The combination of a few drops of alcohol plus taking an old blade from an Exacto knife to clean out the space between the housing and the gear wheel has freed up the mechanism so the motor can now turn it. At first it was rather sluggish but soon began turning more freely although I noticed in one direction it wasn't turning quite as freely as the other. Also, I had not yet screwed the motor housing back into place and was holding it down with my thumb as I was testing it and when it turn in the direction that was a little stubborn, I noticed some vibration and felt the housing trying to pop out of place. I also put a couple drops of Labelle oil on the axle of the gear wheel and that helped some too. I'd like to get it turning freely in both directions before I reassemble the housing and put the bridge back in place. Hopefully just a little cleaning and maybe a few drops of oil in the internal gears as well.
Trainman440 If you dont mind removing the paint along with the crud Id recommend isopropyl Alcohol 91%. I use it to clean track and grease/dirt off of loco wheels/gearboxes. Will damage paint though BUT it wont melt plastic. Charles
If you dont mind removing the paint along with the crud Id recommend isopropyl Alcohol 91%. I use it to clean track and grease/dirt off of loco wheels/gearboxes. Will damage paint though BUT it wont melt plastic.
Charles
This sounds like it's worth trying. I don't think the housing is painted. It appears to be molded gray plastic. Since this gear is at the end of the TT bridge and below the surface, even if it would get discolored, it wouldn't be visible.
Might also try a spray electronic contact cleaner. Plastic safe and should evaporate without leaving a residue that could pick up crud.
Mike
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Modeling the Santa Fe & Pennsylvania in HO
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This is the original non-DCC version. As I mentioned in another thread, my layout sits idle for most of the warm weather months (golf season) and each year I have to start out with a major track cleaning task and usually find a few other bugs that crop up, largely due to the layout becoming a mouse playground in my absence. I've come across a problem with the gear drive on the TT and I've traced the problem to a frozen gear wheel, the one the rides on the cogs around the ring. I've been able to turn the wheel with the tip of a small screwdriver but it takes a good deal of effort and it doesn't surprise me that the small motor on the TT would be unable to get it to budge. I'm guessing that crud has built up between the wheel and housing preventing that wheel from turning easily but it is difficult to tell for sure because the housing has plastic parts that are glued together and it seems to me I'd risk breaking them if I try to disassemble it.
I've thought of the old stand by WD-40 but I fear that might just cause more crud to collect. I'm wondering if others have had this problem and what they did to free up the wheel. If WD-40 is not the solution, what sort of cleaning products might free up this wheel without taking the housing apart. If it is necessary to disassemble it, what advice would others have for how to do it.