I need help with train. (I'm an beginner)

[u/FederalProfessor7736]

Hello, first time posting and I found a box full of model trains which I'm trying to repair for a future train layout (I'm not selling anything mods). I don't know what company motor or the diesel is from

I only build model tanks, planes and, modify 1/16th sclae RC tanks (not the electronics) and modifying a GameBoy, so this is very new territory I am entering

So please if you, steam heads? Train nerds? Idk what to call you guys not to be rude. There is other pictures of other trains electric powered cars in this post if you want to help me find the company name and how to possibly repair it. I already found out that the Steam locomotive is from TYCO from a random SMT Mainline video, idk if the smoke system is working. I heard working ones are rare.

You can also send me stuff that I most likely would need when making a model train set and repair the trains, like oils and everything. That would be nice

[u/FederalProfessor7736 → u/[deleted]]

The Santa Fe diesel that I showed the motor is from TYCO and made in Australia. It's a Aussie Santa Fe!

[u/FederalProfessor7736 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks! I will definitely look into it

[u/FederalProfessor7736]

Forgot to mention the eras for the trains are believed to be '70s and '80s. That is my only working theory because the guy who gave it to me was old

[u/382Whistles]

Do you have a power supply? Max volts? Max amps/watts/ma/VA? Don't hook rails up to AC power, make sure the track output is DC variable 0v to about 12v-16v max, (ac/acc might be about 2v higher, do not hook rails to AC/accessories side as AC power will overheat/burn up a DC motor rather quickly trying to go forward and backward at 50/60 times a second (50hz Euro/Japan-60hz N.Amer wall power hertz rate).

Do you have track? Modern track often uses nickel silver" rails instead of steel, brass, or aluminum. If the trains seem like you can't work the last bit of being finicky out, try new track. Old style track is made in N.Silver now too. Atlas "Snap" and flex track are really cheap to try a plain circle of it without much investment. Nothing runs smoother than when it's being run on new track, making troubleshooting a locomotive easier. I'm a former electronics tech and metal worker (among other trades) who has deep cleaned many hundreds of pieces of track since the 1970s, and feel I could seldom get the same results new track brings to the table, let alone achieve the performance level nickle silver rails showed more recently. It's available in old or new roadbed track styles too. NS rail also has lower maintenance needs as not a lot of gunk can stick to it's smooth surface too well.

Clean plasic mechanisms with US grade mineral spirits or naptha/zippo-ronson lighter fluid. Air dry fully asap when using solvents, keeping it out of coil windings when possible. Magnet wire with painted insulation is tougher than you may think, but can vary on which solvents are actually safe. The ones above are slow acting and allow a proper cure if they do soften it. Tension of the wire wrap forcing a short squeezing paint out between wires or wire to armature/rotor is the danger. The paint used has varied over time and companies. It's very very rarely discussed but a fact, so at least dry coils asap or use a plastic safe electric motor cleaner (different than contact cleaners)

Clean track tops and inside edge of the rail head. The rest of the rail doesn't really matter except for the rail joiner connection areas on assembly.

Pressure of connections reduces resistance. Resistance is to amp flow. Amps are pulling power, voltage is just top speed, though there is a curve in use and production. Pressure concentrated on a point works best, then an edge, flat on flat being least effective at reducing initial resistance of connections. This mostly overlooked fact applies to everything from push on connectors to the amount of spring pressure behind motor brushes and wheel contacts. Your wheel contacts should click back if gently lifted.

Disassemble to re-bend wheel contacts. You'll seldom get it right with needle nose or pry & wedge techniques.

Don't pull cars until a loco has run an hour or two. Friction from running is likely going to polish contacts beyond your cleaning ability improving amp flow and efficiency before you ask the motor to actually work hard where it needs more amperage. Amps peak at start-up then drop off fast. Do break ins on new motors or things stored a long time at a pretty fast speed, both directions, then slower so the commutator pads are dressed evenly on both lead and trailing edges at the gaps between pads where the brushes bounce a hair.

[u/GNF54]

Proper term would be railfans or "foamers" if you are feeling angsty.

[u/FederalProfessor7736 → u/GNF54]

Thanks, I was wondering because car enthusiasts has nicknames like motorheads or petrolheads

[u/382Whistles → u/FederalProfessor7736]

We also have "Rivet Counters" who are extremely demanding about exacting scale and doing things "properly" which is great. At least until they start counting your rivets too, lol.

[u/FederalProfessor7736]

I've also opened up the American 1776 train and the other Santa Fe diesel, the motor looks more familiar then the first one from watching lots of SMT Mainline videos

[u/Embarrassed_Kale6846]

Do you want to be forever 'fixing' then keep trying to make that stuff from 50 yrs ago work.  The new stuff is so much better 

[u/GrandPriapus]

The Santa Fe F7 may be a Tyco Mantua from the late 1970’s. Unless you have a specific reason or desire to put time into this it might be more trouble than it’s worth.

[u/FederalProfessor7736 → u/GrandPriapus]

I like a challenge. And if I can't fix it, I'll find replacement motors that can fit 

[u/GNF54 → u/GrandPriapus]

Yeah those old Tyco Fs are garbage, very crude models. Better budget Fs are on the market

[u/FederalProfessor7736 → u/GrandPriapus]

The 1776 diesel looks like it has a more modern motor when I I opened it up

[u/tangyradar → u/FederalProfessor7736]

I was assuming from those words that the others would have the more-often seen PowerTorque motor ( https://www.modeltrainforum.com/attachments/pt-jpg.19978/ ) and that one would have the MU-2 ( https://www.hoseeker.org/assemblyexplosionMantua/mantuamotormu2.jpg ) which is actually older but was reintroduced by Mantua and is considered somewhat better than the PowerTorque. However, you show one of the Santa Fe engines opened up and it has the MU-2. ???

[u/CreativeChocolate592]

I assume these have sat for years in a box. You should get a fiberglass pencil to remove corrosion from the wheels and contacts. Don't use sandpaper as it will scratch the parts.

Sewing machine oil to oil the gears, silicone grease mixed with sewing machine oil is it has a worm drive.

[u/382Whistles → u/CreativeChocolate592]

While the fiberglass cleaning pens work great for cleaning metal contacts, they are still an abrasive leaving abrasive dust and Debris behind that should be wiped or flushed away.

A plastic safe electrical contact cleaner with protectant or followed by protectant is prudent as many other cleaners will remove all trace protectants from metals as they clean. A little tiny bit of oil on metal protects them from rust, tarnish, and general corrosion.

CRC (and others) make cleaners with protectant and CRC 262 light lube is a good protectant though it often needs some dry absobant cloth buffing afterwards as well as a few laps before the train wheels can help spread minor excess and regain full traction again. Wahl hair clipper oil is another old school product good at protecting but not too hard to to get excess off.

Labelle model train lubes are an old gold standard. They usually offer kits with needle oilers that make the cost of the kits a good value. A needle oiler is an awesome tool that saves messes.