This is another great podcast guys! Three cheers for Dan for showing us how to keep our models running for a while and the all importance of maintaining them.
I don't know much but learning. I came across this on my own. Been fixing and cleaning stuff for awhile. before TH-cam. If you've ever heard the saying your blinker fluid is low? Or light bulb grease needs changed , most people don't know there is such a thing as light bulb grease. Which in turn is a type of electric grease. Which is used in plastic in and on headlights ,parking and turn signal lights.
I always use a weak solution of good quality shampoo and water to clean up greasy parts. It wont hurt the plastic and it's fantastic breaking up the gunk. A mechanic friend of mine turned me on to this when I was in High School because shampoo is dirt cheap compared to some of the cleaners out there.
Thanks for uploading this video. I've had the same problem with almost all early or old 'new stock' Proto 2000 locomotives. They used a mineral based oil and grease which over time would become thick and tacky and actually made things worse. A complete clean out by washing all the parts concerned in water and detergent using an old toothbrush removed all the 'guck', then re-assemble when dry and re-lubricating with a synthetic oil. The synthetics last much longer and do not attack the plastic. Stew.
Great job you guys! Definitely, we all out here could use more cleaning tricks. Please show us this on different trains. Steamers small and large.. Thanks you two.
Hi Dan and side kick, Good video on cleaning , BTW for other TH-cam subscribers, - I recently purchased a Proto 2000 GP9, the shop owner said the axle gears will likely be cracked or split. He gave me a FREE pack of axle gears. Got it home, put it on the test track, applied DC power and the loco just sat there and buzzed. Well, next thing to was open it up, not only were the axle gears cracked but the EXCESS!! grease was thick as dried syrup!! yikes!! I make a habit now of checking all new.
Are you sure that John is the sidekick?!? I've been trying to rejuvenate some old Tyco locos from the 70s / 80s that have been put away. Grease was totally congealed and gooey! Just like Dan, the Man, says ...
Great Vid. I recommend anyone with a new loco to do this. Especially with an Athearn Locomotive. They use WAY too much grease and over time the grease gets tacky. I'll be making a vid of doing my trucks on my athearn. I however don't use white grease, just a plastic safe oil. Labelle medium oil works well.
The toothpaste idea was only meant as a type of polishing medium as the toothpaste that was recommended was minutely abrasive and would polish the gears in the trucks so the locomotive would run better than "factory". The toothpaste was never meant to be a replacement for grease and/or oil. If the toothpaste was left in the gear towers it would wear them right down and yes, you would have to replace all the gears.
Back in the 1960s, my grandparents bought me an old AHM/Rivarossi Indiana Harbor Belt 0-8-0 which had to be returned because it absolutely would not run. Looking back, I think that the problem wasn't gunk but maybe a wiring problem because it didn't seem to be getting power at all.
Can that prevent a motor from moving freely? I have a motor on an Athearn SD40T-2 that sticks when changing directions. I even cleaned the gears from excess grease and relube with labels 106 plastic compatible grease. I'm wondering if there's another solution to this?
+Russell Scohy Thanks for watching. You can do to our website to oder. This link is for ordering DVDs: tsgmultimedia.com/product-category/dvds/ This link is for ordering Digital Downloads: tsgmultimedia.com/product-category/digital-downloads/ They are available both ways.
+U.P. railman Scale models need very little lube, and not often. Over-lubing is just as bad as under-lubing. If you happen to have one of your models taken apart, check if it needs lube.. Otherwise, if you are having trouble with one, that is also a good time to check.
This would make start -up smoother ? . When you trottle up from start you don't get that jerk ! Kinda like Bigger fly-wheel effect!???!???? A smoother start !!!!?
This locomotive is a GP38-2, Otherwise, perhaps the Athearn model factory would have designed the Proto 2000 brand differently. I say this because of the dynamic brake in the middle of the roof. www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Athearn20Trains20HO20scale20Gp38-220diesel20locomotive.jpg
This is another great podcast guys! Three cheers for Dan for showing us how to keep our models running for a while and the all importance of maintaining them.
I just came across your video .... Subscribed!!!
I don't know much but learning. I came across this on my own. Been fixing and cleaning stuff for awhile. before TH-cam. If you've ever heard the saying your blinker fluid is low? Or light bulb grease needs changed , most people don't know there is such a thing as light bulb grease. Which in turn is a type of electric grease. Which is used in plastic in and on headlights ,parking and turn signal lights.
