Returning to railway modelling after many years absence

[IANTO2009]

My grandson is taking a keen interest in model railways and has re-kindled my interest from many years ago. So I've pulled out what was left of my items from the loft and I've bought some more items from Ebay, much the same as I had when a young teenager. I have a Hornby Albert Hall and 0-6-0 5700 class pannier tank along with an Airfix large prairie. I've recently bought a Hornby Dublo Barnstaple (amongst other items - but this will suffice for this question).

 

The Hall and the pannier ran reasonably well with a service, but I noticed that after a while, the pannier would stop and start without any assistance and I deduced that the controller (old RP15 power unit) was tripping out. Neither the Hall nor the prairie seem to have the same affect. I've since fitted a neo magnet to the Hall (X04 motor), and it stills perform ok without apparently tripping the controller.

 

I serviced the WC class and it initially seemed to perform very well, but eventually succumbed to the same problem, i.e. would stop and start without assistance, as if the controller were trippng out on overload and resetting. I realise these items are quite old, but would a modern controller provide the necessary current flow to eliminate this problem (clearly I'm not in to DCC). Or is there a need for new armatures and/or magnets?

 

I see that neo magnets are available for Hornby Dublo ringfield motors and there is an exchange armature service. So would these be a good investment for the WC class?

[Kris]

Does this start happening as soon as you start running the locos or do you leave them running for quite a while then the controller starts to trip?

[IANTO2009]

Does this start happening as soon as you start running the locos or do you leave them running for quite a while then the controller starts to trip?

 

Hi Kris,

Thanks for the reply. This happens after the loco has been running fine for about 5 minutes. This leads me to think the motor is getting hot and is beginning to take extra power. However, this also happens to the 5700 pannier tank which has an X04 motor I believe. So I'm thinking it's a controller problem. It doesn't seem to happen with the prairie or the Hall. I don't know the history of the W/C but the Hall,pannier and prairie were bought new by me in about 1970 and have had very little use.

 

regards

J

[Il Grifone]

Welcome back to the hobby (the best one! ) and I'm sorry you are having problems.

 

When one loco stops working, does another work immediately, or do they all stop? In the latter case, it is the controller not supplying sufficient current., which does appear to be the problem. Modern controllers often have a wretched thermal cutout (usually a small solid state device) which trips after about 5 minutes or so under slight overload and then takes about the same to operate again.

 

A Dublo loco can take up to 800mA under load and the Tri-ang X-04 nearly as much, though off load about 300-400mA is about right. Neither should run warm - easily checked by touch. The best guide to necessity or otherwise of attention to the motor is performance. A Dublo loco should be capable of about 100mph scale (about 2ft/sec) and a Tri-ang loco rather more - this with a load of four Dublo coaches*, (assuming the loco will pull them - plastic bodied locos may lack adhesion - five/six modern coaches shouldn't be a problemthough**).

 

The armature is unlikely to be at fault if the loco runs OK, though a possibilty if it overheats. Weak magnets result in sluggish operation with high current drain again causing overheating.

 

It is possible to swap motors to check their operation - the Tri-ang-Hornby Hall and 5700 both use an X-04.

 

*Dublo coaches are heavy (made properly of metal except for the Pullmans) and not very free running (plain bearings).

 

** A Dublo WC is capable of pulling almost anything you like to attach behind the tender - I've had ten Dublo coaches behind mine and she was still not distressed in any way.

 

In all cases check the chassis is free running (remove the motor) old oil and grease can gum things up. White spirit will shift it (keep this away from plastic and paint finishes. It shouldn't have any effect, but better safe than sorry.)

[IANTO2009]

Hi David,

Thanks for the reply. I see you mention weak magnets as possibly being a source of over-heating. I do have a spare ringfield neo magnet and so I'll try this. I've just fitted one to my HD 8F and it seems to run well on test. I'll use this loco as a comparison and report back. Thanks to all for the advice and help.

 

regards

John

[Il Grifone]

The Dublo spec for the 8F was slower than the others due to the small wheels so your WC should be faster. (They do vary though, but sluggishness id a sure sign of something amiss> Use a keeper on the original magnet (not too easy with ringfields) and you can put it back if it proves OK, Without the keeper it will be useless anyway and will require remagnetisation or replacement with a neo. These work well. My Deltic has one. Also several vertical motor locos*, but I have not yet found it necessary with ½" motors or X-04s (Just lucky?)

 

* I use 2 x 6mm cubes for these, padded out with two steel 3M washers. You can do a dozen locos for the price of one full size neo, which I find a bit too strong anyway.

 

There are other threads on servicing and controllers, which might be useful.

[IANTO2009]

David,

Thanks again for the advice. I ran my HD 8F (with neo magnet) and my HD 2-6-4 Riddles tank (without neo) for some time today, without the controller tripping. So I guess the WC could benefit from a neo magnet. It's such a nice loco and was my first intro to 2 rail in 1962. (my elder brother won the pools and bought me a WC + 3 Pullman coaches - sadly now lost - but that's another story!)

 

regards

John