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HELP! Big Boy #37993 with stuck wheels - Need help to make it run again Share  Email this topic  LinkBack Topic URL  Retweet this Topic  Share Topic on Google+  Like this Topic  Share on Facebook  Digg this Topic  Reddit this Topic  Share on Tumblr Options  Watch this topic  Print this topic View » Normal Threaded

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Erekose		#1 Posted : 31 December 2024 17:10:46(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		I need help ... my recently acquired Big Boy 37993 (see https://www.marklin-user...993-new-in-original-box) was merrily speeding on my rolling bench when I had the bad idea to slow it down too quickly, and now when I try to start it forward or reverse the wheels only turn a little before stopping - it looks like a connecting rod is stuck in the 4 rear axles. I tried to slide it along a section of track but the wheels won't turn... what can I do to unclog them?
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marklinist5999		#2 Posted : 31 December 2024 17:50:51(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,864 Location: Michigan, Troy		Inspect the running gear closely for a bent side rod or a missing nut. Also the small rods that drive the air compressor or generator. It happened with my br 10.
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JohnjeanB		#3 Posted : 31 December 2024 18:31:29(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,548 Location: Paris, France		Originally Posted by: Erekose I need help ... my recently acquired Big Boy 37993 (see https://www.marklin-user...993-new-in-original-box) was merrily speeding on my rolling bench when I had the bad idea to slow it down too quickly, and now when I try to start it forward or reverse the wheels only turn a little before stopping - it looks like a connecting rod is stuck in the 4 rear axles. I tried to slide it along a section of track but the wheels won't turn... what can I do to unclog them? Hi Erekose (Funny first name) Difficult to provide a porecise answer in absence of any photos The basics - the mechanism may be stuck by: - a torn coupling rod - a disquartered driving wheel - a pice of ballast in the gears How to proceed - one long method is to free each bogie so the motor is not geared with any of them - next is about to rotate the wheels of each bogie to see which one is deteriorated - last is to locate where the stucking is (where there is no play in the mechanism at the driving wheel level the other method is about: - letting the loco run slowly until it is stuck - turn the loco upside down on a foam bed and inspect each driving wheel axle for the one which has no play - then look closely for a disquartered axle, a bent rod, colliding rods (between a rod and a screw to attach rods on wheels Alas this is the best I can do In case you don't have it, here is the exploded view curtesy of Märklin https://www.maerklin.de/service/...lnummer=37993&lang=1 The user's manual is here https://static.maerklin....f3bf3daafa1434541987.pdf I wish all the best end-of-year fun & celebration Cheers Jean
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Erekose		#4 Posted : 31 December 2024 19:05:38(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Hi Erekose (Funny first name) Difficult to provide a porecise answer in absence of any photos The basics - the mechanism may be stuck by: - a torn coupling rod - a disquartered driving wheel - a pice of ballast in the gears How to proceed - one long method is to free each bogie so the motor is not geared with any of them - next is about to rotate the wheels of each bogie to see which one is deteriorated - last is to locate where the stucking is (where there is no play in the mechanism at the driving wheel level the other method is about: - letting the loco run slowly until it is stuck - turn the loco upside down on a foam bed and inspect each driving wheel axle for the one which has no play - then look closely for a disquartered axle, a bent rod, colliding rods (between a rod and a screw to attach rods on wheels Alas this is the best I can do ..... Thank you for the reply Jean, I also wish you all the best for next year! By the way, Erekose is not my real name but that of Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion, the protagonist of a series of novels I am very fond of - my real name is Massimo. I've had to tear down my entire temporary setup at the moment to make room for New Year's Eve preparations (I don't have room for a permanent layout), but I'll try to make a short video to show what's going on as soon as I can. I'm hoping it'll be a case of greasing a few wheels at most, I've had a look at the 37993 manual and I don't think I want to risk tearing it all apart...
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Copenhagen		#5 Posted : 31 December 2024 23:01:27(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 491 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark		It's definitely not a case of just greasing a wheel! It's something to do with a connecting rod being bent or gotten out of whack someway. So one wheel/axle has gotten out of quarter. It will have to be fixed maybe by unscrewing a rod and getting the wheel back in the right position.
