Bucking and Derailing Engine

HalJ1976

HalJ1976

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I have an LGB Tank Locomotive that is bucking and derailing without any cars connected to it. The metal contact on the bottom on the right side seems loose and splays out. I think this is the issue but wondered if there is a video or way to fix it. I took it to the LGB shop nearest us and they were not sure what to do with it. I tried to attach a video but it did not work. Basically when it runs, one side is only intermittently getting power, which causes it to jerk to one side.
 

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Sounds like the skate is bent. Has the loco been dropped? Are your track joints properly aligned? Have the skates got grooves worn into them?
Put the loco upside down in a cradle, and run it with jumper wires. Check to see that the axle is not bent, or the tyre (the wheel flanges) is true on the wheel centre, and not wobbling.
 
HalJ1976 said:
I tried to attach a video but it did not work.
Click to expand...
Videos are managed through third party sites e.g. Youtube, you need to upload your video to your preferred site and then link to your post via this icon
1628842400908.png
 
Gavin Sowry said:
Sounds like the skate is bent. Has the loco been dropped? Are your track joints properly aligned? Have the skates got grooves worn into them?
Put the loco upside down in a cradle, and run it with jumper wires. Check to see that the axle is not bent, or the tyre (the wheel flanges) is true on the wheel centre, and not wobbling.
Click to expand...
Thank you, this seems very likely, the skids are quite worn and the train has unfortunately in the process of building and troubleshooting a garden train, has left the track a few too many times. I will give that a try.
 
Greg, your points a well taken. I will get a better video and picture shortly. In order to run the train upside down in a cradle, what kind of jumpers would you recommend.

 
We call them alligator clips: (should be able to find on amazon, clip to the skates easiest, but you can also touch to wheels.)

First thing is to clip to skates and see if you still see the problem. Also one clip to skate on one side, then touch other clip to each wheel in turn on the other side. Will tell you a lot about power pickup issues)

18AWG%20Pair%20of%20Dual%20Red%20Black%20Test%20Leads%20Alligator%20Clips%20Jumper%20Cables%20(4)-1024x768_0.JPG
 
On some engines I found the wheel pickup brush was broken. You have to slide the axle sideways and watch the brush to always contact the wheel. The brush could be sticky.
.
 
Must be an old colonial thing. They only have 'gators in the USA (ok, some croc's) but there are lot of croc's in the areas colonized by the European nations but few 'gators. Then again the American clips may have broader "snouts" than the European ones. All the better to grip onto things. Sorry, I could not resist. Max
 
We have a lot of old crocs in OZ but they are mostly in homes. ;);)
But we also are well stocked with "snapping handbags" up in the tropics 33,000 at last count and that is only the saltwater ones, no figures on freshwater fellas.

Actually I have always known the electrical clips as Alligator clips since way back in the 1960's and that is a common term amongst tradies here.
 
Trust the institution that is my former employer..
The Broken Biscuit Corporation, as with everything, actually has (had) a 'Tech.-Note' on this:
Small sprung 'clips' (such as those on test-leads) and the like, are 'crocodile-clips'.
Larger items (such as those on battery-chargers, jump-leads, et-Al) are 'alligator-clips'.

This was typed, on yellowing paper, in a fixed-pitch Courier font.
The BBC was very fond of hyphens, and apostrophes!

God bless all who sail (or have sailed) in her!
 
Anyway, looking at that very short video clip there's clearly something major and mechanical going wrong but we cannot see from that angle. Could be broken rods or brake shoes jamming into the ground, stripped gearing, stuck skates - all manner of possibilities. To help with diagnosis we need to see clear close-up photos of both sides and the underside, and maybe longer video from the sides if possible?
 
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