Cure for a "Galloping" Goose

[PadreCraig]

More snow today so I had time to address the poor pickup on my RGS Goose #1.  The pickups are located in the front truck.  Examining the truck I found a lot of side-to-side play in both the front and rear wheels.  The problem is that the electric pickup depends on small copper wipers that rub against the inside of the wheels.  And with the side-to-side play the wipers easily loose contact with the wheels.  I tried prying the wipers out so they rubbed better on the inside of the wheels, but with no improvement.  Then I got an idea.  Using the small, lightweight spring that are supplied with Kadee couplers, I ACC'd two springs between the frame of the truck and the pickup wiper.  This pushes the wiper against the inside of the wheel and greatly improved the electrical pickup - no more start-stop-start jitters. Still having some problems when crossing over switches and re-rail sections (any suggestions?).  But all-in-all a BIG improvement.  Anybody else had luck with a different approach?  Cheers - Craig+

[NarrowMinded]

If your having problems with a rerailer section it could be the Goose is riding up on the flange of the wheel at the bottom of the groove, you may need to do some rerailer work and not goose work.

Is is more likely to occure when using rail smaller then code 100

NM

[NarrowMinded]

Oh forgot, I dont have a goose but had problems with my trolley, they use a similar pick up. I made new pickups out of woven wire for desoldering, to make one pickup I cut a small section, sweated solder into one end to make it stiff then fanned out the woven end to create a brush like the old slot cars use to have, then I attached it so they were between the frame and press against the wheel.

NM

[PadreCraig]

NM - Neat idea with the braided wire.  Next time at my LHS I'm going to check out the slot car parts.  The flange thing doesn't seem to be a problem.  First because I'm running on Bachmann EZ Track which is Code 100 (I think).  But moreover because I've checked everything with NMRA gauge.  I think a bigger problem is the rail joiners and switch frogs.  I've soldered some joints and got a much smoother running layout.  But I'm not sure what to do about the switches.  Any ideas?  Peace - Craig+

[NarrowMinded]

Heres a link to the stuff I used for the brush style wipers/pickups
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQfSiy21vRot6I-Px-Qq8a3YjsC7rpuksvQX_DDVjJs28nkdUbWA

NM

[ChrisS]

^^^^^ hahahaha. Click on your link. It sure isn't wiper
Material. It's some goofy
Looking guy with clown like hair. Hahahhahaaaa

[Joe Satnik]

Tiny Tim - "Tiptoe through the tulips"

[Anubis]

Hey NM,

I like your source of braided wire.

Do they come pre-Timmed, or do you Tim them yourself? 

[NarrowMinded]

hahahah how in the World? A friend of mine on facebook said he had found a brick with Jim Morrison "DOORS" face on it, I told him it looked more like tiny Tim and posted a picture, when I coped the link for the braided wire it must not have copied right. I wonder if theres a picture of braided wire on his page I better go look.

I usually check my links DOH!

Here's the right one. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062744
NM

[ChrisS]

You sir, are a genius!! I have this ams #50 that I love(cause I also have one that's 1/6th scale) and that loco was the worst runner. It just sat in the engine house

I used some solder wick on the ends of the factory pickups and it runs great. Thanks for a great tip!!

[NarrowMinded]

Thanks for the kind words... glad it worked well for you.

NM