Thanks all!
Mel - yes, it does run normal. I bought the engine from ebay so I doubt walthers will replace anything under warrenty.
Ed - yea, they're a beaut!
Hrvoje - proto steam engines are a real pain to open. The 0-6-0 is a bit easier than their 2-10-2 and 2-8-4s which are a nightmare.
Here's instructions for disassembly. This is for anyone who's having trouble and lands on this forum page in the future.
To open the engine up:
1. remove the screw in the smoke stack.
2. remove the screw that secures the wiring plug, and lift the plug away.
3. That should reveal another screw hidden underneath. Remove that screw.
4. remove the firebox ashpans(?). I used a plastic screwdriver to gentely pry them out. They are press fit.
5. un-plug the flexible piping under the cab from their socket. There's one on each end. This is because the piping is both mounted to the boiler and the chassis. They are also press fit.
6. carefully lift the boiler off the chassis by pulling up from the cab area. Then swing the boiler shell over the smokebox.
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This is all fine and dandy, accessing the motor is far harder and it is likely something will snap.
To access the motor:
1. remove the bottom plate holding the wheels, and unscrew the second rear bottom plate.
2. gently pull out the essentric cranks on both sides, they are press fit. (I thought they were screws once and almost broke mine by twisting mine off!)
3. remove wheels and springs.
4. remove the cylinder/piston rod/crosshead/bell crank(?)/essentric rod/essentric crank/etc piece, it is mounted to the boiler via press fit plastic into the metal chassis. The part where the bell crank connects to the chassis likes to snap. Take your time.
5. (optional) also remove the delicate gear reach rod from each side.
6. now you're left with the split metal frame assembly, which holds the motor, light board, and wire harness in place. Note how the light board is located and held. There are three screws that hold the two pieces of metal together. Two are visible, the third screw is hidden underneath the press fit "plastic leaf spring detail piece" where the drivers are. You will have to break one piece off that covers the screw.
7. once you wiggle open the split frame, you can finally reach the motor.
Cheers!
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
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Dear Charles,
thank you for really extensive and detailed instructions. I tried to follow it, but I simply cannot remove the boiler without fearing that some part will break. I have Proto 2-10-2 and yes, it was nightmare to open it. But this one simply does not give up - even when I have done all you wrote, cab is still firm and cannot be lifted even a milimeter. The front is loose, but rear is the problem.
I wanted to open it to install cab light and maybe firebox flicker, two details which I add to all my steam locomotives. I know it can be done without boiler removal, but when boiler is removed, it is easier to position/hide the wires. I will try to figure something for cab light at least - it is not a must, just nice detail to have.
Ok, I also was curious - I wanted to see it from inside, I was like that since I was a kid - I had to disassemble everything -:)
Luckily the motor and the whole drivetrain is working normally, I just lubed the gears and axles (I removed bottom plate), locomotive glides on tracks. If wires or something else does not fail, I will not have the real reason to open it ever.
Regards,
Hrvoje
Yeah, that motor really looked dead to me... Good job !
Simon
Thanks Simon!
Spalato68 Ok, I also was curious - I wanted to see it from inside, I was like that since I was a kid - I had to disassemble everything -:)
I relate to that so much!
Did you remove the ashpans, and both screws underneath the cab?
Theres the one screw that holds the wiring hareness, then another below it.
Hope this helps,
Yes Charles, I did remove the ashpans, and both screws under the cab - one small holding the wiring harness, and the other, bigger below. But cab is still firm in place. This locomotive is so beautiful and runs perfectly that I do not want to risk any damage.
But never mind - until the motor/drivetrain fails, I will not have the reason to open it - hope it never will. The most important is that all gears can be lubed from the bottom, and front light is also easy to replace.
I managed to open the locomotive. The reason I could not is that I did not remove the ashpans, but some other detail part(s) on the bottom - ashpans are on the side. When I was aware of that, I removed them. After that, it was easy to remove the boiler and a cab in one piece, without braking anything.
I wanted to open the locomotive because after careful study of exploded view, I realized that I cannot lubricate the worm/worm gear from the bottom. The reason for that is one double gear, so if lubricated only from bottom, grease/oil cannot possibly reach all gears and finally worm.
So, for proper lubrication, a locomotive MUST be opened. After I opened it, I removed a lid covering the worm:
The worm was completely dry, despite the fact that I lubricated gears from below - so this was confirmation of my assumption/statement above. I used Labelle grease, and also light oil for gear axle of worm gear. Picture shows worm after lubrication.
After that I installed two LEDs for firebox flicker, and one in the cab for cab light. Blue wire of both was connected to existing blue wire, and the other two wires are going to tender. The cab light LED is also visible.
I also checked, just in case - a 13 mm cylindrical motor (e.g. Maxon) can be installed - this is good to know, if original motor fails and no replacement is available. On the picture below, I positioned such motor, but I will keep the original one - it works perfectly. I also added some lead in the shell, not much, but as space was available, why not to use it.
Looking good! Glad you could figure it out. My 0-6-0 could also use some weight. I like your idea of using rolled up lead sheet.