Help with Walthers Trainline Alco FA-1 - runs slow/needs new horns - but what type?


L

LOCO_GUY

New Member
I have a Walthers Trainline Alco FA-1 which is not running as well as I expected - maybe its okay but I just need another opinion.

How do you know if there is a problem with the motor - how do you gauge what is should be capable of? It's pretty heavy for a small loco at 1lb so maybe its just a weight issue.
It does run really well at slow speeds - but I don''t need it running at a snails pace all the time :)

Also it need horns for the top and I don't know what type I should replace them with.

Can anyone help me out?

P.S. I'm a newbie - so any help that would expand my knowledge will be much appreciated.

P.P.S. I hope this is posted in the correct forum - I posted it in general discussion which I guess was wrong.
 
Here or in Locomotives and rolling stock would have been OK as well.

There could be a lot of reasons why the loco is running slow. It could be gearing, a weak motor, or even that it needs a break in period along with a good cleaning and relubing.

Various detail makers makes the horns that you need, such as Details West, http://www.detailswest.com/ , CalScale http://bowser-trains.com/In Stock Pages/In Stock Cal Scale.htm ,

Precision Scale Company, http://www.precisionscaleco.com/ ,What you would be searching for I would think are single chime horns. What would also help us is more information on the loco itself. While you've mentioned the brand, is there anyway you can get the body off and take some pictures?

I would first suggest that it be taken apart and all the old grease be removed, and replaced with better lubricants, like Labelle grease, and oils. Plastic compatible of course. If you're cheap like me, Dexron III ATF is also a very good lubricant for model trains as well. A quart will last forever.

One thought I just had, what kind of power are you running this with. A trainset power pack or something better. I will do my best to help.
 
Hi Carey, Here are some photos. As you can see the top is "baldy" and yes I think it was single chime horns on it originally.

I run twin MRC Sound and Power 7000's on the 2 "mainlines" - other trains run well on either mainline - but this one is a bit slow. I'll try to check for grease in the trucks but it's a bit tight trying to get in there - plus something usually breaks due to my lack of patience.

I use liquid bearings which I read was good for lubing the gears - does that sound right to you?

DSCF1673.JPGDSCF1674.JPGDSCF1677.JPG

Thanks for the help, Chris.

P.S. there is a basic circuit board on top for the light and wiring (which I removed to take the photograph) - nothing special - it has no dcc plug.
 
Carey, I got a set of single chime horns (made by details west) that looked right - THX.

Now all I need to do is add a turbocharger to the can motor and we're done!
 
Not familiar with liquid bearings, major thing is it plastic compatible? If it is, OK.

You should be able to get to the gears in the trucks by removing the bottom plate on each truck.
 
Carey, I checked the bottom of the trucks and hey-presto there were two tiny clips about 1/8" to flip open. I thought they were solid - as I'm used to the life-like trucks with the big open clips you can't miss.

truck-access.jpg

Sweet - so I'll pop them open and take a look.

THX,
Chris.
 
Hey Doctor!

Liquid Bearings is a very high quality synthetic all purpose lubricant and can be used in clocks, industrial equipment, guns, sewing machines and much more. it can be used to replace almost any external lubricant and It is safe for plastics. You won't like the price, it use to cost more then 20 times the price of ATF!
 
Loco, I doubt the slow running is caused by dirty wheels but that Alco sure needs a wheel bath. Jim
 
JimT,

I usually use 100 grit sandpaper to clean em - just kidding. I have never heard of a wheel bath - do you mean clean them - or is there a process whereby you can clean them properly?

Louis,

I didn't know that liquid bearings was so versatile - I was told it was good for gearing on HO scale trains and I got some. But maybe ATF is the way to go in future - half the little bottle I bought is already gone. It has a nice set of long and short needle like dispensers for the top - so I'll keep them and refill the small bottle with ATF.

Thanks,
Guys.
 
Carey,

The inside was a bit grungy - like a whitish yellow grease - still soft but like butter really. I don't want that in there if I can clean it out - but I don't know how.

If I remove the two clips (show by the red arrow in the picture below) will that allow me to drop the trucks an get them off the body? I assume there is a worm gear of some sort so they should just drop out if they are like some of my other loco's.

DSCF1673.JPG

Here is a photo of the truck bottoms - after I took them off - you can see the grease or whatever clearly in picture 1 - the rest are a bit fuzzy.

