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 Posted - July 23 2020 : 8:34:58 PM
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In the midst of the Anderson Lines System Shops, a smile adorns the grease covered face of the shop's tired mechanic. After many years of problem-plagued operation, the line's beloved City of San Fransico E7A runs again!
After throwing me for a loop, I finally figured out the problem with my E7A. It wasn't the pinion gear, or armature. It was a combination of multiple problems.
Movement and time have a tendency to eventually tear any drivetrain apart. That's all it takes really. Movement and time... In the case of my E7A, the #2 geared drive axle (pictured under the ICG's coupler) developed an issue with the gear in the forward direction which a caused the locomotive to shake violently when traveling forward.
Now how does a shaking wheelset stop the motor dead in its tracks you may wonder? Well that's where movement and time comes in. Over time this shaking caused the conductive headlight mounting to come loose on it's post to the point where it started moving around. Moving around so much that it would start vibrating against the motor block. And since the motor block and light mount represent the positive and negative terminals respectively, a giant short would occur, sometimes to the extent that it shut down my transformer's safety fuse. Since the vibration didn't occur in reverse, the light wouldn't shake, and the locomotive would usually run. I had the track sitting up on my bed, and that's when I finally noticed the short through the cab window. A new drive axle, and a little super glue and baking soda to the light mount fixed the issue, and got the unit running beautifully.
I didn't need my new ICG locomotive for parts, however it didn't run. I cleaned the armature, but the big gear was frozen up, and the pin on the motor block that held that it on snapped when I went to free it. My UP SD24 used up my spare, so this unit will be a dummy until I find a replacement part. Besides, it's always good to have an extra pinion gear around. Also this unit displays beautifully.
I'd like to thank everybody for all the helpful suggestions and know how that helped me in the troubleshooting process.
Aaron Anderson
Edited by - A-A-RON on July 23 2020 9:13:22 PM
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Posted - July 23 2020 : 8:56:40 PM
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Wow, nice comeback! Glad to hear she runs again. I can see the baking soda in the background! 
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Posted - July 23 2020 : 9:02:18 PM
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quote:Wow, nice comeback! Glad to hear she runs again. I can see the baking soda in the background!
Originally posted by BlaxlandAlex3Â -Â July 23 2020Â :Â 8:56:40 PM
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Super glue and baking soda is my new go to fix. It just turns rock hard quickly, and it can be sanded really well.
Aaron Anderson
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Posted - July 23 2020 : 9:05:10 PM
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quote: quote:Wow, nice comeback! Glad to hear she runs again. I can see the baking soda in the background!
Originally posted by BlaxlandAlex3Â -Â July 23 2020Â :Â 8:56:40 PM
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Super glue and baking soda is my new go to fix. It just turns rock hard quickly, and it can be sanded really well.
Originally posted by A-A-RONÂ -Â July 23 2020Â :Â 9:02:18 PM
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Didn't know that. I'll have to remember that technique.
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Posted - July 23 2020 : 10:35:46 PM
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Great restoration! I didn't know baking soda could be used in such a way either - cool.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - July 23 2020 : 11:50:55 PM
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What a beauty! And what in the world do you use
baking soda and glue on??? Pinion gears?
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Posted - July 24 2020 : 04:28:21 AM
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quote:What a beauty! And what in the world do you use
baking soda and glue on??? Pinion gears?
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â July 23 2020Â :Â 11:50:55 PM
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No No No. I don't imagine that would be a good thing to do, because it's as messy as it sounds. Powertorque tend to explode when you look at them wrong, let alone get baking soda in the vents.
No I used it on the headlight mount, as well as on my station on the BOTW thebother day. It works good for holding parts tight...
Aaron Anderson
Edited by - A-A-RON on July 24 2020 04:29:15 AM
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