Welcome to the forum   
Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error

Share
Options
View
Go to last post in this topic Go to first unread post in this topic
Offline midwestbls  
#1 Posted : 01 February 2017 18:09:40(UTC)
midwestbls

United States   
Joined: 04/06/2012(UTC)
Posts: 76
I have an AC Roco BLS Ae 8/8 (model #69887), and it hangs-up, stops when crossing the C-track wide-radius turnouts. Runs fine across the "normal" turnouts. Speed does not seem to matter. It has the stock Roco-style, smooth, "whisper" slider. I do not have this problem with any other Roco AC models.

While watching closely at slow speeds, it appears that the middle-rail slider is what is causing the hang-up, as if it does not rise enough to pass over the studs. Do the C-track wide-radius turnouts have studs that are taller than the normal turnouts? Or is it a matter of the studs being higher for a longer stretch to clear the longer length of the wider radius rails?

My guess is on the shorter-radius turnouts the slider can "pivot" up and down (front to back) as it rises up and over the rails. But on the wide-radius turnouts, the slider must lift completely, level, front to back for a period and there is not enough give or room to rise enough ...

Cursing

Anyone else found this? Any solutions???

- Bill

ETE - Swiss Era III - BLS - Brig Station
Offline mike c  
#2 Posted : 01 February 2017 20:26:25(UTC)
mike c

Canada   
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 7,880
Location: Montreal, QC
Bill,

I do not have this particular Roco model, but I do have quite a few and have experience with some of the issues that they may have.

You mention that the model is the newer one with the so-called Flusterschleifer (Whisper slider).
This slider requires a little more clearance than the regular slider. As it goes over the switch track, the slider is pressed upwards and there may be insufficient space for it to fully retract. Normally, this would cause the bogie to be lifted off the rails and not for the locomotive to get stuck.

I think that it is possible that the plastic part of the Flusterschleifer may be contacting the stud (puko) of the divergent track or maybe even the frog itself.

The first thing that I would recommend is to make sure that the slider is properly mounted (in line). The next thing that I would try is to remove the slider from the legs and reinstall it reversed 180 degrees.
If you detect that the plastic is hitting the rail or adjacent stud, you can try to shave that spot down a little to see if it helps or you can swap out the slider (and keep the same mount).

If none of these have solved your issue, you may want to try replacing the Roco slider with either the traditional Roco one or a suitable one from another company.

The older Roco locomotives used to require only that the screw be removed, but most of the newer ones have the contact cable soldered onto the base, which requires more work.

If the problem is not related to the slider itself, it may have something to do with the way in which the ground (wheel) contacts are designed. Because the locomotives are designed for DC and then modified for AC operation, many of the elements are standard. It may occur that dirt or oil will build up on the wheel contacts, which can cause intermittent contact or loss of contact. The switch tracks may have a spot on the frog where one rail is not connected to the ground and where some locomotives can lose ground contact if there is dirt on the contact that is on the rail that is still connected if it passes over a spot where the ground return is interrupted on the other side.

I hope that this information is of assistance to you.

Regards

Mike C
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by mike c
Offline Armando  
#3 Posted : 01 February 2017 20:41:00(UTC)
Armando

United States   
Joined: 21/07/2003(UTC)
Posts: 1,350
Location: Houston, Texas
Bill,

Have you tried adjusting the distance - gauge- between the wheels on the bogies? On some Roco and Fleischmann locomotives the spacing can be adjusted to match 3-rail track. Check for your locomotive to see if it allows it.
Best regards,
Armando García

Offline mike c  
#4 Posted : 01 February 2017 20:58:07(UTC)
mike c

Canada   
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 7,880
Location: Montreal, QC
Originally Posted by: Armando Go to Quoted Post
Bill,

Have you tried adjusting the distance - gauge- between the wheels on the bogies? On some Roco and Fleischmann locomotives the spacing can be adjusted to match 3-rail track. Check for your locomotive to see if it allows it.


Most Roco 3 rail locomotives come with wheelsets that should already designed for use with AC systems. There may be the occasional discrepancy, but this should not be a common issue at it is with conversions and with coaches with original wheelsets.

Regards

Mike C
Offline applor  
#5 Posted : 02 February 2017 01:35:01(UTC)
applor

Australia   
Joined: 21/05/2004(UTC)
Posts: 1,653
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Check the slider and make sure it has no bends or anything in the arm part that might have it out of alignment slightly.

modelling era IIIa (1951-1955) Germany
Offline river6109  
#6 Posted : 02 February 2017 11:12:10(UTC)
river6109

Australia   
Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC)
Posts: 14,636
Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
the one I've got is an earlier version 69880 and has the standard Roco slider not the whisper one and causes no problem

John
https://www.youtube.com/river6109
https://www.youtube.com/6109river
5 years in Destruction mode
50 years in Repairing mode
Offline midwestbls  
#7 Posted : 04 February 2017 01:05:19(UTC)
midwestbls

United States   
Joined: 04/06/2012(UTC)
Posts: 76
Thanks for the replies ... I'll do a little trouble-shooting as suggested this weekend and report back.
ETE - Swiss Era III - BLS - Brig Station
Users browsing this topic
Forum Jump  
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.

| Powered by YAF.NET | YAF.NET © 2003-2024, Yet Another Forum.NET
This page was generated in 0.436 seconds.