Kato N scale GS-4

[carmelmodelrr]

My GS-4 lost its traction tire recently.  I finally got up the courage to replace it.  I wrestled with the tire, then the insertion of the pin until, to my surprise, I had the new tire and pin back in their places.  However, when I run the GS-4 (mine is one of the earliest models) the loco will run until it reaches a curve (any curve) when it stops.  And that is the end of the journey.  Do you have any hints or suggestions?  What have I done wrong?

Thank you.

Richard Wroblewski
carmelmodelrr

[glakedylan]

is the TT fully seated in the groove?


is it possible the TT is too thick and causing other drivers to lose power?


is it possible that the pin was pressed in too far causing a binding?


that is all that comes to mind, for me, according to what you wrote


i hope it works out for you


sincerely
Gary

[havingfuntoo]

Has this loco had the modification to stop the drivers from shorting out on the frame? 

[peteski]

Has this loco had the modification to stop the drivers from shorting out on the frame?

That is important if the loco has a decoder installed. It is not a problem in DC.

Does the loco stop on both right and left curves?
Exactly how far into the curve does it get when running forward?
Exactly how far into the curve does it get when running backwards (tender first)?
When it stops, does it create a short across the rails, or it simply stops running not causing a short?
If there is no short and the throttle is still cranked up, does the headlight remain illuminated or does it go dark?
Can you very gently give the tender a push or pull into the curve, will the model come to life again on the curve?

[havingfuntoo]

If it shorts out it will stop regardless of it having a decoder or not, if it has a decoder then the consequences of the short are far more complicated, usually new decoder, with out a decoder, reset the protection device on your power supply, (if you have one) then move the loco and off you go again until next time.   

[carmelmodelrr]

I've had a few more pressing issues just come up since I posted so I won't be able to test your theories for a few days.  However, I do want to point out that I'm running DC, not DCC.

Richard Wroblewski
carmelmodelrr

[peteski]

If it shorts out it will stop regardless of it having a decoder or not, if it has a decoder then the consequences of the short are far more complicated, usually new decoder, with out a decoder, reset the protection device on your power supply, (if you have one) then move the loco and off you go again until next time.

If you are taking about the drivers shorting to the upper frame halves (which are connected to the motor leads), then this is not a problem on DC locos.  They will run fine even when the driver shorts to the upper frames. Why? because in DC, the driver and the upper frame halves are connected electrically.   This is why Kato did not discover the problem until owners started installing DCC decoders and blowing them up when the short occurred.   When the decoder is installed the upper frame halves will become connected to the decoder's motor outputs. At this point then those are shorted to the driver (or the track voltage), that causes a nasty short of the decoders' motor output transistors to the track voltage.

Since Richard uses DC, this would not be an issue.

[havingfuntoo]

Very true peteski, I can not dispute that.

[Flagler]

I would guess that you need to reset the draw bar from the tender. You might have tweeked it when working on the engine .When you go around the curve it stops making connection

[gkoproske]

What worked for me is to send it in to Kato USA for service.  They'll fix it and the charge will be minimal.