Running in stock

[hoovernut]

Evening all.

I am well aware that locos need to be run in but is this the case with wagons. I have four Hornby ota wagons which are running poorly. One thing up I have noticed us a different set up with the axels.

Thanks

[philsandy]

Turn wagons upside down and check the wheels spin freely.

 

Check that they are not rubbing on the brake gear.

Check they are not a sloppy fit in the axle boxes.

Flick the wheels out and lubricate with graphite by rubbing a soft HB pencil on the pin point ends of the axle. I've found this makes a tremendous improvement to the wheels spinning more freely.

[hoovernut]

No they don't run very freely at all. I will get them out and have a go the pencil. I may even add a little weight.

[RexAshton]

Hornby's wheels are generally very good but it's worth checking that the back to back measurement (between the inside faces of the wheels_ is correct. Check with a back to back gauge if you have one or if not compare them against wheels that you know are correct. If freely they're not spinning it points to them catcking somewhere. Adding extra weight will help running but only after you've resolved the other issues. Good luck.

[hoovernut]

I stripped them down today and had a look. And found that they don't actually run in pinpoints. ,they run in a u channel . After some felting and oiling I have them running a little better .

Thanks for the advice.

[BoD]

A search revealed this old thread.

 

Over the last few years I have been collecting stock in anticipation of having somewhere to run them. I have reached that stage and today unpacked some of these Hornby OTA timber wagons. To say I am disappointed with the running of the is a massive understatement. As pointed out above they aren't pinpoint axles but run (run? that's a laugh) in a plastic axle housing. When pushed by hand they only moved a few cm.  When turned upside down and the wheels spun they seem to run out of true.  Even after a running in period of about 30 minutes they still squeak and grind and have a very high rolling resistance compared to every other wagon I own.  

 

It seems I'm not the only one who has had issues like this.  Was it a known issue at the time of their release?

Has anyone solved this problem effectively?  I'm wondering if dismantling them and applying a little of the white grease I use on the ball bearing races on my cycle might improve things. Any thoughts?

[johnb]

A little powdered graphite or trace of graphite grease can work wonders. That white grease if it's anything like the stuff that can be found in some locos it can be more of a hindrance than hel,p it can be a bit thick and stodgy for small bearings or for something approximating a bearing.

 

John

[Flying Pig]

I never run my trains in stock - it's difficult to clean off and if hot enough can even damage the mouldings. I'm reminded of the advice the late great Spike Milligan gave in a slightly different context:

 

Never bath in Irish Stew,

It's the most illogical thing to do,

But should you go against my reasoning,

Don't fail to add the appropriate seasoning !

 

[DCB]

Putting them on Ebay and sourcing some Bachmann wagons is probably the easy option.   Using them as a static model on the layout or leaving them in a display cabinet is probably the best use if you want to keep them.   Like the Hornby Tenders with the same set up the wheelsets really need separate brass bearings along those plastic guides if you want to run them, but it is a huge amount of work and then they derail on curved gradients.  I long ago banned long wheelbase 4 wheelers from my layout for this reason and arranged 3 point suspension for my  timber wagons on older Hornby chassis which I use in the garden.  The plastic guides are fine on toy wagons which come with a loco and a circle of track for £5 but it is pretty poor on a medium price model.

[BoD]

Putting them on Ebay and sourcing some Bachmann wagons is probably the easy option.   

 

I can understand that point of view.  

I have some of the Bachmann ones too and the difference between the two is incredible.

Very disappointing really.

Edited January 25, 2018 by BoD

[orford]

I would echo JohnB's comment about putting a little powdered graphite on the axle ends/in the U channels. You can get it (known as 'Greas'em' from any Kadee stockist although by far the easiest option is to go to any locksmith where you can buy it labelled as 'lock lubricant' at a fraction of the price. 

[sb67]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Fine-Graphite-Powder-Lubricant-Lock-Locksmith-Cylinder-Car-Padlock-60ML/272840505556?hash=item3f868fb8d4:g:f1MAAOSwdDtZtAAh

 

I didn't know anything about graphite powder or lock lubricant and did a search as I've got a couple of dodgy locks at home as well as some poor running wagons and found this, not sure how good it will be but I thought I'd give it a go for a quid!

Steve.

[40034_Nick]

1 way to make wagons and/or coaches run freely is to remove each wheel set as previously mentioned and run a file over each of the axle end points about 2 or 3 times then refit and hand spin it, if it runs better that way repeat for the remaining wheels.

 

I done this on the wheels of Bachmann coaches and they run far better than they did when I bought them.

Totally agree.. 

[Puggers]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Fine-Graphite-Powder-Lubricant-Lock-Locksmith-Cylinder-Car-Padlock-60ML/272840505556?hash=item3f868fb8d4:g:f1MAAOSwdDtZtAAh

 

I didn't know anything about graphite powder or lock lubricant and did a search as I've got a couple of dodgy locks at home as well as some poor running wagons and found this, not sure how good it will be but I thought I'd give it a go for a quid!

Steve.

I have a small bottle of powdered graphite which I bought over 20 years ago! You only need a tiny amount in a lock or a wheel bearing and, although it makes the keys a bit dirty for a while, it does not drip nor attract dirt like oil does. Every home should have one!

Edited January 26, 2018 by Puggers

[BoD]

I have tried rubbing the axle and the plastic U with a soft 3B pencil. It has eased running a little so I may try the graphite powder suggested above.

It's a pity about this as, apart from this issue, the model looks good.

Does the powder easily stay in place or is this going to be a never ending task?

 

Still it means I've a rake of wagons that not only squeaks and groans like the real thing but also leaves its own stain on the ballast.  What more could one want?

[The Johnster]

There may be some advantage in having at least the brake vans less than free running, so long as the wheels turn under the van's own weight.  A brake van was often used in practice to hold a train on a slight gradient while the locomotive was not attached to it, and very few layouts are so well made that free running modern rolling stock will not, well, roll about on them rather than staying put where you want them.  And a slight drag from the brake van will keep the couplings prototypically taut during running.

 

Graphite is a good dodge on plastic though; back in the day we used soft pencil lead to lubricate the motion of Airfix (later Dapol and now Kitmaster, originally Kitmaster as well in some cases) construction kit locos, and I even successfully motorised a 61xx with it's plastic motion fully working in my misspent youth.

Edited January 27, 2018 by The Johnster

[BoD]

I can assure you that these particular wagons are not going to go anywhere on their own.

The more I think about it the more disappointed I am that a relatively recent model should be designed in such a way thet they require 'treatment' before they will run freely enough to make a rake of more than a couple of them viable.