DSCF1691.JPGDSCF1692.JPGDSCF1693.JPG

I would like to get the grease out - can I put them in a bowl of warm water with some detergent to melt it off or is there a better way. I don't want to dis assemble the gears as I probably wont be able to put them back. Also I know the electrical contacts are in there but I don't think warm water will hurt them as long as they dry out before using it again.

Any help with "know-how" will be greatly appreciated.

THX,
Chris.
 
I would use plain old lighter fluid, (Ronsonol) as it is a very good degreaser. Plus it won't hurt the plastic. As long as you don't smoke around it its very safe. I use it a lot on all my locos on their yearly clean and lube. I pour enough into a small pan to cover what I'm degreasing after I take it apart, and I will use an old paintbrush to wash the grease out. After cleaning just let them air dry.

Removing those clips should allow the trucks to drop out. Although many diesel model makers won't admit it, most use a variation on the "Athearn method" of assembly. Simple clips instead of screws etc. to hold a mechanism together. You may have to cut the wires coming from the trucks for pickup to get the truck completely out.

After the grease is removed from the truck, use Labelle #106 grease and place a very small line across the gears. Their turning will distribute the grease. I would also place an small line at the top of the gear tower, for the worm and worm gear.

To help clean any "gunk" out of the motor I would soak it in lighter fluid as well. Shake it out good and let it air dry as well. Then lube the bearings at each end.
 
Carey,

Thanks for that info - it gives me something to fill my Sunday. I'm going to try and drop the trucks enough to degrease them without cutting the wire if possible. You should see my soldering technique - not pretty. However, I'll check to see if I can just disconnect them from the top circuit board by heating the solder - then it should be simple enough to reattach.

I am amazed you can clean a motor with lighter fluid - I would never have tried that. That's what I meant about learning some "know-how".

THX,
Chris.
 
JimT,

Thanks for the feedback. I really haven't had much experience in maintaining anything until this point - is just build up a basic layout and concentrated on getting the track and trains to run on it. Now, I have the task of keeping things working and that 's a whole new ballgame for me.

So hint's and tips from anyone who works on their HO scale trains and has advice on how to clean/maintain stuff would be appreciated. It's one thing to put together the ingredients of a layout it's another thing entirely to bake the cake - so to speak.

So I welcome any hints tips suggestions on anything to keep the loco's running.

THX,
Chris.
 
Chris I'm a returnee... 25 years away from the hobby. I do have two finished (one huge) and a part finished on (most proud of) experiance in the "way back". My favorite way to spend my weekends was at the local club watching the old guys build turnouts, lay track and run trains.

I'll start a thread when I begin my benchwork. I work slower now, and I have a digital camera or two. I wasn't kidding about wheels. Dirty locomotive wheels are our hobbies #1 "defect". Keep em clean.
 
Hey Chris,

Try using pipe cleaners dipped in a solvent, lighter fluid is good, to clean between the teeth if you can't or don't want to take it apart. A soft bristle tooth brush might do the trick too.

I would avoid using water, but you could use a solvent. You could also get an electrical contact cleaner from radio shack, an auto parts store or many big retailers. Read the label to be sure it is safe for plastic, most are.

No smoking when using solvents! I don't think you would but I had to say it any way!

As Carey has told me DON'T USE Q-tips, use pipe cleaners instead, see doctor I do listen :)
 
I can vouch for that! Just another one of the many great tips I have gotten from you and others on this great forum! Not many 3 rail train people on here but I doubt you would find a better group of people any where and the vast wealth of knowledge I doubt could be matched either!

Cjcrescent said:
True Louis, Qtips have too much lint. Pipe cleaners can also get into places other things can't.
Click to expand...
 
Hi All,

Well I eventually got around to cleaning my loco. My wife had me working the weekend on furniture moving. She bought a piece of furniture - so of course we had to rearrange the entire house to fit it into an already empty space - go figure.

Anyhoo, I'd like to report a complete success. The loco runs a little faster but the BIG improvement is "how it runs". It glides along the rails almost silently. So thanks Carey, Louis, Jim - I followed all the advice given. I found that it was pretty easy to disassemble the entire truck and clean everything individually. The truck splits into two pieces - one with all the gears and one flat piece which just holds the other section in place. I have never seen so much BLACK GUNGE come off such a tiny little truck. I guess most of it was from the brass worm screw. Anyhow, it's all sparking clean now - and the best part of doing it was "knowing" that it was running at its best and no guesswork.

I hooked up 10 passenger cars to it and and took it for a run - NO PROBLEM - sweet!

Carey, I didn't event have to disconnect the wires as there was plenty of length on them to let the trucks come away from the body for cleaning.

Thanks,
Chris.
 
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