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I have an MTH, 20-3270-1, Premier 0 6 0 USRA Union Pacific switcher, 2007 catalog, volume 1. It was delivered in June of 2007. The engine’s motor burned out while sitting idle on the tracks. With power supplied to the tracks, via the TIU, the engine began smoking before powering up. A terrific MTH tech checked the engine out and the only problem is the burned out motor. We’re having a difficult time obtaining a new, or even used, motor for this engine. We’ve tried MTH, but the motors are on back order from their supplier. If anyone were able to direct me to where I might be able to purchase this motor, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks all in advance for any consideration you may give my request. Lou G.

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I do not have access to the engine. I left it with a dealer, so no photos right now. The MTH tech is having the same issues that most everyone else has been having, e.g., back order for the motor. MTH informed me that they will notify me and the dealer when the back order is filled. MTH has been very supportive with my past needs, so I guess I'll just have to be patient a little longer. It's a great little engine and my grandsons favorite. He'll just have to run another engine, for a bit. Thank you all for such quick and thoughtful responses to my issue. Best to all, Lou

I'm hoping that MTH will supply a motor soon enough. As I stated earlier, MTH responded to me within a day or so of my mailing, telling me that they do know what the motor is and that it is back ordered through their supplier. My sending out this help message was in hopes to move things along sooner. I am a bit perplexed though – that it isn't a common enough motor that MTH does not have a ready supply of them. I guess that 9 or 10 years is a bit of a long time for product support, but at my age, it might not seem so.

This has been fun receiving all the great responses to my quest. Such a knowledgeable and caring group of o scale modelers, it's great to be a part of this OGR forum. I hope to support others in the future, should I ever get a real handle on this stuff. Continued thanks for all the help, Lou

I checked my records and the engine I have is 30-1500-1, a RailKing Imperial delivered in December 2008 according to the MTH website.

I repainted it into a Seaboard engine and later modified to BPRC.  It's one of the best, slow-speed engines I have.

It's odd (to me) that the manual doesn't have a parts breakdown, even my RK 2-8-0 manual has the breakdown but not this 0-6-0.

I trust George knows what he is talking about. I just hope someday MTH has a least a parts list for loco's that are less common. I know the premier big steam uses dog bone drive shafts, I just wouldn't have expected it in a 0-6-0. Obviously I have not worked on one yet. Example, does the premier PRR B6 0-6-0 also use a motor that uses a dog bone?

Last edited by Chuck Sartor

Chuck, Aren't all the B-6 Rail King.  Not same motor.  His motor is the BE-1100002.  Used on 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 PR USRA.  Picture is a PR 4-4-0 that uses a similar set up but Motor BE-1100000.  Notice FW at front.  Some of these motors had Allen screw to hold FW to shaft, others pressed on.  I have a few bad motors with good FW.  If I was repairing this I would pull worm and fly wheel from a standard 365 motor of choices.  Trim shafts to length, swap over motor bracket and flywheel from original bad motor. A little more expensive because of labor, but only solution right now.  If some one needs this done, contact me.  I have 365 motors and can do this conversion if you send me your bad motor.

For what ever reason it seems hard to get individual motors that are out of stock made up unless another production run of the same motor type is made.  This is not the only motor out of stock.  I don't understand why the can't get extras made up while current production is in place.  365 and 385 motors are being made for current production, just asking to have a different worm installed could solve some of the shortages.  And in the case of the BE-1100000 and 2 motor you just need a plain 365 motor with no worm or flywheel.  Tech can transfer stuff over.  You need to pull fw anyway because motors do not come with brackets, and you need to transfer original one.   G

 

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Biglou posted:

Thank you for the heads up on Timko. I went on their site; they offer extensive repair and rebuilding services. Should it come down to my not being able to obtain an exact replacement motor, I'll give this group some serious thought.

It is not really another option, it just another source.  Frank will do what I am doing.  Though I believe he buys his motors from a different source.  I would be using an MTH motor.  G

If the supply chain is anything like that used by the Navy, you won't see a maker knock out a couple of hundred extra motors.  They'll be asking for a minimum quantity in the thousands or tens of thousands, probably why MTH hasn't got them yet, the demand hasn't yet met the need to reproduce.  Of course they could triple the price and make only a 1/3 of the minimum they're looking at.  Again, doubt it's high on MTHs priority list.

It surprises me at the number of different types and sizes of can motors used in our trains.  The motor inside my Bachmann G-scale 4-6-0 isn't any bigger (may be smaller) than the one in this 0-6-0.

Without knowing the data on a motor and gear ratio like what's in the 0-6-0, it's almost impossible to find a substitute.

Pete, I don't know.  If it was that easy we'd already have a cross-reference list posted on this forum long ago.  NWSL had a real good packet/catalog showing the motors, gears, etc they sell for HO back when I was into that scale, but I've seen nothing for O-scale.  I don't think any of the MTH motors I have in my engines have part numbers (MTH or manufacturer) on them, don't recall seeing any at least.

