Overly Sensitive Stewart Switcher

[Anonymous]

About a year and a half ago my wife and kids gave me a Stewart Baldwin S-12 end cab switcher. I had been coveting one at the LHS for some time. The locomotive works very well at crawl speed. The problem is that I get way too many derailments on any trackwork that is less than perfect. It also does not seem to handle tight radius'. I have no problems over the same stretches of track with my Atlas', Blue Box, Bachmannn or IHC locomotives. I even ran a friend's Rivorosi steamer over my layout and had no derailments. Yes, some of the turns are tight but it doesn't make sense that an end cab switcher would have problems with turns that six axle diesels handle with ease. Consequently, it is used less than any other locomotive on my layout.

Anyone else have these sort of problems with a Stewart? Is there something I can do short of re-laying all my track to get it to handle tighter turns? I'd like nothing more than to have my S-12 to see more duty during my operating sessions.

[Anonymous]

I don't have one, but I would check it's wheel spacing with your standards gage. I know not much help, you proabally have already done this.

[BRAKIE]

I test ran mine and found it to be a nice runner but,didn't like switches..Not the Atlas switch it's the engine since all other engines and cars go though this switch with no problems...The wheels are in gauge..I will work on it some day..I suspect a wire might be binding one of the trucks...

[nedthomas]

As Brakie stated the wires from the trucks may be binding. Electrical pickup is via a metal bar behind the side frame. This bar has a hole in each end for the axle to ride in and the pickup wire is attached to this bar. Another problem I had was the gear box covers not clearing the rail head. If not seated right they will pick the rail on a switch. Had trouble with some Kadee ramps being to high.
My unit also had electrical pickup problems. The pickup bar just floats and was not making good contact with the axle ends. I bent the bar so the axles carry some of the engine weight. As shipped the weight is carried by the bearings in the gear box. After a few hours running time this was corrected. The engine now runs great.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. I'm trying to adjust the position of the wires but they are stubborn and keep slipping back.

I took her apart to try and make some adjustments and now she's grinding worse than a blue box. But at least a blue box can handle a Peco curved turnout.

Well, back to the drawing board.

[Anonymous]

The sideframes of the trucks keep hitting the rear motor mount. Is there any way to raise or change the position of the rear motor mount without throwing the drive shaft out of alignment?

[nedthomas]

RevMattCNJ
Looking at my engine again it appears I shaved a little plastic off the motor mount. The front truck has more clearance than the rear truck. The wheel flange of the rear truck hits the motor mount and the front truck just clears. Turn the engine over an check the clearance with a piece of 18" radius snap track laid on the wheels. Another but not the best solution is to trim the brake shoes off the truck frame.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ned.

It looks like I'll be getting out the hobby knife.

[bogp40]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BRAKIE

I test ran mine and found it to be a nice runner but,didn't like switches..Not the Atlas switch it's the engine since all other engines and cars go though this switch with no problems...The wheels are in gauge..I will work on it some day..I suspect a wire might be binding one of the trucks...

The wires on all the newer Stewart drives (Fs as well as the Baldwins) are very heavy and not flexable. This would never be a problem with the F chassis due to the overall weight, but the Baldwin switchers are not that heavy and any binding or stiffness of the wires could cause trouble.
Bob K.