Atlas Trainmaster

[carmelmodelrr]

I have a pair of the first Trainmasters that Atlas produced (the gifts to Paul Graf).  They have been great locos until recently.  Now I have to clean the wheels after every run of an hour or so—because the headlight starts flickering and the pulling power is noticeably reduced.  Has anyone else encountered this problem?  I’ve taken great pains to clean the track so that shouldn’t be the issue.

Carmelmodelrr
Richard Wroblewski

[dem34]

Has gunk accumulated on the pickup tabs? That might be the next place to check. They normally don't get dirty, but with age eventually somethings bound to accumulate eventually.

[davefoxx]

It’s probably time to take the engine completely apart and clean not only the wheels but all contacts between the wheels and the decoder board, e.g., those cups that the axle points ride in can get particularly nasty.

Hope this helps,
DFF

[peteski]

I have a pair of the first Trainmasters that Atlas produced (the gifts to Paul Graf).  They have been great locos until recently.  Now I have to clean the wheels after every run of an hour or so—because the headlight starts flickering and the pulling power is noticeably reduced.  Has anyone else encountered this problem?  I’ve taken great pains to clean the track so that shouldn’t be the issue.

Carmelmodelrr
Richard Wroblewski

If the wheel cleaning totally resolves the flickering headlight problem (for another hour of running) then it sounds to me like the wheels (not anything else) are the problem. In my experience Atlas wheels are prone to picking up dirt from the track.  Kato wheels are much more reliable, especially the newest ones.

I'm not familiar with that model, but it it uses standard Atlas loco wheel sets, you might be able to retrofit Kato wheels into your model.  We discussed this conversion here some time ago.  See https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=33107.0 The "good" stuff starts in Reply #21.

[ns737]

I have had atlas wheels wear out. how much run time is on the engines?

[MichaelWinicki]

What Dave Foxx posted...

Take apart the trucks and clean the ends of each axle along with the cups of the brass pick-up strip.

I have 4 of the Trainmasters...

Great locomotives– Maybe the best runners I have.

I wouldn't be surprised if your problems are with the axles-ends and pick-up cups. 

[ns737]

if he is just cleaning the wheels and the engines then run for a  hour and 1/2 ok. where do's the axles and end cups come in? if that was the problem would  not the engines still run poorly.

[davefoxx]

if he is just cleaning the wheels and the engines then run for a  hour and 1/2 ok. where do's the axles and end cups come in? if that was the problem would  not the engines still run poorly.

He may not be getting all wheels picking up power reliably, so less wheels to assure electrical continuity as wheels get dirty.

DFF

[ns737]

if that was the case the light would flicker all the time. he put in his post that when the light flickers and the pulling power drops he has to clean the wheels. and then they run ok for a hour or so. if it was any thing else. and not just the wheels. the engines would still run poorly.( he has only cleaned the wheels)

[rrjim1]

Is the track clean? If not then running clean wheels on dirty track = dirty wheels.

[Steveruger45]

Like  @peteski  said, I also think it could be time to renew the wheels.  However, in he so doing it would be best to thoroughly service the entire truck assembly cleaning and polishing the truck contacts as per @davefoxx

[carmelmodelrr]

I haven’t had a chance to run the locos yet but I did disassemble the trucks.  The wheels were clean, but I cleaned them again anyway. The cups were mildly dirty but I cleaned them thoroughly.  What surprised me, though,was that the axle points were really dirty.  Obviously, I cleaned them now.  I had never thought that those points would accumulate dirt.
   After all of the above,I have high hopes that the flickering and poor running have come to an end.  If not, new wheels will be coming.

  Thank you to all who have responded.  It’s helped.

Carmelmodelrr

Richard Wroblewski

[peteski]

Hopefully you also added a smidgen of oil to the bearing cups. Running dry, the axle points will wear eventually holes in the axle cups.

[Missaberoad]

I often use a small wad of cotton (paper towel would also work) on the tip of a number 11 blade to ensure that the axle cups are as clean as I can get them.
Another possibility that I have seen is the plating on the wheels can wear through, causing the wheels to pick up more schmoo...

[Point353]

Hopefully you also added a smidgen of oil to the bearing cups. Running dry, the axle points will wear eventually holes in the axle cups.

Was the debate about using oil versus (dielectric) grease as a lubricant for loco axle point/cup bearings ever resolved?