yelrow Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 hi, just bought 4005, Big Boy from ebay, DC only. This is not a complaint as i am delighted with it, price was fine, and on brand new track, sample, it runs ok. However, my layout, is not brand new track, some is, but majority, aged. Track is clean enough for all other locos to go fine. So, does this one take more power, as has 2 motors, or need a service, or need more pickups, or ???????.. I dont want to buy/ lay new track. Has anyone had similar prob, or would DC droppers help. john Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 First thing to do would be to service it, adjust and clean the pick-ups, clean the wheels and adjust the back-to-backs, and finally give the track a thoroughly cleaning. If you do all that and it sticks on points/curves then they may be too tight for the loco to traverse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelrow Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 40 something, thanks. Been trying to find a service sheet. It runs a treat on a new metre of peco track. Wheels are like new. I think it has seen little use. Am reluctant to remove body. john Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Hi John If its the older (shiny wheels) model the service sheets are here If its the newer one (darkened wheels and finer detail), the service sheets are here, here and here Hope this helps Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelrow Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 40 something, from seventy something, thanks. They are shiny wheels. I think it would help to have extra pick ups, but would have no clue, how to go about it. It is a super loco. Will look to cleam/ service a bit. john Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Have a look at the pic here Gives a rough idea on adding extra pick-ups, very simple to do and really helps Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted August 2, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2016 My recollection from reviews in Model Railroader is that the Rivarossi Big Boy is surprisingly lacking in pickup capacity, despite the number of available wheels, so I think you'd get some good results by adding extra pickups. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 Since you have the earlier shiny wheel version, this should have traction tyres too. Spotted them yet? Translucent so hard to spot, not prone to dirting or stretching, grippy but not insanely so, mine still has the originals as they don't appear to deteriorate; the only truly good traction tyre I have ever encountered. You'd think that every other manufacturer would have cottoned on by now... BTW, unless modified by an owner they were single motor, with a shaft drive to both trucks. Mine picks up on goodness knows how many wheels on the live subchassis principle, including some of the tender wheels one side, never, ever, stalls on its rare runs out on the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted August 4, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 4, 2016 I have a Rivarossi/AHM SP AC-11 dating from the late 1960's. It has pick-ups on all drivers and one side of the tender. With the original traction tyres, it will haul pretty much anything up the side of a house on a mixture of track. Sometime I will re-motor it and convert to DCC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted August 4, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 4, 2016 on brand new track, sample, it runs ok. However, my layout, is not brand new track, some is, but majority, aged. Track is clean enough for all other locos to go fine. That is what concerns me. How can the track be 'Clean enough for other locos'? Either the track is clean or it isn't. The fact that your new to you loco, runs perfectly on brand new track, but not on your existing track, indicates that your track is indeed, too dirty! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted August 4, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 4, 2016 Looking at some of the mentions on the web, it seems as if they de-scoped the pickup arrangement on the Hornby-era issues of the Rivarossi model, which seems a pretty retrograde thing to do when you already have a proven arrangement. http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/170610.aspx I'd have to take slight issue with Kevin's comment above, we all know clean track isn't a black and white thing, or else all we'd ever be doing is cleaning track! The fact is most modern engines will happily cope with minor levels of track dirt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelrow Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 totally disagree about state of my track. I have 69 DC locos, 67, of which have no issues with it. Just for the hell of it, i tried mt 14 DCC locos on DC layout, again, all perfect. It is a Rivarossi thing, i suspect. john Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted August 5, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 5, 2016 totally disagree about state of my track. I have 69 DC locos, 67, of which have no issues with it. Just for the hell of it, i tried mt 14 DCC locos on DC layout, again, all perfect. It is a Rivarossi thing, i suspect. john OK, but can you explain why it runs perfectly on 'brand new track' , but not your existing track? The pick up arrangement hasn't changed between those two tests you mentioned. Or there is something else, causing the difference - maybe ballast on the side of the rail head. I have no idea as I haven't seen your layout, you just asked for some ideas of what the problem might be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelrow Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Kevin, hi, you are absolutely right, its strange. My own view is that my new track was 1 metre piece, whereas all my layout is normal rails, so a lot of joiners. Also, feed was never more than 3 foot away, whereas on 10x5 layout, i only have one feed, which was about 8 feet from where i tried it. Also, its an old Italian built loco. You can see why i asked for ideas. It is fair to say, that after using on the new bit, it is improving. john Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted August 5, 2016 Share Posted August 5, 2016 You may just need to give it prolonged running if it has stood unused a long time. All the metal to metal contacts essential for pick up will have an oxide film, and this needs to be polished off by running. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yelrow Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 Looking to find Rolling road big enough to give Big Boy some longer running. Any suggestions. thanks. john Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium JZ Posted August 12, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2016 On a slightly different topic.http://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/august-steam-8-11-2016.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.