2-10-0s. Again.

[rogertra]

These engines seems to have had a lot of issues over the years.

One Spectrum of mine the motor turns but the wheels do not.

Next Spectrum, a wire pulled loose from inside the boiler.  As this engine is a pain to take apart, it's currently side tracked.

And now what appears to be a sound value version of the 2-10-0, lacking stand off details etc., the engine runs erratically, hates going through switches where it binds at both the points and the frog.  It has zero pulling power and even on plain track it just stops, while sound keeps on chugging away, hesitates and then maybe crawls for a bit and then speeds up.   If I hold the coupler the wheels do not spin which explains no pulling power.

Suggestions?

Cheers.

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

I have 5.  Two are sidelined for different drive train reasons , but three are top grade.  The biggest issue was splaying out the crosshead guides so the crossheads won't snag on the rods, and getting the motor control cv's set right.  They are in daily service  pulling 10-12 car trains.

[Trainman203]

Once mine were fixed, I never needed to do anything else.

[rogertra]

I have 5.  Two are sidelined for different drive train reasons , but three are top grade.  The biggest issue was splaying out the crosshead guides so the crossheads won't snag on the rods, and getting the motor control cv's set right.  They are in daily service  pulling 10-12 car trains.

I'll check out the crossheads and see what happens.  Thanks

Roger T.

[rogertra]

I have 5.  Two are sidelined for different drive train reasons , but three are top grade.  The biggest issue was splaying out the crosshead guides so the crossheads won't snag on the rods, and getting the motor control cv's set right.  They are in daily service  pulling 10-12 car trains.

I'll check out the crossheads and see what happens.  Thanks

Roger T.

Yes!!!!!

I eased the crossheads gentle out from the wheels on both sides and it worked!   I ran the loco through the main track and never hesitated once, not on plain track nor the six switches and one diamond.  When it reached the east end of the yard I ran it into Yard 1 and coupled up to the 14 freight spotted there.  Backed up with them nicely, no issues.   Once clear of the switch, I had the engine shove them back into Yard 1.  Again, no issues.

A simple solution that worked.   

When I get my other two 2-10-0s back into service, I'll check out their crossheads.

Thanks Trainman 203.

Cheers.

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

The pistons in the cylinders are a molecule too close together.  A major design flaw that sent who knows how many of these beautiful engines into the trash. Took me a long time to figure the problem out.  You can't see the splayed out crosshead guides from the side.

I hope this engine returns with the problem fixed.  I want  5 more.  I know they are on eBay but they are all aging now and I just don't trust used engines from unknown sources.

[Trainman203]

Ok, other 2-10-0 issues:

The pony truck wheel has too much side to side play, an attempt to get the engine around sharp radius. The result is that it goes down the track with one side ahead of the other, at an angle that picks at every rail joint / switch point and constantly derails.  Solution:  a spacer on either side of the frame on the axle to encourage straighter tracking. 

The motor control default settings are grossly mis-set.  Try cv 209 - 255 , 210-0 or 1, cv 212 between 175 and 255.  Then adjust the chuff cv 116 to be correct for 4 chuffs/ driver turn around 150 at speed step 10 out of 128 or 4 out of 28.

Do that stuff and the crosshead guide adjustment and you ought to have a great engine.

[rogertra]

Ok, other 2-10-0 issues:

The pony truck wheel has too much side to side play, an attempt to get the engine around sharp radius. The result is that it goes down the track with one side ahead of the other, at an angle that picks at every rail joint / switch point and constantly derails.  Solution:  a spacer on either side of the frame on the axle to encourage straighter tracking. 

The motor control default settings are grossly mis-set.  Try cv 209 - 255 , 210-0 or 1, cv 212 between 175 and 255.  Then adjust the chuff cv 116 to be correct for 4 chuffs/ driver turn around 150 at speed step 10 out of 128 or 4 out of 28.

Do that stuff and the crosshead guide adjustment and you ought to have a great engine.

I'll check out the pony truck on my 2-10-0s but I haven't seen this problem, but you never know.

As for CVs?  Not a clue what they are.  I use JMRI and it's knows all the CVs for me.   

Sadly, the 2-10-0 in general is fraught with problems, both the original Spectrum, of which I have two currently out of service, and the one Sound Value.  This is the one where I followed the advice and moved the crossheads away from the wheels just a hair. 

My two Spectrum 2-10-0s have had minor kitbashing, new sandbox, steam dome, stack, modified tender and a weighted air tank on the pilot deck and weights up under the cab roof and a weight over the front of the tender to counteract the lift of the wires between engine and tender which tend to lift the front wheels of the tender from the track.

Cheers.

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

Roger, do whatever it takes to make the CVs I listed be the values I listed.  That's what they need to be. JMRI, Schmem-IRI, whatever.  Get em there and your decs will crawl like ants.

I've never heard of a Sound Value Russian decapod.  Post pictures of yours please. Help clear up my curiosity as to what this really is.

Jon put up a picture of the IHC 2-10-0.  In advance I have to say, only the Russian Decapod will do for me.  Never cared much for those elephantine Pennsy things.

[rogertra]

Roger, do whatever it takes to make the CVs I listed be the values I listed.  That's what they need to be. JMRI, Schmem-IRI, whatever.  Get em there and your decs will crawl like ants.

I've never heard of a Sound Value Russian decapod.  Post pictures of yours please. Help clear up my curiosity as to what this really is.

Jon put up a picture of the IHC 2-10-0.  In advance I have to say, only the Russian Decapod will do for me.  Never cared much for those elephantine Pennsy things.

I'm guessing it was a Sound Value, it may not be.  However, compared to my other two Spectrum Russians this one has cast on details, like sand pipes from the sandbox, no wire sanders by the wheels rtc., etc..

I cannot post photos as I do not have a free hosting site since Photobucket decided they wantd paying.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

You sure it's a Russian?  Boiler plumbing all cast on?

[rogertra]

You sure it's a Russian?  Boiler plumbing all cast on?

100% sure.   

Cheers.

Roger T.