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JohnjeanB		#6 Posted : 31 December 2024 23:09:09(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,548 Location: Paris, France		Hi Michael Originally Posted by: Erekose my recently acquired Big Boy 37993 (see https://www.marklin-user...993-new-in-original-box) was merrily speeding on my rolling bench when I had the bad idea to slow it down too quickly What would be interesting to know is: - what happened? - did you slow it down by reversing the direction or by mechanical action? That would give direction on possibilities: - bent rod? - transmission axle pushed out - other? Cheers Jean
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Erekose		#7 Posted : 01 January 2025 01:01:21(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Hi Michael Originally Posted by: Erekose my recently acquired Big Boy 37993 (see https://www.marklin-user...993-new-in-original-box) was merrily speeding on my rolling bench when I had the bad idea to slow it down too quickly What would be interesting to know is: - what happened? - did you slow it down by reversing the direction or by mechanical action? That would give direction on possibilities: - bent rod? - transmission axle pushed out - other? Cheers Jean Hi Jean, I was running the Big Boy on the rolling bench and had gradually increased the speed almost to the maximum, and everything was fine. At that point I wanted to slow it down but by mistake I turned the knob of the Mobile Station 2 sharply anticlockwise, suddenly halving the speed - but without ever touching the Big Boy. Looks like the locomotive couldn't slow down so suddenly, it was too fast and in the end instead of running at the new speed, which wasn't zero anyway, it stopped with the engine still running, so I turned it off (STOP) for fear of burning the engine. Since then, if I try to start the Big Boy the engine and all the DCC functions start but the wheels only move a few millimeters, both in forward and reverse, then I have to turn off the engine which is under stress. All rods appear to be in place, they are not bent; I tried to wiggle each of the powered wheels in turn and all move freely enough but the very last one, the one placed right behind the grinder and connected to the rear cogwheel.
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dickinsonj		#8 Posted : 01 January 2025 01:30:15(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		If the problem is coming from damage to the rodding it should be visible. I have had a Big Boy since the first edition and that is an unusually robust drivetrain. I think it is unlikely to have been bent or damaged when just suddenly stopping the loco on the rolling bench. That is well within its engineering tolerances IMO. But it is easily checked and people here can help with any questions. Pictures of anything that looks suspicious to you would be a help also. I would also examine the quartering of the wheels on both engines. One or both could have had axle slip, putting it out of quarter and that would easily lock it up. It also would not be visible in any way but to an experienced steam engine eye. You could either search for steam engine quartering, which is exactly the same for the models as for the prototypes. Or you can also ask here, where there is a wealth of experience with this stuff. Good luck!
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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Copenhagen		#9 Posted : 01 January 2025 10:37:15(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 491 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark		I'm not saying that you did anything wrong. Mishaps do happen from time to time even if we do things correctly. A locomotive should be able to handle going from full speed to zero either by turning the speed control fast to zero or by pressing the "stop" buttom in case of an emergency. On the other hand these steam locomotives can be quite delicate and vulnerable in certain situations. It's usually recommended to have a new engine driving at a moderate speed for about 30 minutes in one direction and 30 minutes the other direction to ensure smooth "running in". But this doesn't mean that an engine should break down if we do things differently. Besides that a heavy locomotive like the Big Boy shouldn't stop immediately even with hitting the "stop" button and cutting power because it would have some run off time before coming to a stop (don't have a big boy myself), some locos do stop pretty abruptly. Take it easy and take your time in solving this problem (maybe even finding a shop that can help you fix the problem). Best of wishes and a happy new year to you... even though it started with some problems.
