Question/advice needed for Spec tender

[lanny]

Hi all,

One of my Spec Heavy Mtns has been increasingly running 'jerky' - stop and go (DC/Analog power). I cleaned the wheels, etc but it got worse. Finally took apart the tender to find that the wire to one of the tender pickups had broken from the truck solder joint inside the tender.

I resoldered the wire and the locomotive runs perfectly now.

My question is this ... would it be wiser to direct wire and solder to the bronze wheel pickup on each of the tender trucks, so that the constant turning of the truck would no longer have any effect on wires getting broken?

Appreciate thoughts and advice.

lanny nicolet

[Atlantic Central]

Lanny,

The answer is no. The nut and bolt should not be moving. It should be tight enough to stay still. The wire broke because it became loose and turned.

When the truck swivels, the bolt head should stay still and the truck wiper should slide around on the head of the bolt for contact.

Sheldon

[lanny]

Thanks Sheldon,

I'll check the bolts and nuts as up sugessted. That makes perfect sense.

lanny nicolet