4-4-0 issue

[jscola30]

I just came home from a train show today and bought and older 4-4-0 UP #119. At the test track, it ran OK, just a little noisy if anything. Dealer reccomended some lube, which I did. Now the loco can't pull it's own weight, just spins the wheels. Did I over lubricate and if so, is there a fix?

[ABC]

There is an easy fix, get a new loco, the older locos can't pull. You may have over lubricated it, but it won't fix your problem with pulling power. The older Bachmann Americans just don't pull nearly as well as the newer ones because of a different mechanism.

[jscola30]

I should clarify that the loco could pull its own weight at the test track.

[jscola30]

looks like oily track is the issue, that's cleared up, but yea I can see the traction might be a problem; not sure if the locomotive is slipping wheels or just really pulling.

[brokemoto]

What does the drive shaft look like?

Does it have hexagonal ends?

Does it have nubs on the ends that fit into slots on the locomotive and tender?

If it has the hexagonal ends on the driveshaft, it is no surprise that the locomotive can barely get out of its own way.

If it is the other one, they are not bad.   You MUST spend hours breaking in this thing.

Here is one of mine:



Make sure that you did not overlubricate.  One small drop of oil or one very small dot of teflon grease is all that you need.

Overlubrication accomplishes three things:

1.  It ruins electrical contact.

2.  It attracts dirt. Dirt is ogre numero uno when it comes to N scale locomotives.

3.  It attracts MORE dirt. (see #2)

If you did overlubricate, sometimes you can get away with wiping off the excess with a paper towel.  If you overluricated badly, sometimes you must disassemble and clean using alcohol.   Be VERY careful when you disassemble this one, in particular.  Also, be aware that disassembly may void the warranty.

[jscola30]

So sent old 4-4-0 off to Bachmann. Asked if the tender had to be replaced, could it have a rapido coupler. Got a brand new one instead, good so far. It had a knuckle but they included a rapido. I flipped the tender over and thought maybe putting the rapido in wouldn't be that hard. Well, let's just say the rapido they gave me could never work. (an aside here, sometimes I feel like Bachmann, for all the length they've come, still miss these small things like this. My HHP and Amfleet coaches are another example). In trying to intall it, I removed the rear tender truck. After realizing the couplder didn't work, I reattached the truck, then saw I tightened the bolt too tight so i loosened it. Then started the 45 min workout in trying to get the coupler plate back on, and it's prolly not 100% perfect on.

So I put the train on and it can't pull its weight.  OK, maybe there's still lube on the rail. I get out my rail cleaning box car, have my Kato GG1 push it around with no problem for a few laps. Now the 4-4-0 can pull it's own weight, put operates very erradicly, lots of sparks, and seems to not be able to sit on the track properly at times. Is this normal? Did I mess up?

[J3a-614]

It's probably been 20 years or so since I've worked on one of these things, but one other thing I would check would be if the tender wheels are rubbing the tender frame. 

The wheels on the tender are set up, as I recall, as half-axles (or at least they used to be), meaning each a axle has four bearings.  Power pick-up through the tender wheels is with some sort of spring arrangement, and these springs are rather delicate.  It's easy to get them bent out of shape, and one thing that can happen is they get mashed down in some other work, and as a result the tender frame rides low, rubbing on the wheel flanges.  That's like putting a brake on the tender, and as noted, this thing is so small it won't pull much.  (Compared with modern locomotives, or even steamers built in the late 1890s, the prototype didn't pull much either.  The prototype might have weighed all of 25 or 30 tons, which is a baby in the locomotive world.)  Cure is to rebend the springs and get the tender riding clear of the wheels.  As it is, a heavy tender with the motor in it doesn't help things, but also take a look at just how small this engine is, and try to imagine getting a motor in it, and a decent amount of adhesive weight.

So check those springs (and everything else as others have suggested), a little engine like this needs all the help it can get.

Give yourself patience and time for this and everything else.  Patience and time are valuable and essential gifts.  Remember, this is liesure activity; why rush things?