Rich,
Sorry, I didn't answer you,,,but SOO Line,Jim,,said I'm a ''Dentist'' now..
Cheers,
Frank
aha, thanks, Randy.
Rich
Alton Junction
He removed the metal strip and replaced it with wires. Common BB upgrade for better performance. The metal strip is a less than ideal path for the power, it tarnishes, and never really presses that hard against the truck tab because it would skew the trucks if it did.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I still want to know why the OP felt the need to rewire the loco in the first place.
zstripe Jim, I believe the OP,gave up on this thread and so do I.. I'VE come to the conclusion,,,that I am not a ''Dentist''.. Cheers, Frank
Jim,
I believe the OP,gave up on this thread and so do I.. I'VE come to the conclusion,,,that I am not a ''Dentist''..
Frank,
I think your doing a fine job.........................
Jim
Yes I remembered the springs so that wasn't the problem and I wen't and cleaned the wheels again. I placed the locos on the track and they seem to run much better now. I don't know how much that really helped but it seems to have. Thanks all for the help.
Kev
Can't stop working on the railroad!
A voltage reading at the rails with the trains running WOT would be nice..................................
Guess I'll ask the obvious .... when you reassembled the motor (assuming you removed the copper clips on the motor to solder wires to them) - did you remember to re-install the brush springs ? Without the springs, the brushes will just float. With a missing spring on the top brush, it will still work because gravity will place the brush on the commutator, but without the spring pressure it will be very weak.
Did you pull the motor apart ? Pulling the armature out can weaken the magnetic field giving you a weaker motor. Pulling the magnets and getting one in backwards will cause weakness as well.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
KEV,
Check this out;;;www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_tuneup.HTML
RRaddict I thought I would be smart so today I decided to re wire my early Athearn F-7 A and B units. I ran wires from the positive side of the trucks to the top of the motor where the copper is and I ran a wire from the negative side to the bottom copper piece that meets the chassy. Both locomotives run fine except now I cannot get them to go in the same direction. Can someone please tell me where I may have gone wrong? The Locomotives are DC with no DCC. Kevin
I thought I would be smart so today I decided to re wire my early Athearn F-7 A and B units. I ran wires from the positive side of the trucks to the top of the motor where the copper is and I ran a wire from the negative side to the bottom copper piece that meets the chassy. Both locomotives run fine except now I cannot get them to go in the same direction. Can someone please tell me where I may have gone wrong? The Locomotives are DC with no DCC.
Kevin
Kevin, this is your original post. When you first rewired the A and B units, did they both run fast even though they ran in the opposite directions?
The fact that you rewired the two locos may be the key to the problem. What size wire did you use? What type of wire did you use?
Why did you rewire them in the first place?
What is the Power pack you are using,,Tech ll what,they have different model's and outputs??Plus,they don't make Tech ll's anymore..
I have run them seperately and still not much power so I am at a loss. There is much to take apart inside these things but everything looks and feels solidly connected. Thanks
MAXMAN,
Yeah,,I missed the trucks,part,,,but I was still under the impression,that the A was the one he said was OK..
Anyway,,,something is not right.....I hope he takes the advice,of running them separate on the track,one at a time,with the reversing switch set to the left,on the power pack....We won't see,,,but maybe we'll find out..
zstripeNow you have me confused,,,you said the A-unit was the one that worked OK....Now you say that is the one you changed,,one truck?? If it had traction tires,there would be a groove in the wheel for the tire to sit in...
No, he said "trucks", so that would have been both of them. I don't know of any Athearn units that had a traction tire, but I suppose that is within the realm of possibility.
Not going "fast" and only being able to pull three cars are two different things. Unless he's pulling bricks uphill, each of those Athearn units should be capable of pulling 15 to 20 cars on the level. Something is going on that he's not seeing. Either the engines are fighting each other and he has not really corrected whichever was incorrect, or there is a motor and/or drivetrain issue. Or his power pack is not putting out the proper voltage.
