Running in new loco

[GreenDiesel]

I've just bought a new Hornby (R3304) ex-LSWR 700 Drummond loco. The loco is great and runs fine on my shunting layout. However, should I quickly set up a loop of track and run it in for a couple hours in either direction, etc.?

 

The instructions sheet makes no mention of running it in and I'm only planning to use it on this small layout (at least so far).

 

Thanks in advance.

Rob

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

If it is running 'sweetly', smooth at all speeds in both directions, especially so at dead slow, then no great need in this circumstance. If the model was to operate on a long run layout and expected to pull heavy loads, then even if perfectly sweet running I believe giving the motor brushes some time at low current to bed in on the commutator and thus increase the contact area is probably advantageous.

 

If planning to fit a DCC or other decoder, most small mechanisms do free up a little with some running; and so to avoid the need to revise the set up, I would run any model a little until it proves stable in sustained minimum and maximum speed.

[GreenDiesel]

If it is running 'sweetly', smooth at all speeds in both directions, especially so at dead slow, then no great need in this circumstance. If the model was to operate on a long run layout and expected to pull heavy loads, then even if perfectly sweet running I believe giving the motor brushes some time at low current to bed in on the commutator and thus increase the contact area is probably advantageous.

 

If planning to fit a DCC or other decoder, most small mechanisms do free up a little with some running; and so to avoid the need to revise the set up, I would run any model a little until it proves stable in sustained minimum and maximum speed.

 

Thanks. That's basically what I thought. For now, at least, it's only going to be used at low speeds shunting a few wagons around. 

[Butler Henderson]

Running round a loop does a loco not harm and can show do faults. My Bachmann SDJR 7F would have probably run perfectly a reatively straight layout and through Peco medium radius points, put round a loop it quickly came apparent that pick ups needed adjusting. Suggest that If you do not have a permanent loop its worth investing in an oval of Kato Unitrack which will last and last being set up and taken apart.

[The Johnster]

A loco that runs well straight out of the box is unlikely to have any serious problems, and will loosen up and improve eventually with use, but if you can set up a loop with no sharper curvature that the loco will encounter on the layout, perhaps incorporating dead frog pointwork and a reverse curve as well, it will do it no harm to be sent off at a fairly low speed to amuse itself for 15 or 20 minutes in each direction.

 

At the end of the run, check for hot spots (there won't be any if it's running well), and during it, listen out for clicks or any other noise you don't like the sound of.  If there are any, stop straight away and investigate.  The purpose of the exercise is not so much running in as fault finding and snagging.  Also, check that the couplers are the right height and not loose in their dovetalls, all the wheels are to gauge, run true, and are square to the axles, and that the factory hasn't overdone the lubrication, which will attract crud.

 

I go one further and strip my locos down after the first test run to clean out the factory lube and replace it with my own while I'm checking everything else out.  This isn't necessary, but I've had problems with factory lubrication in the past and this seems to have helped me avoid a recurrence.  Pickups, and their bearing on the wheel backs even when the wheel is at full sideways play, are worth checking as well.

 

After experience with a Hornby 42xx which may have been bad luck, I'd check over Hornby locos such as this for loose buffers and other details as several bits have fallen off my 42xx and I had to glue a coupling into the dovetail to stop it falling out!  

[spikey]

 ... clean out the factory lube and replace it with my own ...

 

Care to share what you use on the gears?

Edited October 21, 2018 by spikey

[The Johnster]

I use one lubricant for all purposes (model railway that is, other purposes are not for this forum), Expo Fine Grade Oil No.74326, bought at Antics in Cardiff City Centre.  I apply it with a hypodermic syringe kept with the modelling tools specifically for that purpose.  The guy in Antics assured me that it is safe for all plastics used in RTR, and I have found it to be very effective.  At least it doesn't gunge up like the grease the factory applies does.

[Pete the Elaner]

I find a rolling road useful. It takes up a lot less space than an oval so you can use it wherever you can set up a spare 12" of track.

[The Johnster]

A rolling road will identify some problems and you can certainly use them for running in, but you need to test running through curves and pointwork as well, which cannot be done on rollers.

[DCB]

Half an hour running one way and half an hour the other way round a continuous run is a great way to run a loco in. I would definitely invest in a circle of 3rd Radius track for running in if I didn't have a layout.  There was a post about a banjo shaped return loop the chap could hang up so a circle of ply with a 3rd radius circle of track could do the same. Just cut away as much of the base as possible inside and outside the track to keep the weight down

[GreenDiesel]

Thx... I may try this this weekend then as I have lots of spare track.

[Butler Henderson]

I split the running time into four equal sections for rigid chassis locos - 1/4 of the time one way round the oval, 1/4 of the time the other way, then turn the loco round and repeat - that way any pick up issues isolated to one side or other of the loco should show up.

[hongkongmike]

Currently running in a Hornby A4 ("Empire of India") which although a superb model to look at, I find the driving wheels are decidedly not square on the axles. Is there anything I can do to square them up?

[The Johnster]

Not square to the axles, meaning that the vertical plane of the wheels is not at 90 degrees to the axle?  

 

The wheels are a force fit to the axles. and can be 'persuaded' into shape.  Remove them from the chassis, taking down the connecting and coupling rods in the process; I'd advise buying a tidy set of nut drivers for this job.  They will drop out when you remove the plastic 'keeper plate' that holds the pickup strips.  You now need mark the correct back to back position on the axles,  for which you need to get hold of a back to back gauge, and pull the wheels out from the axle splines a little.  Then you need to force fit them back into the correct position against a proper square laid along the axis of the axle, but you may be able to improve the situation just by line of sight if they are very bad.  I have found that they will fall into line, or at any rate close enough for jazz, just by being force fitted against the back to back gauge.

 

Of course, if the model is still under warranty, you would be justified in returning it and demanding a replacement, but there is a lot of faff involved in this and I'd understand if you were reluctant.  This is probably your best bet if you are not comfortable with the procedure described above.

[DCB]

Currently running in a Hornby A4 ("Empire of India") which although a superb model to look at, I find the driving wheels are decidedly not square on the axles. Is there anything I can do to square them up?

Send it back if it's new.   You can tweak the wheels square but getting them to stay square is a different thing altogether.   Quite often axles are out of line as in not at 90 degrees to the chassis looking from above. That's all too common especially with Chinese locos and though it can be fixed with lots of filing and Araldite really life is too short and a loco which runs a bit rough from new is more likely to get worse than better.  Again don't try a fix but send it back if its brand new, stick it on eBay if its second hand.

[tomparryharry]

I use one lubricant for all purposes (model railway that is, other purposes are not for this forum).....

 

I say! This is a family show!

Edited January 20, 2019 by tomparryharry

[The Johnster]

Which is exactly why it is not for this forum, Ian.

[TRAILRAGE]

I normally do 30min in each direction but my Dapol Chiltern 68  has had to have at least 1hr30 each direction so far as it tended to pulse when new.