Supercharge a 0-4-0?!

[jettrainfan]

Well, you know the old 1970's 80's controllers with th e wires conectiong to the track? i have2(bachmann and tyco) and use bachmann's. to day, i8 could not start my 0-4-0(no surprise their) So i tried to see if it worked with the older controller, nope, so i tried to put 1 wire on both sides of the engine and touch the copper pickup with them, they worked! then i put it back on the rails and i forgot to put the E-Z controller on 0 so it went flying! is this the best way to start a ho scale loco of any kind?!

[Jim Banner]

If I understand correctly, you had both controllers in series.  At 16 volts each, that would be about 32 volts RMS or about 45 volts peak.  If the locomotive had a decoder, we can kiss that good bye.  Absolute maximum voltage for a decoder in around 30 volts or even less.

Lights in the locomotive?   Maybe 12 volt bulbs?  Their typical 1000 hour life at 12 volts get shortened down to about 10 seconds at 32 volts.  Now you see it, now you don't.

How about a 12 volt motor on 32 volts?  If not otherwise restrained, the speed will probably go high enough that the windings will expand due to centrifugal force, causing them to jam the motor up.  But the lack of lubrication or improper lubrication that caused the motor to not start in the first place probably saved the motor at the cost of overheating the plastic gears and possibly melting the plastic pins they turn on.

Bottom line, this is NOT the best way to start an H0 locomotive.  If you are having problems starting it, trying cleaning and lubricating it, using plastic compatible oils and greases.  If you need help with this, just ask.

Having said all that, I must confess that when I was about your age, I discovered that I could get my 0-27 MARX locomotive to start by putting it on the heater that we had in our basement.  I know now that the problem was gummed up oil and grease.  But back then, I was only looking for a solution.  This worked pretty well until the day I forgot about my locomotive while I did something else.  By the time I remembered, it was hot enough to burn the details of the die cast boiler into the palm of my hand.  And that was how my dad found out what I had been doing.  He was an understanding fellow.  He took my locomotive to the local hobby shop for repairs, where the owner told him he had never seen a locomotive so desperately in need of lubrication.

Jim   

[jettrainfan]

Well, here is the problem, i got my grandpa to lube it(what a understanding guy! and it worked fine, he cleaned the wheels but their was some kind of grease on the center gear that pokes out the bottom. which connects to another. I did tell him but he said that might not be a problem. so it has been on my mind. He kept saying how strange that the wheels were not that dirty but can barely move on the rails when i told him. So i guess i better explain a bit more clearer. I got the wires to touch the pick so it can move(it was no where near the track) then i put it back on the rails and it went flying because i forgot to put the controller on 0.

I'm sorry but i make that wording mistake a lot and to be honest, any question(even the ones i may regret asking at times, not yet) on model railroading or railroading , i ask my grandpa or on ask the bachmann. Thank you!