Hello,
I recently bought a used Tyco Rock Island sharknose diesel. After cleaning the wheels (which were filthy) and oiling it, I got it to run, but there's a problem. Why does it take so much power to run it? I literally have to turn my controller up more than halfway (and it's a big power pack, too) to get it to barely crawl. Anybody know what the issue is? Additionally, I probably need to take the motor truck out to fix any problems, but I can't figure out how to do that, either. Is the mounting the same as on the Mantua power trucks? I'm a little worried about cracking the shell when I try to pry it off. Lastly, where can I get new traction tires for it?
Thank you,
Matthew Cheng
Come check out my Youtube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlaF4fvDX1brq6YOeODLPw
Trainzguy2472I recently bought a used Tyco Rock Island sharknose diesel.
Because it's a tyco?
According to HOSeeker, I'm surpised it doesn't have a "pancake" motor, but an open frame motor.
You need to get it the shell off and go through it. You might have gotten oil where it doesn't belong.
Here's a diagram from HOSeeker.net. You can go there yourself, and look it up.
If this isn't what you have, you'll need to search around for yourself.
Traction tires can be found on Ebay.
Good luck,
Mike.
My You Tube
Try, Tycodepot.com
Wow, who new? A forum for Tyco fans.
The best option for these, unless you want to try to save the Tyco drive, is to swap in the chassis from an old Athearn blue box era EMD F7(with the plastic side frames) then swap the side frames on the trucks for the ones that Athearn used on the GE locomotives. That will make the Shark run as good as she looks. From the factory, only the metal shell Sharks had the Mantua open frame motor trucks. The plastic body Sharks had the Powrtorq pancake motor, which can be made to run pretty good, but it takes a wee bit of work to tune them to prevent gear strippage and motor burn out. They are also maintance hogs with thier very small motor shafts needing attention quite often as under oiling or over oiling(way to easy to do on these) can cause major issues. The Tyco forum has a whole FAQ sticky on working on these. Mike
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
The HO Seeker drawing that Mike copied and posted is the old metal body sharknose kit. Early 1950s. The motors back then took high amperage and the power supplies of the time provided it. The OP's power supply, if it is of more recent vintage, might just lack the needed oomph. Of course dirt on the commutator, weakened magnets, and just overall wear and tear might be the causes too.
Tyco might not even have been a name Mantua used back when this sharknose was offered. At first Tyco was the name used for ready to run; Mantua was for kits. No difference in quality. That changed.
If they had a plastic one later that would likely be Tyco but with an entirely different drive train.
Dave Nelson
rbturner Try, Tycodepot.com
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