Have GE U36B Diesel Engine, won't move, but lights up

[ksu_cowboy]

looking for troubleshooting information for a GE U36B Diesel Engine.  It lights up, but doesn't move either direction.  Need help to troubleshoot problem.

[Chris350]

Is it DC or DCC?  New out of box or "experienced"?  Clean and lubed? Does it make any noise when powered?  It could be any number of things if you can answer those questions it will help with diagnosis.

[ksu_cowboy]

It was new about 25 years ago and didn't run very much, less than an hour of run time.  How can you tell if it is DC or DCC?  My son want to have it running and I wold like to figure it out and get it going.  I'll have to listen a little closer to to see if I hear a hum.  I have not taken the engine apart.  Any help would be appreciated.

[RAM]

Is this the old pancake motor.  If it is, I found out the if you lift the brush holder up a little and let it flip back.  another thing is if you can turn the motor by hand.

[ABC]

If it was new 25 years ago, then the DCC would be a no unless someone hardwired a decoder. I think DCC was first prominent in the early 90's, at least that's when I first started hearing of it.

[jward]

this brings up a question.

since the only u36b's i know of that bachmann produced were the ones with the pancake motor, can they easily be upgraded by slipping the drive from a b23-7 under the body? these should be similar in dimensions.

[Chris350]

It was new about 25 years ago and didn't run very much, less than an hour of run time.  How can you tell if it is DC or DCC?  My son want to have it running and I wold like to figure it out and get it going.  I'll have to listen a little closer to to see if I hear a hum.  I have not taken the engine apart.  Any help would be appreciated.

As old as that seems to be I bet it needs to be disassembled and given a good clean and then a good lube to start.  If it does have the pancake motor as some suggest, I hear they are very trouble some.  My guess is that the mechanism is goof and clogged up.

[jward]

one of my first jobs out of high school was working for a man who had built a model railroad in a truck trailer. he hauled it to various fairs and charged admission. this man had connections at bachmann, and we had quite an extensive fleet of u36bs with pancake motors. due to the constant start and stop, 10 hours a day service we put them through, we wore them out rather quickly. one big problem with these was that as they heated upfrom extensive running, the motor bearings, which were plastic, would melt. if this has happened to your locomotive there is not much you can do except replace it.

what you need to checque for, to make sure the motor is still operable, is to make sure it turns freely. as i recall, if you press down hard on the locomotive, you should be able to roll it down the track, there will be alot of resistance, but the wheels should turn. tyco locomotives of the 1970s and 1980s were the same way. the motor is geared directly to the wheels, with no worm gear to impede movement, so you might even be able to turn the wheels by hand. if you can do this, then start checquing the wiring to make sure the motor is getting electricity.

[ABC]

what you need to checque for, to make sure the motor is still operable, is to make sure it turns freely. as i recall, if you press down hard on the locomotive, you should be able to roll it down the track, there will be alot of resistance, but the wheels should turn. tyco locomotives of the 1970s and 1980s were the same way. the motor is geared directly to the wheels, with no worm gear to impede movement, so you might even be able to turn the wheels by hand. if you can do this, then start checquing the wiring to make sure the motor is getting electricity.

Life-Like locos are like that too, you can push them because they also do not have a worm gear.