the layout since 12/10/2000. It came with the Dual-Mode Decoder #340 with the jumper. It now has a WOW Sound Decoder. It has been worked single and in MU setup. Loco. was put in box for photo. Needs a good cleaning, lots of fuzz around the axles.
Wheel set #850302, 14 tooth
peahrensI'm curious, what year was the loco produced (roughly)?
LastspikemikeNIB Proto 2000 tank car kits. I replaced the plastic wheels with metal ones.
Someone must have substituted the wheelsets. All the L-L Proto 2000 freight car kits I've ever built came with metal wheels.
LL_wheelsets by Edmund, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
I'm curious, what year was the loco produced (roughly)?
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Discovered something new to me, and a FYI for others.
Tearing down my designated switcher for cleaning, I discovered the axle gears are cracked, on all 4 axles.
It's a wonder that it even moved! Not cracked through the gear, but all the way through the sleeve that the wheel fits in, on both sides.
I just ordered new wheel sets, they come assembled with the gear.