Model Railway Forum

I'm putting together my new layout from old, previously used, rail stock. This is quite tarnished so I'm cleaning it up as I go. But I have two tunnels I'll be building in a couple of areas. My concern therefore is how in the future I might clean up the track within if it's been left for a while and...

Thanks Brian, I think you've answered everything I needed to know for now. Cheers.

Ah. I suspect that for other power requirements I'm going to need the PL-13 switch to sit under the turn out motor. Meanwhile, the buzzing does remain rather alarming.

Just starting to layout my very first track. Today I'm testing a turn out motor installation with a set of points on a piece of scrap base board. First off, I was surprised that you only energise the motor briefly. I'd assumed you'd leave it switched in the direction you wanted, and that with this p...

Anyway, Mrs B bought me a new loco for Xmas. Apart from demonstrating to me that the rails still need more cleaning, and I probably need to go back through the power supply, it did manage to ascend my inclines OK, albeit unfettered by any carriages at this time.

teedoubleudee wrote: ↑Tue Dec 01, 2020 3:09 pm Biggest problem with older locos are the wheel profiles too big (for current track) ...

It's old stock on old track so presumably shouldn't be an issue. I'll strip and clean one properly and report back.

Apologies if I have missed it but I've not seen answers to two questions: 1) does the motor turn when power is applied directly to the motor terminals? 2) do you have electrical continuity from the wheels to the motor terminals? Actually, there is a third, have you checked there is nothing shorting...

Seems my locos are all pre '77 and as such are obsolete and so probably junk.

OK thanks. I've dropped them an email for now.

I think I'll have to set up a proper test area and disassembly bench to progress with these before I do any more damage.

No, I've got five of these to do, so it will be bit at a time from here. I was really waiting for someone to advise that my Father in Law got duped all those years ago and that these are some pirated Chinese copies. That loco in the pics is certainly very grubby compared with the first one I opened ...