What is your opion on adding weight to USA engines? If so How much?
Why?
What locomotive?
thinking maybe they would run better over switches and pulling… GP9, GP30, GP38, sd 40-2 and a NW2
I put a chunk of lead in the gas tank.
This helps with pulling and pushing the snow plow.
Sean
scale weight has worked well for many people… about 1.3 ounces per ton…
especially on USAT if you remove the traction tires…
Regards, Greg
Be careful adding weight to USAT diesels as the pinion gear sleeves are prone to splitting. I don’t think I have opened a used USAT diesel motor block yet that didn’t have a least one split sleeve. Our club runs short trains at slow speeds and our operating season is short, so these units did not have a hard life.
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Fixes/Gear02.jpg)
They can be repaired with monofilament fishing line and CA, or the complete axle assemblies can be replaced for $10 a pair.
I have had many USAT locos with split axle “tubes”, without adding any weight. I’m not sure anyone can prove that adding weight will accelerate the process. I have purchased new old stock that has never been run with splits.
You can also find brass tubing that can sleeve the tube and then reinsert the axle halves. Faster and easier.
See my site for details.
I have been hesitant to add weight until now, but think I will try. I have found a correlation between split axles and the axles with traction tires. My theory is that the traction tired wheels do the brunt of the pulling, so they crack first. I remove all the traction tires and replace with “solid” wheels.
Greg
So, if this has been a well known, long term problem with the USAT power blocks, why haven’t they fixed it?
Nothing I deplore more than having to “fix” something that is brand new.
Ralph
You might ask Charles Ro. It’s a mystery. They did change the half axle knurling, claiming the problem is fixed. In my experience (about 20 USAT locos of my own and many of my friends) I don’t think it’s fixed.
Of course, you can just as well ask how come Bachmann keeps having split gears on unused connies, or Aristo can’t wire 2 locos the same way, or why they have to use red loctite to keep Aristo drivers from slipping.
Sort of like the Pinto debacle, less money to do individual claims than fix the car.
Greg
The simple way to test for split axles sleeves on the motor pinion gears is to hold one wheel of an axle and try to turn the other wheel. If is turns, one or the other sleeves is split and the wheel will slip under load. In time it may also come out of gauge causing derailments or wobble causing lumpy running. I noticed when I bought my S-4, each motor block had a yellow check mark and there was a bright green OK sticker on the end of the carton. So I assume the problem persists. USA Trains has reduced the price on their axle sets, they are now two for $9.95. I now replace them rather than bother with a repair. I keep a stock of them for my GP-9s, along with pilot steps, MU connectors, side frame spring stirrups, etc. I like my Geeps, but they do need a little TLC. The most fragile parts are the little plastic loops for the coupler cut bars. I got tired of replacing those and made a permanent repair using brass loops from the ship building section of a local hobby shop
(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Fixes/Loops2.jpg)
From left to right are: the USA Trains plastic loop for comparison, the brass loop with a 5/32 inch length of 22 gauge wire insulation, the insulation installed on the loop, the loop painted flat black with a paint marker.