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JohnjeanB		#10 Posted : 01 January 2025 11:19:08(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,548 Location: Paris, France		Hi Michael From what you write, you did not do anything wrong as turning the MS2 knob as fast as you want is permitted. The loco was on your rolling bench, straight) So the problem comes (highly probable) from an external object in the gear train. Very often a grain of ballast is the cause worst being a stone ballast. Sometimes you don't even see where the "objec"t is. If you say, the last driving axle is stiffer than the other ones, I suggest you 1- remove the screws of the axle in question 2- remove the screws of the bottom of the rear driving bogie 3- remove the axle of the rear driving bogie 4- using extreme caution (very slow speed and ready to stop immediately if there is a problem) make sure that the rest of the loco is running fine. Possibly use the brush to clean the gears Cleaning ; use a soft brush and NOCH SR24 cleaning liquid or lighter fluid Once cleaned and problem fixed, wipe the SR24 residue and lubricate LIGHTLY Cheers Jean
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Erekose		#11 Posted : 01 January 2025 11:50:32(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: dickinsonj If the problem is coming from damage to the rodding it should be visible. I have had a Big Boy since the first edition and that is an unusually robust drivetrain. I think it is unlikely to have been bent or damaged when just suddenly stopping the loco on the rolling bench. That is well within its engineering tolerances IMO. But it is easily checked and people here can help with any questions. Pictures of anything that looks suspicious to you would be a help also. I would also examine the quartering of the wheels on both engines. One or both could have had axle slip, putting it out of quarter and that would easily lock it up. It also would not be visible in any way but to an experienced steam engine eye. You could either search for steam engine quartering, which is exactly the same for the models as for the prototypes. Or you can also ask here, where there is a wealth of experience with this stuff. Good luck! First thing in New Year's morning, I decided to follow your advice and closely examined the Big Boy for possible quartering problems, and something may be wrong indeed - here are the pictures I took with my phone, maybe some of the group experts will have a look on January 1st ... Fireman Side (looks fine to me) Engineer Side (looks suspicious to me) Likely culprit (to my untrained eye) If this really is the problem, how can I correct it without disassembling? Please keep in mind that Marklin's support in Rome is non-existent, and I don't know anyone who knows how to get their hands on a steam locomotive. Massimo
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Michael4		#12 Posted : 01 January 2025 12:43:09(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/02/2017(UTC) Posts: 694 Location: England, South Coast		Do you know Flavio Dagostin in Bologna? He runs a business supplying a huge range of parts for Marklin. He may be able to help or suggest someone who can. His email: Modeltreno Train Service <commerciale@modeltreno.com> Good luck!
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Copenhagen		#13 Posted : 01 January 2025 13:18:09(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 491 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark		On the wheel with the red arrow isn't there a hexagonal nut that can be unscrewed so that the wheel can be moved a bit and be placed in the right position- a bit further counter clockwise? Wait till you get an answer from someone who knows better than me :-)
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dickinsonj		#14 Posted : 01 January 2025 13:19:37(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		I agree with Michael about finding someone with experience to check this out for you. Sorting out a steam engine drivetrain is one of the most difficult mechanical tasks you can take on with an HO loco, so it is not something for beginners. To make this worse you have two engines in your Big Boy! From your pictures of the drive wheels it does look like they misaligned, but I could only determine what was wrong by a close examination. I have run a 37990 for over 20 years though and I do not believe that a sudden stop would cause this, so don't blame yourself!
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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Copenhagen		#15 Posted : 01 January 2025 13:40:54(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 491 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark		Adding to my post above: the wheel/axle with the red arrow looks to be the one driven by the motor (with the cogwheels as seen in the drawing). Maybe the hexagonal nut might need to be unscrewed on both sides to get the wheels in place. Still. Wait for an expert advice.
