I own and run 4 different lgb moguls on my indoor layout. My curves are R1 and while three of the Moguls have no issues, one runs slower through the curves. I slowed it way down to hear it binding slightly as it goes through. I haven’t miked the wheel sets but was curious if others have seen this issue. I originally found it running slower even on the straights so I took it apart to replace the idler gears and lubricate it again. I found the reason for the slower running was the lead weight screws were both stripped out and the rear weight showed some dragging on the idler gear while the front weight showed rubbing on the driver wheel axle. I thought I had fixed it, and it does run faster, pretty close matching the straight away speeds of the others but it still binds slightly on the curves, slowing it down, especially at low power. I checked all drivers for their setting on the axle and they are all fully seated it appears. Any ideas?
I’m down to two LGB moguls, both are the latter produced models, the yellow one and the black unpainted model, model numbers not important at this time, I did have the first red/green one and it did run slower on the R1 curves, but sold it as I just didn’t care for it. Someone said, back in the early days of this model you could return it to LGB and they would correct this problem, but I did not return it for those repairs. I know the red/green engines were manufactured with out the added weight that was added to latter models, this could have been the problem, but not sure, could be axle play side to side.
trainman
Ted,
If you believe the gear train, valve gear and back to back are sound, I’d consider electrical losses and or the motor itself. Its easy enough to use your DVM to measure resistance between wheel/track pickups and on to the motor and the motors resistance too! Current measurements as compared to your other Moguls may help tell the tale too. Do the engines have similar or like OEM boards, decoders and accessories? Its more likely than not the motor IMO, based on the running gear being all that.
Michael
Are the wheels quartered correctly?
Three are 2219s with different livery. One is the early D yellow lake George and boulder. It might be the motor as it does seem to make the voltage needle jump on my transformer when it hits the same area yet the others don’t do that. Still trying to figure that issue out as it’s in a section of R1 switches. When you ask if it’s quartered correctly I assume you mean are all the drivers in the correct spot on the gears to rotate freely as an assembly with the drive rods connected. If that is what you mean then it is. It is running along much better now that I screwed the weights back to the motor cover and they no longer drag on the driveline. I can also assume the new idlers helps along with fresh soft grease. It’s more so going through the turns and it actually squeaks lightly. If I try and push it through some it seems the front and rear drivers are tight like they’re just a tad wide. All axles move freely side to side and to their limits on the motor block. It’s not that I can’t run the engine, it’s just that it doesn’t operate as smoothly as the others.
Yes, That is what I meant about quartering. Are the axles at the correct gage? Maybe they are too wide as you say. I’ve had my Moguls apart but never actually removed the gears yet.
Also, I believe I’ve read somewhere in another thread that as LGB engines wear, the hole through which the axles rotate (journals maybe?) get elongated. They don’t wear in a circle but more of an oval. Maybe this is causing a problem?
One of the differences in the LGB moguls is the sound version vs the non sound versions. Rear axle play is big in the non sound version due to no chuff sensor limiting the rear axle play.
Another difference is the older light moguls had 2 traction tires and this can slow you down on R1 curves. More weight may worsen this effect.
I personally think it’s just the LGB Moguls design, long wheelbase, deep flanges, and traction tires all contribute to engine hang up and slow down in tight curves and switches. Just because LGB says, all their engines and rolling stock is designed to go thru the tight cures (R1) doesn’t mean it will go thru with total smoothness and operation. Let’s face it, the R1 track was out way before the Mogul’s were produced. All being said, this has been a problem since day one and I’m talking about back in the 1980’s when LGB started producing the Mogul, I know I purchased one from Watt’s Train’s back then. Easiest way to avoid this problem is don’t use the R1 curve size track and switches on your mainline, I only use them on spur sidings where only rolling stock roll thru them and the engines in most cases don’t. Like many of today’s engines produced by Bachmann, USA Trains, etc. require a certain size track radius to run on, probably the LGB Mogul should have also listed this engine for larger radius track also, but didn’t for reasons only they know. Maybe there’s a little old LGB repair man retired back in Germany who knows the fix, but won’t tell us what to do.
trainman
I used the R1 on my inside layout to save room and originally I was running just the stainz locos like many of us start out. My outside layout will not have any R1 other than maybe a short spur with a few cars parked on it. I just thought it was strange that 3 run with no issue and one has the issue. It runs good enough through the curves, just not as good as the others. Thanks for all the answers.
I check the gauge on all my equipment before I ever run it on my railroad, and some of my LGB locomotives are a bit wide on the wheel gauge. One of my LGB Porters doses jump a bit in one place on my railroad, but none of my other equipment has a issue on that section. That is because there is a slight kink in the rail, so the rail gauge is a bit narrow right there, and that one LGB porter has a wider wheel gauge then any of my other equipment. So I would suspect it is the wheel gauge on your locomotive that is causing issues.
I only run LGB engines, I have never checked the gauge on any of these engines, I just put then on the LGB trach and they work, I guess I’ve been lucky over the past 30 years with LGB equipment.
trainman
Well yea. But I didn’t/don’t use LGB track. Maybe that makes a difference. Also, in my case, I bent my own curves. And back when I built my railroad I didn’t have a railbender.