Help with an Engine

[don]

Not sure if this is the right forum so feel free to move it if you want. 

I have a 10 000 133 HO GP40 undecorated locomotive that is my first step into DCC equipment.  I don't have DCC set up yet so I'm trying to run this using DC power.  I have no experience with DCC engines so here are my observations. 

The instructions tell me when I first put it on the track using DC power I'll hear the engine startup sequence.  Check, that worked. 

Then it tells me after the startup sequence, add a little power and the engine will move.  Adding a little power starts the flywheels moving but the wheels do not move. 

If I turn the power off and then turn the power back on, there is no response from the engine, no light, no sound, no engine movement.  If I wait 15 - 30 minutes and turn the power back on, I'll get the light, the engine startup sequence and the flywheel movement again. 

There is no response from the engine at any time if I set the DC power pack switch to reverse. 

I'm guessing this is not normal operation.  Does anyone know of a repair shop that I could send this to for evaluation. This is way out of my expertise and I'd sure like someone to help me out with this.  

Thanks

Don

[Artur]

What are using for power? Sounds like it’s not getting enough current.

[don]

I'm using an MRC 280 ....

I hae a Walthers SD70 ACe that is also DCC and it runs fine ..... I can vary the speed and I have engine / bell sounds as it runs ... DC engines also operate fine.

Thanks for the suggestion

[Deleted]

If it's not new from the factory, it might have had dc operation disabled. Try taking it to a friend's house and resetting the decoder by setting cv8 to a value of 8.

[Mark R.]

I don't understand .... "power starts the flywheels moving but the wheels do not move." If the flywheels are turning and the engine doesn't move, you have a mechanical problem of some kind.

Mark.

[canrailfan]

Apr 11, 2018 4:39:50 GMT -8 don said:

Then it tells me after the startup sequence, add a little power and the engine will move. Adding a little power starts the flywheels moving but the wheels do not move.

If the flywheels are turning and the locomotive wheels do not move then this is not a decoder problem. Something is broken or missing in the drive-line. Are the flywheels connected to the trucks? If they are, can you see the shafts turning between the flywheels and trucks. If you see the shafts turning then there may be broken or missing gears in the trucks.

You didn't say if this was a new locomotive or a 'pre-owned' model. Either way Atlas can probably provide parts if needed since this model is still produced.

[don]

The engine is fairly new and I'm the first owner. My instinct tells me it is at least a mechanical issue. Not sure about the electronic part.

I'm an old guy that does not have a lot of experience with the mechanics of an HO engine and I don't want to make it worse.

I thought of contacting Atlas but I'm not 100% comfortable with that. This year they discontinued the golden spike club for HO and N. I was proud to be a charter member and I looked forward to continuing each year. I sent a note suggesting if it was a cost thing I didn't need a special car, just send one from their inventory each year. Never heard back. So my spider sense is keeping me from having full confidence in that approach.

At this point, I am able to pay for someone with the expertise to do the evaluation. So the best thing I can get is your recommendation of someone who can do this.

Thanks again for all the help

Don

[canrailfan]

Don,

If you are interested in checking the drive-line yourself here is a video showing how to dis-assemble the Atlas GP38/40 model.



While the problem being fixed in this video isn't identical to the one you have, it takes you through the steps to remove the trucks. This should allow you to see if there is a jam or bind in a truck. Also check the drive shafts and make sure they have the small pins that fit into the slots in the flywheels. If these are broken off it would be one explanation for the behaviour you have described.

[don]

Thought I'd provide a little closure here.

Sorry for the delay, I wanted to make sure I had a lot of time before I attempted this .... when you rush nothing works out well.

I looked at the video and it was close. The model in the video did not have DCC so it was much easier for them but at least it gave me some ideas.

After some digging, I noticed that one truck was working and the other was not .... I could not take the assembly apart like they showed in the video but with a lot of fiddling I was able to reset the drive mechanism on the 2nd truck. Still not sure what was wrong but both trucks are now working.

I did a test run on an oval using DC and while the endine runs smoothly, at full throttle I'm going to take a wild guess and estimate it's running a scale 40 - 50 mph. I'm assuming this has something to do with the DCC and since I don't have my DCC up and running yet I guess I'm just going to have to live with it.

It's a little strange, my Walthers SD-70 ACe that is also DCC runs fine on the same track with DC power. I guess it's just an Atlas quirk.

[riogrande]

Don, thanks for following up with how things turnout. You never know if this ever crops up again, then it's good to see what the resolution was.