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Erekose		#16 Posted : 01 January 2025 14:44:53(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Hi Michael From what you write, you did not do anything wrong as turning the MS2 knob as fast as you want is permitted. The loco was on your rolling bench, straight) So the problem comes (highly probable) from an external object in the gear train. Very often a grain of ballast is the cause worst being a stone ballast. Sometimes you don't even see where the "objec"t is. If you say, the last driving axle is stiffer than the other ones, I suggest you 1- remove the screws of the axle in question 2- remove the screws of the bottom of the rear driving bogie 3- remove the axle of the rear driving bogie 4- using extreme caution (very slow speed and ready to stop immediately if there is a problem) make sure that the rest of the loco is running fine. Possibly use the brush to clean the gears Cleaning ; use a soft brush and NOCH SR24 cleaning liquid or lighter fluid Once cleaned and problem fixed, wipe the SR24 residue and lubricate LIGHTLY Cheers Jean Hi Jean, Your advice came just after I wrote about my morning inspection, now I am afraid this may be a quartering problem; nonetheless I really appreciate the detailed instructions and tips you posted Regarding potential objects wedged in the gear train, the 37993 was immaculate when I received it mid-December and run flawlessly from day one - I do not have a permanent layout (no space available ) so my (few) engines "stay fit" running on the rolling bench or on a simple oval from the Marklin 29000 start kit which I (seldom) assemble on a clean floor; therefore if the original owner didn't lie stating the Big Boy left its box only when he took the eBay pictures, the locomotive simply had no chance of getting clogged by grains of ballast - or anything else. Massimo
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dickinsonj		#17 Posted : 01 January 2025 15:21:22(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		Judging by your pictures the quartering on the rear engine looks to be correct. Properly quartered drive wheels will have the screw holes on one side 45 degrees offset from those on the other side. Each axle needs to have the same 1/4 revolution offset for it all to work. You might be able to fix this by removing the side rods, aligning all of the rod attachment points in perhaps rods down - which is what is showed in the diagram Jean provided. Then make sure that the other three wheels are in that same position and reinstall the rod retainer screws, which is what Copenhagen suggests. That should happen automatically however, because the non-geared wheels are aligned by the drive rods unless something is broken or bent. Good luck and ask more questions as you proceed.
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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mrmarklin		#18 Posted : 01 January 2025 15:52:29(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 27/10/2004(UTC) Posts: 936 Location: Burney, CA		I suggest that the problem may be internal. The BB uses a worm drive and the abrupt direction change may have popped the “worm” out of position, jamming it. I received a brand new BB in just this situation. The package had been jolted in transit. Other small parts were also loose in the box. I sent mine back under warranty.
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Erekose		#19 Posted : 01 January 2025 16:01:47(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: mrmarklin I suggest that the problem may be internal. The BB uses a worm drive and the abrupt direction change may have popped the “worm” out of position, jamming it. I received a brand new BB in just this situation. The package had been jolted in transit. Other small parts were also loose in the box. I sent mine back under warranty. There was NO abrupt direction change, but only a sharp deceleration from full speed to about 20-25% speed - I turned the MS2 knob without pushing it.
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Erekose		#20 Posted : 01 January 2025 16:34:10(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Judging by your pictures the quartering on the rear engine looks to be correct. Properly quartered drive wheels will have the screw holes on one side 45 degrees offset from those on the other side. Each axle needs to have the same 1/4 revolution offset for it all to work. You might be able to fix this by removing the side rods, aligning all of the rod attachment points in perhaps rods down - which is what is showed in the diagram Jean provided. Then make sure that the other three wheels are in that same position and reinstall the rod retainer screws, which is what Copenhagen suggests. That should happen automatically however, because the non-geared wheels are aligned by the drive rods unless something is broken or bent. Good luck and ask more questions as you proceed. Not sure I understand - from what I see the screw hole of the right wheel on the rearmost axle of the rear bogie is NOT at 1/4 (90 degrees) revolution with respect to the screw hole of the left wheel on the same axle, looks like this right wheel somehow "slipped / stuck" on its axle and now needs a little counterclockwise turn to realign the rods with the foremost 3 wheels on the same side of the bogie. What if I unscrewed the rod from the fourth wheel of the rearmost bogie, on both sides of the locomotive and tried to hold the left wheel stationary while rotating the right wheel counterclockwise? Is this operation even possible, without tools (save for the tiny screwdriver needed to unscrew the rod)? Massimo
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Copenhagen		#21 Posted : 01 January 2025 17:42:37(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 491 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark		If the problem is that the wheel on the right side (with the arrow) has shifted position on the axle then it's delicate operation. The left wheel would need to be held securely in place while the right is carefully turned to the correct position. I would think that since it is AC wheels with solid metal connection between wheels and axles (as opposed yo DC wheels that are isolated) there would be a very tight and firm connection between wheels and axle.
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dickinsonj		#22 Posted : 01 January 2025 17:44:24(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		Yes, if they are not 45 degrees out of phase they drivetrain will lock up. It sounds like that might be the problem based on what you saw. The axle that is geared needs to be that way and it can only change if the wheel slips on the axle. You don't want to just force it though because then the wheel might not fit tightly on the axle and it would just slip again. You would need to pull the wheel off of the axle and push it back on in the correct position. I usually knurl the axle when that happens but a lot of people use cyanoacrylate glue for that. I would also check what mrmarklin described. It could well be binding if the worm gear is not in place. You could check that both cardan shafts are properly in place.
