Heljan Class 26 O Gauge

[Airport2010]

Hi. I think this query possibly applies to all Heljan O gauge locos, but a Class 26 is the loco with the issue.

 

It was bought second hand and is already fitted with a DCC sound decoder so the area inside the body is ‘cosy’ to say the least! The ESU decoder itself is fully functional in all respects, but the loco has a power pickup issue on both axles on the same electrical side of one bogie. When moving with the sound turned off, the loco judders quite noticeably (due to the lack of power I assume) and at the same time a ‘buzzing’ noise from the relevant motor can be heard.

 

So out of a potential eight wheels that should collect track power, only six actually do so. The wheels themselves are not the issue as they are all perfectly clean, as are the sprung steel power collector wires that ride inside the slot on the rear of the loco wheels. Additionally I’ve swapped wheels/axles between bogies and the ‘dead’ area persists, so that has proved the wheels are not the issue.

 

There are also no split cogs even though that's unrelated to the query.

 

I’m unsure whether a complete new motor is required or whether it’s a broken supply wire hidden away inside the mass of ‘spaghetti’ that someone else has installed.

 

Anyone have any insight before I take the thing to bits?

 

Thanks & regards

Phil

[MiDAS]

Are you sure there are no split cogs?? IT can be hairline and very difficult to see but enough to widen gap on teeth.

Terry

[Airport2010]

Are you sure there are no split cogs?? IT can be hairline and very difficult to see but enough to widen gap on teeth.

Terry

Hi Terry

Thanks for the reply.

 

I’ll run it again to check, but apart from a constant clicking sound (which my Heljan 33 used to make when it had a split cog) there’s no correlation between a split cog and this power supply issue.....is there?

[legomanbiffo]

I’ll also reiterate that the split gears are sometimes hard to spot. Also; some Heljan motors are held in a clamp arrangement and can ride up over time. Try pushing them down and if that fixes it, use a bit of Evo Stik to stop it happening again.

 

Bif

[Airport2010]

I’ll also reiterate that the split gears are sometimes hard to spot. Also; some Heljan motors are held in a clamp arrangement and can ride up over time. Try pushing them down and if that fixes it, use a bit of Evo Stik to stop it happening again.

Bif

Thanks Bif I’ll look at that as well.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Since the motor for the bogie with the pick up trouble is buzzing - which it couldn't do if it was receiving no power ( I guess that the pick ups each side are commoned) - then reason suggests you have two independent problems, trouble in the motor department and a failed pick up connection. Take it apart time...

[blueeighties]

If you are hearing a click I would say thats split gears. If that was me, I would strip the wiring and start again.

[Airport2010]

If you are hearing a click I would say thats split gears. If that was me, I would strip the wiring and start again.

Thanks all of you who responded with advice. It was indeed a nylon cog issue, but not a straightforward split hence the lack of a regular clicking sound as the loco moved along the track.

 

Having looked at each cog with a magnifier before removal, I could just figure that a ‘tooth’ on one of the cogs had splayed a bit and was causing the cog to slip on each rotation, which explained the juddering. For now, I’ve taken the offending cog out so the loco has one unpowered axle but it now runs perfectly again!

 

Thought this might help other folk with running issues but not caused by conventional split cogs!

 

Best regards

Phil