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Post by azdutch on Mar 18, 2024 21:18:48 GMT
I am running my Black River Freight train set on a loop of RealTrax. The set was NIB when I bought it a few years ago. It has VERY little runtime. The locomotive is the common 2-4-0 of the era, cab number 8602.
When I run the consist, the wheels of the locomotive and the hopper spark. The other cars have plastic wheels - score one for MPC!
I assume this means there is some short in the locomotive and it's energizing the outer rails, but it runs just fine and doesn't trip the circuit breaker in the control. It behaves the same with the AC transformer that came with the set and also with an MTH Z750 transformer and control.
Any theories as to what could cause a minor, low-current short like this?
EDIT: I ran another locomotive on the same loop, and it did not spark.
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Post by healey36 on Mar 18, 2024 21:58:52 GMT
Maybe dirty wheels/pick-up rollers/shoes.
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Post by JKP on Mar 18, 2024 22:01:10 GMT
Couple questions:
Does it happen in certain spots or on all of the track.
Do all the non plastic wheels spark or just certain ones.
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Post by azdutch on Mar 18, 2024 23:06:34 GMT
All of the wheels are very clean. The set is practically new. And it happens everywhere on the track. All metal wheels in the consist spark - all of the wheels on the locomotive, tender, and hopper.
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Post by JKP on Mar 18, 2024 23:49:54 GMT
I would check wiring, maybe loose or rubbing wire
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Post by BobS2056 on Mar 19, 2024 4:03:14 GMT
Along with checking the wiring, maybe there is some oxidation on the tracks, if so may look ok BUT a simple cleaning of the track would be something to try.
Bob
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Post by harborbelt70 on Mar 19, 2024 11:30:57 GMT
Along with checking the wiring, maybe there is some oxidation on the tracks, if so may look ok BUT a simple cleaning of the track would be something to try. Bob
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Post by azdutch on Mar 19, 2024 20:19:40 GMT
I wiped down the track and cleaned the wheels and it didn't fix it. Could dirt wheels or track cause the gondola's wheels to spark?
I'm going to field strip the locomotive and see what's going on with that. Thanks for your help.
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Post by harborbelt70 on Mar 19, 2024 21:45:33 GMT
I wiped down the track and cleaned the wheels and it didn't fix it. Could dirt wheels or track cause the gondola's wheels to spark? I'm going to field strip the locomotive and see what's going on with that. Thanks for your help.
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Post by atsda on Mar 20, 2024 14:05:06 GMT
azduttch, welcome to the OGF.
I am not familiar with newer locomotives; however, I will add my (perhaps un-informed) opinion. If there are plastic wheels on the unit, they may be ‘charging’ (picking up charge while running); if this is the case, and they are unable to discharge due to poor ‘grounding’, then the charge will jump and cause sparking. I don’t know if the plastic wheel axles are metal or not – if there is no path for the accumulated charge through them, then there may be sparking. Check the wiring.
Let us know what you find and if the problem gets resolved.
Alfred
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Post by azdutch on Mar 21, 2024 22:51:05 GMT
I got this figured out. I didn't have to disassemble the locomotive. One of the two pickup rollers was stuck in the up position, folded up against the underside of the locomotive. I popped it back into position and it quit sparking.
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Post by Adam on Mar 23, 2024 13:57:02 GMT
I got this figured out. I didn't have to disassemble the locomotive. One of the two pickup rollers was stuck in the up position, folded up against the underside of the locomotive. I popped it back into position and it quit sparking. Yep, that'll do it!
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