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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bph		#23 Posted : 01 January 2025 18:34:33(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC) Posts: 1,143		As others have also commented, from the pictures, it seems like the wheel on one side has shifted on the axle. If the axle has shifted, it might be something that can be fixed, but perhaps replacing the whole axle is the best long-term option? if you decide to replace the whole axle, the part you need is probably 216677, and it is available on eBay and from Märklin. If you just force the wheel back in position with your hands, it's more likely to happen again. And you need to inspect the gears and coupling rods etc to make sure that it's not another issue that is the root cause behind the axle slip. The motor in The Big Boy is quite powerful, and it might be strong enough to shift the wheels on the axle if something else jams up. So perhaps taking out the axle is a good first step? in order to make sure there is nothing else is wrong. Accessing the worm parts from the tops involves a bit more work. you might need to desolder the decoder etc. (I have 37990) If nothing else is wrong then you can fix the axle like dickinsonj suggested or replace it.
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Erekose		#24 Posted : 01 January 2025 19:48:24(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: bph As others have also commented, from the pictures, it seems like the wheel on one side has shifted on the axle. If the axle has shifted, it might be something that can be fixed, but perhaps replacing the whole axle is the best long-term option? if you decide to replace the whole axle, the part you need is probably 216677, and it is available on eBay and from Märklin. If you just force the wheel back in position with your hands, it's more likely to happen again. And you need to inspect the gears and coupling rods etc to make sure that it's not another issue that is the root cause behind the axle slip. The motor in The Big Boy is quite powerful, and it might be strong enough to shift the wheels on the axle if something else jams up. So perhaps taking out the axle is a good first step? in order to make sure there is nothing else is wrong. Accessing the worm parts from the tops involves a bit more work. you might need to desolder the decoder etc. (I have 37990) If nothing else is wrong then you can fix the axle like dickinsonj suggested or replace it. I spent a good part of today checking and rechecking all the axles and I am more and more convinced that the right wheel has shifted somewhat. It also occurred to me that it could be better to replace the whole axle and all in all it doesn't even cost much, even considering buying the traction tires again. I only have a small doubt ... the code indicated in the 37993 manual is 216677, it can be found on eBay but it is not available in the Marklin shop, where instead I find the code E216677 which has a slightly different cost - is it the same spare part? In any case, to replace the part I will have to resign myself to risking dismantling the bogie Massimo
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dickinsonj		#25 Posted : 01 January 2025 20:57:14(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		Reseating the wheel on the axle is not a big deal. I have done it on several occasions. After I pull the wheel off of the axle I just rough up the surface where the wheel sits with pliers, preferably ones with a cross hatch gripping surface. I squeeze the axle mating surface with the pliers just hard enough to rough up the metal. That makes the wheel fit tightly when it is pushed back on, and I have never had one slip again. I would still recommend that you remove that axle from the bogie, just to be safe. As bph said, you might need to desolder the wire that goes from the slider to the decoder. It is always too short to allow you to get access to the bogie, which is a bad design. I usually just add a little more wire when I do that, so I can open it easily the next time I need to. I need to open up my older Big Boy for some service but I moved last year and I still don't have a work area set up for locomotive repairs. If I did I would take some pictures to help you out.
