Large Scale Central

Issues with 2 of my LGB Forneys

Problem Solving
#1

I took out my LGB #25251 D&RGW Forney yesterday to run on my track powered indoor track. It made it around the track about 5 times and then suddenly stopped running. The lights come on when power is applied but no movement. This Forney I purchased brand new many years ago from Eastside Trains here in the Seattle area and it never ran right. I posted about this Forney a number of years ago on this forum as i needed to replace the brushes (which didn’t make any difference). I brought this loco to TOC later last year or early this year, can’t remember and he worked his magic on it and it ran perfectly after. I contacted Dave earlier this week to see if he could take a look at it and he replied that he is not doing very well and would let me know. Still waiting to hear back. I looked on Train Li to see if I could find an exploded diagram for this loco but they don’t have one.

I then took out one of my other LGB Forneys (#20251 SANDY RVER & RANGELEY LAKES) which has always run really great. It was running very erratically jerking and stopping. I put it on the bench and discovered that only the front 2 drivers and the pickup skids were getting power. The rear 2 drivers on the motor block do nothing when I apply power to those drivers. Also, when I apply power to the rear wheels of the tender that have the brushes nothing happens. I found an exploded diagram on Train Li for this particular loco but it’s pretty much greek to me.

#2

I wonder if a spray contact cleaner would remove oxide from the pickups (if that’s part of the issue), such as this.

#3

That is so frustrating Tim and I feel your pain. I have a LGB C&S Forney that has the same issue of stuttering and stopping. I think the rear truck is not picking up power. Someday I will have to investigate it.
Could it be a bum gear in your D&RGW ? When you put the power on and listen closely can you hear the motor spinning? It could also be that the motor is not getting power. It sounds like you will have to take it apart for a look. The first step would be to pull the motor cover from the bottom and you will see the gears on the axles.

It’s such a shame that the LGB Forneys have problems because they are great looking locos.

#4

Hi there!

I had found these diagrams a while ago. They may be of help. https://leedshillrailroad.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/2/8/21285042/locomotive_sr___rl_-_service_doc.pdf

I’ve also got a break-down guide on my site that I wrote as i figured out to how disassemble my forney. I’ve never had an issue with my engine, but I’ve converted mine to battery power & remote control. Happy to help, if I can!

#5

@John_Wilda Thanks for the information regarding the #20251 SANDY RVER & RANGELEY LAKES.

I’ve already turned the engine upside down and removed the bottom cover of the motor block to check the gears and lubrication. All looks fine. I then applied power directly to the brushes. The motor spins when I apply power directly to the brushes on the front drivers and the pickup skids. The motor does not spin when I apply power to the back driver brushes.

My thinking is to drop the motor block and remove the cover to see if I apply power directly to the motor will it spin. If I followed you correctly I should be able to drop the motor block out without removing the drive rods.

I am guessing possibly that the brushes on the read driver and the rear tender may be bad?

#6

Out due sounds like that’s could be the issue. Or penalized it’s a simple wire come loose from the rear truck. Opening her up takes some time, but it’s not that hard, and LGBs wiring is ready to flow, IMO. It may be worth trying to do that.
To get to the contacts for the motor block, you have to get at it from under the boiler, which means taking most of the engine apart.

#7

Ok… hopefully I am getting somewhere here.

I removed the wheels from the rear of the tender exposing the brushes. I tried to pull them out, but they would not budge. So leaving them in the socket I sprayed them with some contact cleaner and worked them in and out and wiped them down with cotton swabs. With the wheels off I touched power to the brushes and to my surprise the motor spun up! I then replaced the wheels and touched power to the wheels and got nothing. I then used the contact cleaner and cleaned the back of the wheels, touched power to the wheels and bingo. The motor spun up. Now I need to tackle the back set of the motor block drivers. The front drivers are fine when power is touched to them, but the back set don’t budge the motor. I believe I can drop the bottom cover of the motor block and take the rear drivers set out in order to clean up the brushes without dismantling the drive rods?

Also, when I apply power to the very end plugs of the tender that would power lights etc. in trailing cars the motor spins up. So, I am really thinking and hoping that cleaning the brushes on rear motor block drives brings this thing back to life.

#8

Tim if you are going to do some pick ups on a unit, do all pick ups on said unit. So clean all the axles not just the bad ones JMHO YMMV

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#9

How do I get these brushes out from the truck under the tender of the Forney? The ones in the motor block slid right out really easy but these won’t budge.

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#10

I’m not an expert on these trucks, nor have I tried to take out the pickups, but I have a few cars that have these.

As I recall, there are two approaches to this. I’m in a hotel, away from my cars, so can’t be sure, but WTH.

Approach 1: The wires (black and red, at the center) are soldered to the barrels which are press-fit into the plastic tubes. The springs and plungers are easily slid away from the barrels.

Approach 2: The wires go to contacts at the rear of the plastic tubes, and the plunger-spring-barrel assembly gets replaced as a unit.

Perhaps you can remove the bolster screw, and look at the top side of the truck. That might give you evidence on whether to de-solder the things, or yank them out.

But before you do, have you tried spraying with contact cleaner?

#11

Tim,

I can take a look at mine in the next day or so and see what I did. I dojt remember seeing pickups on my rear truck, but I know there was a wire, so, must be pickups too!

#12

@Cliff_Jennings I purchased the replacement brushes full assembled from Trainli. I tried to take the truck off after removing the bolster screw however, the wires are to short to lift the truck off more than about a quarter of an inch. Yes, I’ve already tried spraying with contact cleaner.

#13

Ok… I got it! The Sandy River Forney now runs like a charm once again.

I successfully replaced the 4 brushes on motor block and while I couldn’t figure out how to remove the brushes on the tender truck I did spray them with contact cleaner working it in and out and cleaned of the tips of the brushes.

Now onto my other Forney and try to figure out what is happening with it.

Here is a video of the Sandy River Forney running smoothly. I just now need to figure out why I am getting no smoke and the rear light doesn’t come on in reverse.
https://youtu.be/8Fs2ZxjzmGo?si=3ZDrzPqpYpnAGvWn

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