I've got a box of motors that LOOK alike, but when I put a tachometer and voltmeter to them the RPMs at a given voltage was not what I expected.

Bob Delbridge posted:

If the supply chain is anything like that used by the Navy, you won't see a maker knock out a couple of hundred extra motors.  They'll be asking for a minimum quantity in the thousands or tens of thousands, probably why MTH hasn't got them yet, the demand hasn't yet met the need to reproduce.  Of course they could triple the price and make only a 1/3 of the minimum they're looking at.  Again, doubt it's high on MTHs priority list.

It surprises me at the number of different types and sizes of can motors used in our trains.  The motor inside my Bachmann G-scale 4-6-0 isn't any bigger (may be smaller) than the one in this 0-6-0.

Without knowing the data on a motor and gear ratio like what's in the 0-6-0, it's almost impossible to find a substitute.

As Pete says there is not much difference.  The motors are built to run at a specific no Load Speed around 6000 rpm and 12V.  Yes Lionel also went to a 15V version of  the Pittman on later models, while MTH is 12V (only effect is probably top speed).  Otherwise it is just can size.  365 and 385 for RK and PR and 545 for some steam. Pittman short and Long for the others.  After that it is just Flywheels and worm gears.  Regardless of any engines gear ratio, the programming handles the motor.

IF they are making trains right now, they needs motors don't they?  There has to me an order for X Motors in place so you say X +100.  I know it is not that simple, but if you have joint ownership of a factory, aren't they suppose to make what you want them to make?  G

I had one of these that had a burnt out motor. The reason the motor went was that the front driver loosened up and slipped on the axle, throwing everything out of quarter, and jamming the mechanism. A friend that does that kind of work staked the axle and pressed the driver back on, he also pulled the flywheel off the old motor and put it on the new motor. Have your tech make sure that the mechanism works smoothly when he takes the motor out of the frame. Good luck!

Luke, thank you for your detailed and thoughtful response to my dilemma. The odd thing about when my engine began to smoke, was that power was on the tracks, via the TIU, but the engine was not powered up through the remote. I was running another engine, a steamer, and the steam was engaged through the remote unit. Because steam was heavy, I didn't notice the smoking 0 6 0 engine, that is until the awful smell came through. I took the 0 6 0 off the tracks, but the damage was done. The MTH tech that I took it to, checked everything out, no other damage. Even with the bad motor, a few things were able to move during his test, and the boards checked out fine. I'm either lucky, or if and when a new motor is found, the tech will have to do another check to see that all mechanics, as well as the boards, are working properly. New traction tires and a BRC will be added and linkage and drivers, as per your suggestion, will be thoroughly checked out.

I see that your tag line reads "home of the Reading and Northern RR". I loved the camelback engines of the Reading and still model them, and other brass Reading engines, on an upper level separate HO layout.

All the best to you and thanks once again, Lou

Chuck Sartor posted:

I have many new MTH motors. Unfortunately MTH did not list the part number for the motor on their exploded diagram on line. If you can provide a clear picture of the motor, especially the worm gear, I can match up with my stock.  

Chuck, I received a photograph of the motor from Midge of MTH. See attached. I'm still looking for this exact motor with flywheel. Thanks for looking. Best, Lou

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  • BE-1100002 (RS365H) copy

It is amazing to me that the motor smoked while not moving, and the boards are allegedly fine. How can the boards be fine and still destroy the motor when it was not even running?

I think the actual failure mode has yet to be determined.

You better buy two motors, in case the replacement motor smokes.

Last edited by RoyBoy

Royboy,

I'm also amazed by the events. When it smoked without startup, I figured it's a board or capacitor, which would have meant a board, I think. When I took the engine to an extremely qualified MTH tech, he said all boards checked out fine. Why it happened the way it did, in the first place, is the big question to me. That said, we still do not have a motor, and if we do get one, will the same thing happen again? I'll take one shot at it, but after that, if things are not working well, the engine becomes an ornament. I will keep you posted.

I will heed your warning. Best, Lou

I sent the motor, with flywheel attached, to Frank of Timko Repair Depot, as per many suggestion on this thread. Frank told me he has the replacement motor and he will attach the existing flywheel from the burned out motor to the new motor. After we put the motor back into the engine, we wheel do extensive tests of the boards and engine mechanism, in hopes that we can rule out any problems that may have caused the burn out in the first place. Continued thanks to all with your terrific comments and suggestions.

Frank, of Timko's Repair Depot, added my old flywheel to a new motor that he supplied. This guy is terrific. He had the motor back to me within 2 days and it runs fine. We tested the engine's linkage, all other mechanical parts, and all boards – all are working great. Brian, also terrific, at Stockyard Express, did the final fixing and testing; Runs like new. Thank you all for the great suggestions and a special thanks to Tiffany, for getting me hooked up with Frank.

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