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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mike c		#26 Posted : 01 January 2025 23:03:06(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC) Posts: 8,216 Location: Montreal, QC		Flavio Dagostin (Bologna): https://www.modeltreno.c...2020/marklinservice.html There are other Maerklin dealers, but AFAIK he is the service expert in your area. I recommend that you have it verified. As the model was bought on eBay, you might want to know if there may have been some prior issue which popped up once you used it. As far as any suggestion that I may have, If you can detach the powered wheel (of the suspect grouping) from the coupling rods, you will be able to determine whether the powered wheels turn and you will be able to confirm whether the problem is with the drive or with the rods. Do not try to force the wheels with connected rods to move. You may also want to examine whether the oil on one or more axles or part of the drive may have hardened. Regards Mike C
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bph		#27 Posted : 01 January 2025 23:34:39(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC) Posts: 1,143		Originally Posted by: Erekose I spent a good part of today checking and rechecking all the axles and I am more and more convinced that the right wheel has shifted somewhat. It also occurred to me that it could be better to replace the whole axle and all in all it doesn't even cost much, even considering buying the traction tires again. I only have a small doubt ... the code indicated in the 37993 manual is 216677, it can be found on eBay but it is not available in the Marklin shop, where instead I find the code E216677 which has a slightly different cost - is it the same spare part? In any case, to replace the part I will have to resign myself to risking dismantling the bogie Massimo The part number E216677 should be the same, Märklin has just added the E to old part numbers. (Ersatzteil). When you click on the 37993 sparepart list, you will see that Marklin lists the E216677 with the same position reference number.
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kiwiAlan		#28 Posted : 02 January 2025 01:36:38(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,454 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot		Originally Posted by: Erekose Originally Posted by: dickinsonj Judging by your pictures the quartering on the rear engine looks to be correct. Properly quartered drive wheels will have the screw holes on one side 45 degrees offset from those on the other side. Each axle needs to have the same 1/4 revolution offset for it all to work. You might be able to fix this by removing the side rods, aligning all of the rod attachment points in perhaps rods down - which is what is showed in the diagram Jean provided. Then make sure that the other three wheels are in that same position and reinstall the rod retainer screws, which is what Copenhagen suggests. That should happen automatically however, because the non-geared wheels are aligned by the drive rods unless something is broken or bent. Good luck and ask more questions as you proceed. Not sure I understand - from what I see the screw hole of the right wheel on the rearmost axle of the rear bogie is NOT at 1/4 (90 degrees) revolution with respect to the screw hole of the left wheel on the same axle, looks like this right wheel somehow "slipped / stuck" on its axle and now needs a little counterclockwise turn to realign the rods with the foremost 3 wheels on the same side of the bogie. What if I unscrewed the rod from the fourth wheel of the rearmost bogie, on both sides of the locomotive and tried to hold the left wheel stationary while rotating the right wheel counterclockwise? Is this operation even possible, without tools (save for the tiny screwdriver needed to unscrew the rod)? Massimo Yes, that back axle is definitely out of quarter. You could prove this is the problem by removing the bolts that connect the drive rods on that axle - you will need to remove the bolts both sides, and then try running it. I believe it will then roll quite happily. It is possible that the wheel on one side has slipped on the axle. The reason for this happening will probably never be known.
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Erekose		#29 Posted : 02 January 2025 10:55:21(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		As suggested by several users, whom I thank, this morning I wanted to try to remove the connecting rod from the drive wheels of the rear bogie but discovered I needed a 2.5mm hex screwdriver, which I do not have. Therefore I ordered the "Tool Set" 70900 from the Marklin store, in addition to the "Drive Wheel Set D" E216677 and the "Traction Tires" 7153, to be sure to have everything I need to work on the Big Boy and their other steam locomotives. Let's hope the package arrives soon!
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1borna		#30 Posted : 04 January 2025 22:06:38(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 21/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,478 Location: Hrvatska		A few days ago I finished a long painful episode with such a locomotive! A friend bought a Big Boy on eBay that came in this condition (not attached to the board) Due to walking inside the box during transport, several small parts fell out and the ski was damaged. The coupling on the tender broke and separated from the locomotive. The seller claimed that the locomotive was in good working order and like new even though it was from 2001! Several months passed from the time of purchase until the moment when the friend opened the box and tried to drive it, so he couldn't return it? The front drive block immediately locked up! I will post more about this soon in another place (in my workshop)
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marklinist5999		#31 Posted : 04 January 2025 23:29:33(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,864 Location: Michigan, Troy		Oh my! This is where I would send it to a repair specialist. You both are making me glad I don't have one now.
