FA unit i believe it is first generation. i am using dc track power
i started experiencing problems with the engine stalling out. track is clean, the wheels are clean. but when i push up or down on the unit it will go. i looked at the trucks and see that eyelet type pick ups on the axiles
so i cleaned them off and tried it, ran abit but same, can anyone help me with this fix .
Jim,
I would test to make sure all of the pickups are actually working. A first gen FA could be 20years old and may have fatigue in the wiring or solder joints. Flip the loco over and use alligator leads to try running the engine wheel by wheel. Try every combination. If they all check out, it could just be that the wheels have lost their plating or that the bushings have worn out. If so, you may need to try finding replacements. Another option would be to acquire another A-unit or a B-unit with the newer style trucks. You could then mate the two engines together with electrical connectors such that they share all 16 pickups. I find that a first gen FA often still has a lot of life left in them even after they lose pickup efficiency.
Does it sound like the motor is running when it does not move? If so, you have the dreaded split gears. The motor turns while the gears spin. Greg Elmassian has an excellent article on this fix.
Jim,
Sounds like a pickup problem, if you don’t have a gear problem as Lou mentioned. The path of the power is from the wheel
to the axel tip. In the bushing there is a brush and spring. Power then goes to a bus mounted on the inside of the side frame, where a wire
is connected going to the engine. This bushing does get out of round from the weight of the engine, after many years of use. Also lots
of gunk will find its way in there limiting electrical contact. I have rebuilt these, replacing the bushings and cleaning all the brushes and springs.
The bushing part number is ART29118 (it will also say previous). I got a bag of them from Trainland. The unit ran like new after
this treatment.
Kevin
thank you both guess what it was the bushings thanks.
Many of the older Aristo motor blocks have broken wires at the heat shrink at the axle. You need to pull on each wire and if it comes out of the heat shrink then solder it back on.
Do not meter this as the wire may touch, but is not soldered well. I have fixed many blocks with this issue.
Jim,
Just a note. If you order the ART29118 bushing, make sure to tell them it is for the motor block. Otherwise you might get
bushings used on the 100ton hoppers. (not a bad thing to have)
Kevin
If the hole in the bushing is distorted, the axle protrusion on the wheel is probably not true. Something Lewis had to address with his Chinese manufacturer. Just remove the motor blocks and power them to see if any wobble badly. All large scale wheels wobble somewhat, but not enough to wear a sprung bushing as long as they are cleaned and lubricated regularly.
Although they were not listed in the spares list on the A-C web site, I bought some replacement chrome wheels from Navin many years ago. But they were not inexpensive, so replace only the badly crooked ones. Or don’t bother, as a package of bushings are were inexpensive. You might ask the forum members in your area if they have some to spares bushings or wheels.
Many people have replaced these motor blocks with the new ball bearing ones. But properly tuned and lubricated, they will run a long, long time. The Freight House Restaurant in Ogdensburg, NY has a first generation CNR FA-1 running all day long. It runs smoother and requires less maintenance than some of the diesels with new blocks.