I always use a weak solution of good quality shampoo and water to clean up greasy parts. It wont hurt the plastic and it's fantastic breaking up the gunk. A mechanic friend of mine turned me on to this when I was in High School because shampoo is dirt cheap compared to some of the cleaners out there.
Thanks for uploading this video. I've had the same problem with almost all early or old 'new stock' Proto 2000 locomotives. They used a mineral based oil and grease which over time would become thick and tacky and actually made things worse. A complete clean out by washing all the parts concerned in water and detergent using an old toothbrush removed all the 'guck', then re-assemble when dry and re-lubricating with a synthetic oil. The synthetics last much longer and do not attack the plastic.
Stew.
Great job you guys! Definitely, we all out here could use more cleaning tricks. Please show us this on different trains. Steamers small and large.. Thanks you two.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING SO DETAILED VERY AWESOME
Hi Dan and side kick, Good video on cleaning , BTW for other TH-cam subscribers, - I recently purchased a Proto 2000 GP9, the shop owner said the axle gears will likely be cracked or split. He gave me a FREE pack of axle gears. Got it home, put it on the test track, applied DC power and the loco just sat there and buzzed. Well, next thing to was open it up, not only were the axle gears cracked but the EXCESS!! grease was thick as dried syrup!! yikes!! I make a habit now of checking all new.
Are you sure that John is the sidekick?!? I've been trying to rejuvenate some old Tyco locos from the 70s / 80s that have been put away. Grease was totally congealed and gooey! Just like Dan, the Man, says ...
Great Vid. I recommend anyone with a new loco to do this. Especially with an Athearn Locomotive. They use WAY too much grease and over time the grease gets tacky. I'll be making a vid of doing my trucks on my athearn. I however don't use white grease, just a plastic safe oil. Labelle medium oil works well.
The toothpaste idea was only meant as a type of polishing medium as the toothpaste that was recommended was minutely abrasive and would polish the gears in the trucks so the locomotive would run better than "factory". The toothpaste was never meant to be a replacement for grease and/or oil. If the toothpaste was left in the gear towers it would wear them right down and yes, you would have to replace all the gears.
Wow, just saw this. Great video, and very helpful. Thanks!
Thanks for the video. It is very helpful.
Back in the 1960s, my grandparents bought me an old AHM/Rivarossi Indiana Harbor Belt 0-8-0 which had to be returned because it absolutely would not run. Looking back, I think that the problem wasn't gunk but maybe a wiring problem because it didn't seem to be getting power at all.
Yea so did u get another one????
This vido has been a big help
Also, since it designed to wash away, clean up in water is a breeze.
Can that prevent a motor from moving freely? I have a motor on an Athearn SD40T-2 that sticks when changing directions. I even cleaned the gears from excess grease and relube with labels 106 plastic compatible grease. I'm wondering if there's another solution to this?
Could you use hair clipper oil to oil / clean the gears and such?
Your best bet ALWAYS is to find the proper plastic compatible oil made specifically for model railroading.
I know if you want the drive wheels you will lose electrical contact
and what aind of brushes does that mortar have
Okay kids, this is why you don't run your trains on shagg carpet!
How and where can I go to order your DCC install videos?
+Russell Scohy Thanks for watching. You can do to our website to oder.
This link is for ordering DVDs:
tsgmultimedia.com/product-category/dvds/
This link is for ordering Digital Downloads:
tsgmultimedia.com/product-category/digital-downloads/
They are available both ways.
How often should you lube them up?
+U.P. railman Scale models need very little lube, and not often. Over-lubing is just as bad as under-lubing. If you happen to have one of your models taken apart, check if it needs lube.. Otherwise, if you are having trouble with one, that is also a good time to check.
This would make start -up smoother ? . When you trottle up from start you don't get that jerk ! Kinda like Bigger fly-wheel effect!???!???? A smoother start !!!!?
I actually would have completely taken apart all of the parts and chemically cleaned them to strip the grease off, wash them, and then regrease them.
+Daniel Arnold That sounds like it would work. It probably just depends how badly the parts are gunked up.
This locomotive is a GP38-2, Otherwise, perhaps the Athearn model factory would have designed the Proto 2000 brand differently. I say this because of the dynamic brake in the middle of the roof. www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Athearn20Trains20HO20scale20Gp38-220diesel20locomotive.jpg