Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
Old HO Santa Fe Locomotive With Wheel Problem
Grantley asks readers:
“I unpacked an old locomotive belonging to my late Dad, but I can’t get it to work properly. It is a Santa Fe and it works when either the front or back wheelsets are on the track, but not when both wheelsets are on the track at the same time. It has me puzzled so would appreciate any suggestions.”
Please contribute your answers or suggestions below.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Take the body off the chassis and check the wiring as it sounds like the wiring on one bogie has been connected to the motor in reverse to the other one.
Both bogies must be wired positive to positive and negative to negative as if not they are creating their own short circuit.
You will also need to check that the wiring is sympathetic to the other loco’s on your layout, IE that when you turn the controller on to go forward all locos go the same way, to do this disconnect one bogie and test the direction is the same as the other loco’s then reconnect the other bogie to the same polarity, if loco is not going in the right direction then reverse the wiring from both bogies to the motor.
If this loco has a drive shaft and the bogies are driven by bands from the drive shaft to the bogies then one bogie will need its drive bands reversed
Trusting this may be of help to you kindest regard John
I had an old diesel with a metal body and chassis and there was an insulating washer between the bogie and the chassis that failed, causing a short. You might have the same problem. I replaced it with a larger piece of plasticard.
Perhaps one truck has been rotated 180 degrees.
The guys above have sound advice. Exactly what I would do. Check it all out.
Bob S
Some wheel sets have an insulated bush on the axle on one side. If this is the case the possibility is that the wheels have been taken out and replaced in reverse position during a cleaning operation.
As Bob said – sound advice. My thanks to everyone.
Sounds to me like one of the bogies or one of the wheel sets has been reversed causing a short.