Steam Loco Tuneups (229)

Рет қаралды 5,918

2 жыл бұрын

Steam locomotives are popular no matter what prototype or country you model and that is especially true around the holidays. But before you dig out your old steamers and some track to go around the Christmas tree it's a good idea to give them a tuneup so they'll be ready to roll on and on. Today I’ll show you how I keep mine in tip-top running shape. The 10 steps I gave for diesels applies to most steam locos too. However you may not be able to easily get to the motor on some.
1. Listen for cracked axle gears, yes they happen in steam locos too.
2. Check wheel spacing with NMRA gage.
3. Check and clean wheels when needed.
4. Check for lint buildup on axles, bearings, and pickups.
5. Oil worm gear bearings.
6. Grease worm gears.
7. Remove truck coverplate and grease gears from below.
8. Oil motor bearings but don't overdo it if they are accessible.
9. Oil wheel bearings.
10. Clean balky motors using CRC QD Contact Cleaner but never apply oil to commutators, if the motor is accessible.

Пікірлер: 16

@mapruitt 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Larry, this is great. Just what I needed!

@ricter591 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Larry!!

@nycart256 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks foe another great show.

@crashryanphoto 2 жыл бұрын

This video is so helpful! Thanks!!!!!

@barry3573 2 жыл бұрын

I just bought my first steam locomotive for my layout so this video is perfect timing. Good video Larry and keep them coming

@danshobbies13 10 ай бұрын

I have a Bachmann 2-8-0, and I ran the crap out of it. I wore the contacts off. It had 142 hours of service on it. I had to purchase a new chassis because so many issues came up with the drivers. I won’t run it again for 3,562 scale miles again 😂.

@peterjhillier7659 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Larry, great Video, at the Moment I’m all Diesel, but was thinking of getting N&W Steam Engine, like a K1 4-8-2 or similar, for another late 40’s Layout. Keep safe.

@TheDCCGuy 2 жыл бұрын

I know the feeling. My layout is set in 1957 just so I can use my N&W steamers-that was the last year of the use of steam on passenger trains. I use all my foreign steamers as excursion locos. I also have an N&W K2a, a streamlined 4-8-2. These were known as Baby Js as the received the same streamlining. You’ll see it in an upcoming video on installing DCC sound in a brass steamer.

@dkaustin98 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. I service my six BLI On30 2-8-0s in a similar fashion. However, I use three tube kit Nano-Oils for model trains. Instead of the white grease, I use their heavier weight oil on the main gear tower. Once the lubrication is complete. I have a quiet running locomotive with no gear whine at all. That allows my QSI decoder conversion to Soundtraxx Tsunami 2200 Steam decoder sound much better. Those BLI models are about 18 years old. The St. Claire company did a study testing amperage draw on brass locomotives that have not been lubricated and the amperage draw after proper lubrication. The difference was significant. In your DCC videos you mention often the amperage draw on the command station. Proper lubrication can help of all your locomotives stay within the designed amperage load of your command station. It can also help that one locomotive that seems to have a "hitch" in its movement while running down the tracks. Could be another video idea. Take a very old, gear noisy non-DCC engine. Convert it to DCC. Check the amperage draw. Then go through your lubrication steps, give it a little break in and then test the amperage draw again. See if it is less. See if the gear noise is less too.

@TheDCCGuy 2 жыл бұрын

Good idea. I may just try that with a brass loco I need to i stall a decoder in.

@trapdriver7006 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent informative video I enjoyed watching.👍😁😁🚂🇬🇧

@petrbucha5762 2 жыл бұрын

Hi super video😍💓👍🍻🙂❤

@mr.shadestrains6033 2 жыл бұрын

🚂❤️kool great video 👍👍👍👍👍

@allanmartinez1190 2 жыл бұрын

Hello Sir I'm new in this hobby and when you do your How-to, DIY videos are you working on HO or N-Scale Trains and when you talk about maintenance in HO can the same subject be applied to N-Scale? Thank you for your time Sincerely Allan Martinez

@TheDCCGuy 2 жыл бұрын

My American models are HO scale and my UK models are OO scale but run on HO track so everything leans towards HO. However most of what I present can be applied across scales except where size limits things.