Ben, I can talk from experience in that sometimes a cracked gear is
almost impossible to see and maybe only apparent under actual usage.
You might just consider replacing the whole power truck to save further
frustration.
I've had a bit of a issue with mine tracking properly. I test it on my
home layout but it normally runs on our modules. Even with some
questionable track it seems to run at home very well. However I
replaced the drive wheels with NWSL a couple of years ago. The problem
is that it just runs off the track on our modules' curves and they're in
the 45" range and flat. Reminds me of when I learned to roller skate
and the hunting to find a happy medium. I have fooled with the springs
in the middle axle with some improvement; this is after I ran it for
awhile without the center axle with total success.
Bob Werre
On 4/25/13 9:46 AM, pickycat95 wrote:
It ran last night at Ken's and successfully made many circuits around
the loop assisting the SD70. The electronics and sound worked great
except for the lighting. The frame-mounted couplers haven't fallen off
(yet) and were at perfect height. The front power truck chatters and
shudders. I knew about this at low speed and it looked like it might
go away at higher speeds. Not.
Back to the bench to correct the wiring for lighting effects and to
dissassemble the power truck. This locomotive has been cursed. It had
a cracked gear on one of the axles when I bought it used and I'm now
wondering if that was a symptom of something wrong in the gear tower.
Ben Trousdale