Now you have me confused,,,you said the A-unit was the one that worked OK....Now you say that is the one you changed,,one truck?? If it had traction tires,there would be a groove in the wheel for the tire to sit in...How will it run, with only the A-unit pulling a train?? Tech ll,,,,What Model? If it was a Tech ll 1500 power pack,,should be good for sometimes,three BB Engines...I don't understand,,the only pulling three car part, with the A&B powered,,,,,,,Are you sure,,your not dragging,one of those units,,,for instance the B ?? Like I said try them both,,one at a time on the track,,with the power pack reversing switch to the left,for both of them..they should both singly move in the same direction,,without having to move the reversing switch on the power pack....The only Athearn that will fly off the track at high speed,,,was the rubber band drive...that's what you probably were thinking..
Right now the layout is a simple oval of track which is clean and all rail joints are joined perfectly. I don't want this thing to run like the ICE train but right now it doesn't have enough power to pull more than 3 cars. It weighted properly and my wire connections are solid. The one thing I don't see is a traction tire but I am not sure if there is suppose to be one. I would have to say they run smooth with no herking or jerking while running. I have a Tech II transformer. I have an MTH DCS system also but I don't think it can run DC only locomotives. Any other suggestions? Thanks
RRaddictI have resolved the problem by reversing the A units trucks and now they chase each other without a problem.
I sure hope you changed the one that was wrong, and not the one that was already correct.
Then the train is moving the LEFT rail should be (-) and the RIGHT rail should be (+).
Too Slow?
What about your wires, are they heavy enough? Does your power supply put out enough power?
Older locomotives draw much more power than the new ones. Ergo New power packs with old locomotives might not have enough power for two units.
What do they do on a test bench? Maybe there are issues with the layout, dirty rails, loose rail joiners etc.
How fast did you want them to go anyway. Are they running smoothly at the lower speed? They *are* supposed to be locomotives, not jack rabbits.
(All the Rabbits have been eaten)
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I have resolved the problem by reversing the A units trucks and now they chase each other without a problem. A new problem has arisen though or I think it has. The units both A&B don't seem to have enough power. I have cleaned the wheels and oiled where needed. It seems they are just running too slow, they are older Athearns but look to be in good condition. I checked to see if there were any obstructions to interfere with the drives. I am very unfamiliar with DC HO locomotives since I haven't ran any in about 35 years but I seem to remember these things running so fast they would derail if not carefull. Any advice concerning this would be appreciated.
No, you'd have to flip it upside-down. Just ask our Aussie friends.
Why not turn the the layout around? Shouldn't that fix it?
Ron High
There you go Randy,,,Build one!!!
rrinker Could have an AC motor with a method to reverse the field polarities - Lionel's been doing that for a LONG time. Hmm, a modern solid state version small enough for an HO loco...... --Randy
Could have an AC motor with a method to reverse the field polarities - Lionel's been doing that for a LONG time. Hmm, a modern solid state version small enough for an HO loco......
I really don't believe that needs an answer,,,,but until they find a way,to miniaturize a transmission to fit in a Train Model to change direction,,they will have to use a DC motor,to change direction,by polarity of the motor...nuff said..
zstripe Rich, Well,,,one thing is for certain,,whether,it be,DC or DCC,or Battery,,,,,It will still have a DC motor.. Cheers, Frank
Well,,,one thing is for certain,,whether,it be,DC or DCC,or Battery,,,,,It will still have a DC motor..
For certain?
How can you be certain, Frank?
BroadwayLion Back on the big railroad similar issues obtain.
Back on the big railroad similar issues obtain.
Hey, LION, you set off a firestorm over there on the Trains Forum.
The responses are more plentiful than a herd of wildebeests.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL "turn the loco around" - Are you smarter than than a 5th grader? Why do I spend so l little time on here any more? Just turn the loco around - are you smarter than a 5th grader? So long, I have to go do grown up things the rest of the day - and then build some model trains later. Sheldon
"turn the loco around" - Are you smarter than than a 5th grader?
Why do I spend so l little time on here any more?
Just turn the loco around - are you smarter than a 5th grader?
So long, I have to go do grown up things the rest of the day - and then build some model trains later.
Sheldon
LOL
Sheldon, don't you think that you are overreacting....just a little bit?
The world - - - er, forum - - - would be a little less interesting place without you.
Wonder what will happen when radio control or battery operated replaces both DC and DCC?