Eight Out of Ten Locos Run Fine... What to Do With the Other Two?

[Kisatchie]

Over the past few months, I bought 10 locos from Brooklyn Locomotive Works and on eBay. My Kato NW2 and an Atlas RS-3 won't run... I finally got around to checking them today while my internet was down 4 hours - don't know how I filled all that time. 

Background:

The Kato NW2 was bought new from BLI. When I got it, I took the shell off to see how hard it would be. While the shell was off, a brass contact strip fell out, the trucks came off, and I THINK I saw something fall out of the loco, but after a thorough search, I found nothing. The engine is dead... no lights, nothing.

The Atlas RS3 (from eBay) has directional lights only. Nothing from the motor.

If I send them to Kato and Atlas, does anyone have an idea of the time frame involved with getting the locos back? Also, do Kato and Atlas have a standard repair charge (plus parts)?

Thanks for any help.


Hmm... it's not so bad,
Kiz. 80% ain't bad...

[Rasputen]

You can send them to me if you want, Kiz, and I'll look at them.  That's the least I can do for all of the good deals you have given me.

[mu26aeh]

Are you using DC or DCC control ?  I remember you talking about getting one, but not sure if you did.  If DC, if the RS3 has a decoder, you may only get lights with no movement.  With NW2, if a contact strip fell out, that will probably be the root of problem.  As Rasputen said, I'm sure someone here could check things out for you.

[Kisatchie]

Are you using DC or DCC control ?  I remember you talking about getting one, but not sure if you did.  If DC, if the RS3 has a decoder, you may only get lights with no movement.  With NW2, if a contact strip fell out, that will probably be the root of problem.  As Rasputen said, I'm sure someone here could check things out for you.

I'm using DC to check the locos. Neither loco has a decoder. I forgot to mention that I did get the contact strip back in place. Correctly, I don't know.


Hmm... Kiz is so inept...

[narrowminded]

I too would offer to look at them for you.  Can't be that bad.  

[Kisatchie]

You can send them to me if you want, Kiz, and I'll look at them....

Thanks for the offer, but I think sending them to the manufacturers would be better for me. If you couldn't fix them, then I'd have to send them to the manufacturers anyway. I appreciate it, though.


Hmm... I NEVER touched
those locos... Why is Kiz
looking at me like that...?

[JanesCustomTrain]

Thanks for the offer, but I think sending them to the manufacturers would be better for me. If you couldn't fix them, then I'd have to send them to the manufacturers anyway. I appreciate it, though.

I don't think fixing a model train engine is magic which only a manufacturer can fix. After all they are only importers and the guys which manufacture the models are in China and Japan. Sending your models to a modeler with some experience in fixing them is the better choice in my opinion.

Jane

[Kisatchie]

I don't think fixing a model train engine is magic which only a manufacturer can fix. After all they are only importers and the guys which manufacture the models are in China and Japan. Sending your models to a modeler with some experience in fixing them is the better choice in my opinion.

The reasons I want to send them to Kato and Atlas are

1 - I'd have to pay shipping both ways to a forum member with no guarantee the problem(s) could be fixed.

2 - Kato and Atlas are more likely to have needed parts in stock.

3 - Kato and Atlas are more likely to have the proper tools for repairing the locos.


Hmm... I have a wrench
and a hammer. Maybe I
could fix the locos...

[peteski]

Ms. Dee,
Please tell Kiz that a manufacturer will most likely charge him for repair and for return shipping (since these locos don't seem to be elegible for warranty repair).

Also most modelers who are comfortable wiith takig models apart (and fixing them) usually have good stock of miscellaneous parts.

Then (deducing from your problem description) there is a good chance that the problem is not caused by a defective part. It might just be bad contact or sme cleaning needed.

Just providing you with my opinion here . . .

[Kisatchie]

Ms. Dee,
Please tell Kiz that...

Also most modelers who are comfortable wiith takig models apart (and fixing them) usually have good stock of miscellaneous parts.

Then (deducing from your problem description) there is a good chance that the problem is not caused by a defective part. It might just be bad contact or sme cleaning needed.

Okay, I've reconsidered, and I'll take up Rasputen's offer. Gotta send a PM...


Oops... I dropped the
hammer on one of the
locos. I hope Kiz didn't
notice...

[nscaler711]

That, and not everyone will charge you shipping twice.
I have a few friends over at nSn where we don't charge each other shipping, or even labor... If we have parts for the loco we still don't charge each other. Only time we would is if we had to order some in...
Sometimes its easier to send it too someone you can trust, and not the company person who you don't know...
Idk, just my two cents...

[delamaize]

Okay, I've reconsidered, and I'll take up Rasputen's offer. Gotta send a PM...


Oops... I dropped the
hammer on one of the
locos. I hope Kiz didn't
notice...

I'm glad you reconsidered using forum members for repair resources. Sometimes, that can be a lot better resource than even the manufactures!

[ncbqguy]

Sometimes magic is involved in certain locomotives.....bad magic, very bad magic.
When I was at Con-Cor / JMC one of my duties was to do the Con-Cor repairs.
Every  once in a while a Hoodoo loco would come in that had very bad mojo.....replacing every part on the darn thing would not trick the bad powers.....it still wouldn't be right.  You can't fool the powers....
.....replacement with a different engine that wasn't near the repair bench sometimes worked.....but not always!!!
Charlie Vlk
The real railroads had "bad luck" and poor running engines too and usually no amount or degree of rebuilding would cure them.

[peteski]

Geez Charlie, did you have to post that story now and on this thread?  You probably scared the bejesus out of Kiz!
 

[robert3985]

Sometimes magic is involved in certain locomotives.....bad magic, very bad magic.
When I was at Con-Cor / JMC one of my duties was to do the Con-Cor repairs.
Every  once in a while a Hoodoo loco would come in that had very bad mojo.....replacing every part on the darn thing would not trick the bad powers.....it still wouldn't be right.  You can't fool the powers....
.....replacement with a different engine that wasn't near the repair bench sometimes worked.....but not always!!!
Charlie Vlk
The real railroads had "bad luck" and poor running engines too and usually no amount or degree of rebuilding would cure them.

This is true...My worst "hoodoo" loco was my Overland PA ABA lashup, which I never got to run reliably, and which I finally sold on eBay for a song, correctly revealing their running problems.

However, I've had several cursed locos given to me in frustration by their owners who just wanted to be rid of them, and their problems were small and quickly solvable.  So, one man's "hoodoo" engine, may not be another's!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore