Inspecting New Diesel Locomotives

admin — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:14:45 +0000

Everyone at some point or another in their life has purchased a new car and the process is the same for everyone. It typically begins by selecting a new car that appeals to you, followed by a test drive, a trip into a salesman’s office to negotiate the final price for the car, and then all of the financial paperwork is signed if the terms are agreed to by both parties. With all of these steps successfully completed, it is then time to take delivery of the car, but before you do that you’ll most likely give your new car a final walk-around inspection where you take note of any flaws or discrepancies and in most cases the corrective work is done before you take delivery. Conversely, if all is well and you’re completely satisfied with the condition of your new car you take delivery and drive the car off the lot.You’re probably wondering what buying a new car has to do with inspecting a new diesel locomotive and justifiably so. In some ways there is a relative comparison and in others not so much. With that said, however, there is one step that is just as important when you buy a new diesel locomotive as one of the steps which was previously mentioned when buying a new car.Today, most manufacturers build “right-out-of-the-box diesel locomotives which provide the highest levels of performance. There is a strong argument for literally taking a new diesel locomotive right out of the box and running it. However, just as the new car owner does, you should imitate his or her behavior and give your locomotive a thorough inspection before actually placing it on the tracks and running it. In so doing, you just might save yourself from a disappointing experience, or at the very least insure that things are as they should be with your new purchase.The following things should be checked:

1. Begin by removing the body from its platform. Check to insure that your locomotive has been lubricated. Often, this will prove to be true but it may have been over-lubricated. If you find that this is the case. Correct the problem by wiping as much off as you can with a clean piece of tissue. When a locomotive has too much lubricant it is a detriment to the drive train and will collect excess amounts of dirt and dust.

2. It would be a good idea to make sure that the wheel gauge is correct. To do this you’ll need to purchase a NMRA standards gauge if you don’t already own one. What you’ll want to do is check the depth and fit of the wheel flanges in the notches provided. They must fit into these notches perfectly to insure smooth operation. If they do not you’ll have to adjust them accordingly so that you’re locomotive will run without problems.

3. Next, check the couplers and make sure they are functioning correctly. Most HO scale locomotives come with X2F couplers or NMRA hornhooks. Both of these are renown for causing frustrating problems and at the very least make sure that you check the coupler height, the uncoupling pin, and if things are not as they should be make whatever adjustments that you find necessary.

If in the future you plan on having a more complex and extensive layout you should seriously consider upgrading your couplers to accommodate your layout. For HO scale locomotives the best coupler choice are those made by Kadee, and for N scale, the top-of the-line choices are those which are made by Rapido and Micro-Trains.

4. The last step in the inspection process involves test-running your locomotive. Make sure that you run it for several minutes in different directions and at varying speeds. If everything is alright you can then put your new diesel locomotive in service and add whatever weathering you feel is necessary or that may be required to create a realistically appearing piece of rolling stock.

How To Get The Best Performance From HO Kit Cars

admin — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:18:06 +0000

There is some good news for today’s model railroader when it comes to HO kit cars when compared to those kits which were manufactured in the past. The model freight cars which are made available in contemporary kits are almost absent of problems. With just a few minor adjustments they’ll run as close to perfectly as one can hope for. With that said, however, there are three main issues which can potentially cause problems and effect your cars performance and they are: the weight of the car which may not be adequate or balanced correctly, the cars couplers, and there could also possibly be problems with its trucks.When you purchase an HO kit, the first thing which you should check is the cars trucks. Do this regardless of what may have been written in the instruction sheet which was included with the model. Closely inspect the trucks before you do anything else. Why? This is one of the main culprits for derailments, and your cars ability to run smoothly depends on their reliability and smooth operation.To be able to check the trucks efficiently you’ll need a National Model Railroad Association Standards gauge. These can be purchased at your local model train hobby shop, regular hobby shops, or directly from the NMRA whose address is NMRA, 4121 Cromwell Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
Given that almost all kit wheelsets are made from plastic, you can easily adjust them if they are out of gauge by twisting the wheels in or out with your fingers to correct this deficiency.

The model railroad term for the correct wheel and truck alignment is the word “tram” and it is also the prototype term. Tram insures that the trucks follow the rails rather than pulling off to one side or another. If you find that it is necessary to adjust your wheelset, make sure that after locking them in the correct position that you secure them in place by using a small drop of CA where each wheel meets its axle, on the inside which is away from the bearing end.

There is a possibility that your wheels may be a little wobbly and this is easily detected by hand pushing the wheelset along a short length of track and through observing it carefully. If you discover that your wheels are out of square this can also be a leading cause for derailments. The solution to this type of problem is to simply replace or change the wheelsets.

With the kits which are manufactured today there is one more thing that is important to check, and that is the
sideframes. Most kits now have rigid trucks with the
sideframes and bolster molded in one single piece. Inspect the sideframe to be sure that they can move freely and are not lifting the wheels off of the rail. This can also cause derailments. The most effective solution for this type of problem is to set up the truck so that it has a three point suspension.

With this is done, one truck will actually allow two trucks to follow a track which uneven, and at the same time keeping one truck tight which will ultimately insure that the car has a steady or trouble free track.

Finally, it is worth addressing the common question of whether or not it is necessary to lubricate your trucks and the answer is no. The reason for this is that most sideframes which are made today are far to slippery and in many instances the axles are made of plastic as well.

Couplers

The NMRA is an important resource that provides guidance for a variety of things which are related to this rewarding hobby, and one of those is the design of what is known as the “horn-hook” coupler. In fact, most car kits come with these, and unfortunately they really aren’t that efficient. You can, however, make them work well by doing a couple of minor adjustments.

Begin by applying a product or any which is similar to Kadee’s no. 231 Gease-em to the coupler boxes and onto the coupler’s gathering horns which will enable them to move freely. Another cause of derailments relates to the height of the coupler pin. If they are to low they will get hung up in the track work. Here’s the solution: you can first try adding shims inside the box, and that may or may not work. If it doesn’t, the only fix for this problem is to substitute the Kadee box. You’ll also discover that it will take quite a few washers to correct the couplers height, and this will definitely subtract from the cars appearance because it will ride to high. With this problem the solution is to replace the original coupler box.

Often hobbyist mount couplers in their own boxes and they frequently do this by gluing them, and this won’t last long. It would be best to secure them with screws or pins which are fastened into the cars body.

Weight

There is a great deal of debate among model railroaders about adding weight to cars. In spite of this, if you decide to add additional weight, follow the guidelines that are set fourth by the NMRA. More often than not, the inclusion of weight will greatly improve the functioning of the couplers and the car will ride the rails better. The best way to monitor the weight which is added to a car is by using a postal 2 pound scale which can be purchased at most stationary stores or office supply stores.

The best guideline to follow when adding weight to a car is to make sure you distribute it evenly throughout the car and that it is placed low.

Finally, before you place a car on the tracks for its first run, make sure that you check its couplers, trucks and weight. This will help insure that you avoid frustrations and add to your model railroading experience in an enjoyable way.