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Erekose		#32 Posted : 04 January 2025 23:52:48(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: 1borna A few days ago I finished a long painful episode with such a locomotive! .... A friend bought a Big Boy on eBay that came in this condition (not attached to the board) ... Due to walking inside the box during transport, several small parts fell out and the ski was damaged. ... The coupling on the tender broke and separated from the locomotive. ... The seller claimed that the locomotive was in good working order and like new even though it was from 2001! Several months passed from the time of purchase until the moment when the friend opened the box and tried to drive it, so he couldn't return it? ... The front drive block immediately locked up! I will post more about this soon in another place (in my workshop) What a mess! That seller should be banned from eBay and your friend was entitled to a full refund - he should have inspected the parcel on arrival! Now I almost feel blessed, at least my Big Boy arrived in perfect working order and I had the pleasure to see it run for a little while before it locked up
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dickinsonj		#33 Posted : 05 January 2025 00:43:03(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		I don't see how that much damage could have happened if it was properly secured in the original packing. It is screwed to a wooden display base, swaddled in foam and then secured in a substantial wooden box. I would think that the wooden box would have been destroyed for there to be so much damage to the Big Boy.
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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kiwiAlan		#34 Posted : 05 January 2025 12:49:59(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC) Posts: 8,454 Location: ENGLAND, Didcot		Originally Posted by: dickinsonj I don't see how that much damage could have happened if it was properly secured in the original packing. It is screwed to a wooden display base, swaddled in foam and then secured in a substantial wooden box. I would think that the wooden box would have been destroyed for there to be so much damage to the Big Boy. But that is the point, the seller hadn't screwed it down to the wooden board that protects it, so it was floating around inside. despite the foam.
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dickinsonj		#35 Posted : 05 January 2025 13:20:22(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,796 Location: Crozet, Virginia		Sorry - missed the not attached to the board bit...
		Regards, Jim I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains! So many trains and so little time.
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1borna		#36 Posted : 05 January 2025 19:26:17(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 21/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,478 Location: Hrvatska		I started a long story about the model repair work in the corresponding topic: https://www.marklin-user...n-my-workshop#post679342
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mvd71		#37 Posted : 06 January 2025 00:27:20(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 09/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,916 Location: Auckland,		The big boys have a known problem of wheels going out of quartering. If it is minor you can initially realign it simply using thumb pressure to move the guilty wheel back around on its axle until it looks perfectly aligned with the other wheels on that side of the loco. Once this is done it should run again, however it will need a permanent fix with something like Loctite to stop it from rotating again. Cheers….. Mike.
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Paul59		#38 Posted : 06 January 2025 10:04:11(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 25/08/2012(UTC) Posts: 250 Location: South East		I agree with Mike... If a wheel is loose enough to move out of position then it's loose enough to simply move it back into position. I would simply realign it, test the loco and then fix it with a speck of superglue or Loctite. It really doesn't pay to overthink and over complicate these things. I have a 3311 Württenberg Class C. The driving wheels were loose on two axles when I got it. One even fell off whilst it was running! That was spectacular :-) A half hours manipulation at the kitchen table with a good light and some carefully placed drops of superglue and it's been running fine ever since. Good luck, I'm sure it'll be fine. Paul
		Marklin HO using M track. Now reverted to analogue as I find it has more character and is more fun...... and I understand it!
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Erekose		#39 Posted : 06 January 2025 10:39:12(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		I will definitely follow Mike and Paul's advice - when I get the 2.5mm hex screwdriver from Marklin 70900 I will just unscrew the out of quarter drive wheel connecting rod, then try to realign it by hand and finally secure it to the axle with a drop of superglue. Fingers crossed!
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Goofy		#40 Posted : 06 January 2025 11:40:53(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,273		It seems that brass gearwheel number 47 are fault. Not sure you can fix it by self. Be sure Märklin take a price to fix the problem.
		H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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Copenhagen		#41 Posted : 06 January 2025 12:25:25(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 23/04/2019(UTC) Posts: 491 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark		Originally Posted by: Goofy It seems that brass gearwheel number 47 are fault. Not sure you can fix it by self. Be sure Märklin take a price to fix the problem. According to Mike and others it would be wheel 55. Either on left or right side.
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Erekose		#42 Posted : 06 January 2025 19:08:00(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		No.47 is the cogwheel, problem is on wheel no. 55 - on the right side.
