loosing power to engine

[samalam]

  OK I am stumped. I dug out my old trains, my 5 year old is getting into the hobby early! So I have an older bachmann santa fe chief. When i pit it on the track I was getting no responce or so I thought. Thought cleaning so i did. Put it back on the track if i jostled it a bit it got some power but only for a short zap no movement, when I went to take it off i licted the the rear trucks from the track and only have the fronts on it it ran like a champ but as soon as the rears hit the track its dead? Thoughts?

Thanks

[jbrock27]

When you say your engine is "old", how old?
Can you tell by looking at the underside of the loco, if only 1 set of wheels (trucks) is powered?
Do you have the ability to take the plastic shell off the chassis?

[samalam]

Not truly sure if the age as I got the engine used but at lease 15 years. I took the top shell off, it looks like both trucks are powered. Looking close with the top off it looks as if one of the supports for the rear truck has sheeted off, maybe that's it? Any suggestions on repair?

[Doneldon]

Sam-

The wheels on powered trucks will move only about 1/8" if you gently move them back and forth with your finger. Unpowered trucks are freewheeling. Do NOT try to force powered wheels to turn.

I don't know what "sheeting off" means but if you are saying that the mechanism appears to be broken you'll have to choose one of four options: 1.) Pitch the loco because 15 years means comparatively old technology and mediocre detail. You can purchase a replacement on eBay or from an on-line seller for just about as much or as little as you want to spend. 2.) Remove the broken parts to the defective truck and run the loco with only one functioning truck. This is cheap but you'll pay a different kind of price, i.e., not much power. That may or may not be an issue for your five-year-old. 3.) Send the loco back to the B'mann with $25 for repair under the lifetime warranty. I realize that you may not have paid $25 for the loco 15 years ago but the B'mann probably won't bother to fix your loco and won't have a direct replacement so you'll probably end up with a new, current model. 4.) Repair the loco yourself, assuming you have the knowledge, tools and parts to do the job.

Depending on your son, I'd limp along with the one-truck loco while he's learning to handle the equipment and then purchase a new one once he uses the old one carefully. If he (or you, for that matter) would be too disgusted with half a loco, buy a new one.

Whatever you opt for, good luck and do let us know how things work out. And, mainly, have fun with your son and the trains. Model railroading can be an outstanding way to spend time with a child, teach valuable skills and maybe start a lifelong hobby.
                                                                                                                                                                             -- D

[samalam]

Thanks, I like both ideas. To run with one truck, or even better send back to get repaired (replaced). My son had a few different loco's to keep him occupied. We have 2 Life Like locos that are running (steam and diesel) as well as one I have no clue about, just says made in Macau on the bottom, and the Bachmann Chattanooga steam loco, that came with the starter set with the EZ track I got for him.

He has loved trains sense he was born, its amazing to watch him with them, I just tried to get my N scale layout cleaned (28 years sitting) we got one of the tracks working he was giddy, wanting to run the "little" trains.

I am not only thankful that he is into it, I am even more thankful that he got me back into it AND we have something to share together!

[Doneldon]

Thanks, I like both ideas. To run with one truck, or even better send back to get repaired (replaced). My son had a few different loco's to keep him occupied. We have 2 Life Like locos that are running (steam and diesel) as well as one I have no clue about, just says made in Macau on the bottom, and the Bachmann Chattanooga steam loco, that came with the starter set with the EZ track I got for him.

He has loved trains sense he was born, its amazing to watch him with them, I just tried to get my N scale layout cleaned (28 years sitting) we got one of the tracks working he was giddy, wanting to run the "little" trains.

I am not only thankful that he is into it, I am even more thankful that he got me back into it AND we have something to share together!

Sam-

What a nice post and what a neat way to appreciate your son. Thanks for telling us about it.

                                                                                                               -- D