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I’ve spent some time this evening cleaning the commutator, servicing the brushes, oiling the gears and bearings and generally giving the little Scout 2-4-2 some tlc. I’m amazed how free-running it is now. I’m only accustomed to European style models with separate motors and worm gears, so this is new to me! 

Anyway an evening well spent..

 

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I'm a bit curious by what you mean by "free running"?  I'm not familiar with european engines and how they run compared to the one you are referring to.  

Are you meaning how you can easily move the drive wheels since they are not fighting against the worm gear on the motor shaft?   I'm assuming that the engine then can coast wheres a worm gear engine will just stop abruptly if power is cut?

 

Most, if not all of the Lionel steam locos were like this, up until about 1992.  The down side is that there isn't much gear reduction, so it takes careful "jockeying" of the throttle to make them run at anything approximating scale speeds.  Also, even a small change in grade up or down will result in a major speed change.  They're different, for sure!

So, I’ve been tinkering with this little loco. It sometimes goes, sometimes doesn’t. I’ve traced this to some sort of reversing unit problem, and it doesn’t reset. Turning the reverser off, doesn’t seem to have any useful effect.

However what I can do, is manually advance the drum. This seems to attract its attention, and it will then run forwards, smoothly and controllably. I’m quite pleased with this! 

 

If there is carbon build-up or oxidation on the drum OR motor brushes, operation will be intermittent.  Same goes for the pickup shoes (rollers.)  Spray some no-residue electrical contact cleaner in the rollers where they turn on their axles.  Also on the e-unit and motor brushes.  Give the vapors some time to evaporate (they're flammable!)  and give it another run.

Running it may help to burnish the contact surfaces; operation may get more reliable as it runs.

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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