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Goofy		#43 Posted : 06 January 2025 19:54:41(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC) Posts: 9,273		Originally Posted by: Erekose No.47 is the cogwheel, problem is on wheel no. 55 - on the right side. Cogwheel are gearwheel. If the wheel 55 are problem then in case you have same problem other side of the wheel 55? If not the right wheel sits loosely? If so you must change out the wheel complete.
		H0 DCC = Digital Command Control
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mvd71		#44 Posted : 07 January 2025 04:41:20(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 09/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,916 Location: Auckland,		I would suggest trying the wheel quartering first, it is simply to do and costs nothing to try. Only other thing I would suggest is use loctite if the loose wheel on axle proves to be your problem, not superglue. I only say this because if loctite gets in the wrong place it is easier to clean out than superglue!
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Purellum		#45 Posted : 07 January 2025 14:45:35(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,528 Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse		Originally Posted by: mvd71 Only other thing I would suggest is use loctite if the loose wheel on axle proves to be your problem, not superglue. I only say this because if loctite gets in the wrong place it is easier to clean out than superglue! I agree And remember, don't try to apply glue / loctite directly from the bottle to the wheel, this usually ends in glue / loctite getting everywhere. Apply a drop of glue to a piece of alu-foil or similar, and from there to the wheel, use e.g. a needle or a toothpick. I think I would choose the blue Loctite 243, which is medium strength. If you want it stronger, the green Loctite 270 is medium-high strength. Per.
		If you can dream it, you can do it! I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
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marklinist5999		#46 Posted : 07 January 2025 15:01:00(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,864 Location: Michigan, Troy		Locktite is used on engine cylinder head bolts. I wouldn't do it!
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Purellum		#47 Posted : 07 January 2025 16:02:23(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,528 Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse		Originally Posted by: marklinist5999 Locktite is used on engine cylinder head bolts. I wouldn't do it! Which type of loctite are you talking about here? I would definitely do it The important part is to choose the right strength: https://www.tryloctite.i...readlocker-product-range Per.
		If you can dream it, you can do it! I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not legally possible: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
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Erekose		#48 Posted : 11 January 2025 18:02:24(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		All's well that ends well ... A few days ago I received the Marklin 70900 with the 2.5mm hex screwdriver, but only today did I find the time to work on the Big Boy 37993. It was easy to unscrew the connecting rod from just the last right driving wheel; gingerly I placed the engine on the rolling bench and started it at minimum speed, and it moved! Holding the left wheel steady with the other hand, I then managed to (re)quarter the right wheel by hand, by eye. By far the hardest part was screwing the microscopic screw back through the connecting rod hole and into the wheel ... the screwdrivers in the 70900 set do not have a magnetic tip, I had to somehow hold the screw with tweezers while screwing it in - it took me almost an hour! After trying the Big Boy on the rolling bench one more time, carefully and using a toothpick I placed a tiny drop of Bostik Super Glue between the wheel and the axle (I couldn't find Loctite 243 / 270 around here, and Amazon wouldn't send it to me for another week). I waited a couple of hours and now my Big Boy runs smoothly, towing all ten boxcars + the caboose I bought for it. Hopefully I fixed it for good, anyway I still have the "Drive Wheel Set D" E216677 and the "Traction Tires" 7153 that came along with the screwdrivers
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1borna		#49 Posted : 11 January 2025 18:46:16(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 21/12/2012(UTC) Posts: 1,478 Location: Hrvatska		I use a piece of compression tubing of the appropriate diameter, which I put on the head of the bolt and then screw it into the wheel a little, when it accepts the thread I continue with the tool. I also have another tool that is sold as a mobile phone repair kit that also contains several sizes of small screwdrivers, it is more practical because it is magnetized.
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Erekose		#50 Posted : 11 January 2025 19:07:10(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 02/12/2024(UTC) Posts: 27 Location: Lazio, Roma		Originally Posted by: 1borna I use a piece of compression tubing of the appropriate diameter, which I put on the head of the bolt and then screw it into the wheel a little, when it accepts the thread I continue with the tool. I also have another tool that is sold as a mobile phone repair kit that also contains several sizes of small screwdrivers, it is more practical because it is magnetized. The compression tubing idea is great - need to get some of it myself for future "surgeries" All the repair kits I found at a nearby hobby store didn't have magnetized 2.5mm hex screwdrivers, will need to find one online
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