Kato N scale SD45

[nkalanaga]

That's what we're here for!

[carmelmodelrr]

My replacement motor arrived today.  I inserted it and ran the loco 45 minutes.  When I took off the shell the metal body was slightly warm--as it should be.  NOT too-hot-to-touch as it had been with the original motor.  So the motor was the issue.

Thanks, guys.

carmelmodelrr
Richard Wroblewski

[strummer]

Awesome...

Mark in Oregon

[Vman7757]

I have that problem. First o found metal shavings from my track in the motor. The motor has magnets and will attract all kind s of stuff. Some ballast will fragments that will end up in the motor too. I took the engine apart and used a clean tooth brush and cleaned it out rotating the winding's of the motor as I did so. Sometime the metal shards can cause a short. Also check your bearings that are at each end of the shaft on the two ends. I use Atlas lube kit to help the shaft move more freely. If you chose to lube the gears in the trucks? do it sparingly. A drop per truck. And last the Atlas lube kit has Conduct a lube. I put a very small amount on the tip on the tab that touches the brass strip. And another small amount where the brass strip mounts to the frame. Sometimes there may be a poor connection and the truck will drag or you could get intermittent movement that could result in heat when other engines are pulling, pushing or both. I found keep the wheels clean. the gears rolling smooth, Good clear track and making sure the motor turns freely the Kato engines run well. I have a set of 6 SD45s that run well for me and they are very old.  OH ONE OTHER THINK. and you need to do this on a test track. With shell removed. I will take a dab. ( very ,very little) tooth past and dab it on one of the gear in the trucks. On a piece of track off to the side. I run the engine at top speed. The tooth past will clean up the flash. And help the truck run better. But after you are done take the trucks and frame a part apart and clean all the tooth past out of everything. Do not use so much it get in the motor. Just use very little. What yu get is and engine that runs very smooth. After I clean the the frame and trucks. I use the Atlas lube kit the make the engine run ready. I hope this helps. I love my Kato SD45s. Vman     

[nkalanaga]

You shouldn't have metal shavings from the track in your motor, unless you have some VERY old track.  The last steel track I saw in N scale was made in the late 60s or early 70s.

On the other hand, metal from ballast is a very real possibility, especially if you use real dirt for ballast or scenery.  The sand where I grew up has enough iron particles in it that they can be collected with a magnet.  Run a small magnet, it doesn't have to be very strong, through the sand, and it comes out fuzzy with iron.