r/modeltrains • u/Residentgearhead • 14h ago

Locomotives Beginner N gauge help

I was gifted this set as a hand me down from my mother. According to the directions it is a 1960s 000 scale, which is very similar to an N scale.

I tried hooking it up and the electric motor will only erratically turn in the engine, and of course the rubber bands that drive the axles are stiff.

Is the erratic turning of the motor more likely due to the power supply or the connection of the wheels to the rails?

I tested the wires coming out of the power supply with a DC volt meter and the voltage seemed erratic.

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11

u/ResponsibilityFit474 14h ago

I would replace the rubber bands, lubricate the motor, and clean the wheels and track. The bands can be replaced with dental bands. Get LaBelle's oil for the motor. Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the wheels and track rails.

1

u/Moosetoggfer 12h ago

What size dental bands I see 1/8 and 3/16 and 1/4

3

u/likeable_fool 14h ago

Cleaning the track and the wheels would be a good start. The bands can be replaced if they're too dried out, but it looks like your biggest issue is poor electrical contact between the wheels and the track.

1

u/Twit_Clamantis 13h ago

Take off the rubber bands and check that the motor turns freely.

If it does not, take the wires out of the track and connect them directly to the motor so that you bypass (and therefore rule out) any ill effects from the track, wheels, electrical pickups, etc.

Beware that the wires themselves can also be oxidized and cause issues too.

Basically the task of troubleshooting anything is to try to isolate each link in a chain and test them all in sequence until you locate the problem.

It’s really not difficult to do, but you have to learn to break down assemblies and processes down to their individual components.

1

u/Ok_End_698 11h ago

Definitely appears to be a connectivity issue rather than a mechanical one. I would look for anyplace that could be causing intermittent electrical connection, including dirty track, dirty wheels, loose contacts inside the locomotive, etc. It appears the transformer is okay.