something I did keep

[mopac]

I did keep something from my youth. I got this AF 282 when I was 5 years
old and that was in 1955. We are both getting old. A little history on this
engine. My dad worked for a company that sold these and he sold this set to
his mother for a christmas present for his brother. From some digging I think
this is from 1952. Evidently he got tired of it and gave it to me in 1955. I
remember setting it up on the kitchen floor with my dad. I think he liked it as
much or more than I did. We would play with it till one of the wires would come out of the plug to the engine and we would send it off to get fixed. I
guess dad didn't know how to solder back then. The third time we had gotten
it back it would run like half speed of what it used to. And the engine was getting pretty warm. Dad was tired of sending it back and it got boxed up for
many years. I got married and had 2 boys and from when they were small this
was our christmas train around the tree. It was used for that for probably 25 years. Up untill maybe 5 years ago when I got a G scale for the tree. I model HO. Engine is complete, still lights, smokes and it has the chugger but it still
runs about half speed and gets pretty warm after 15 or 20 minutes of running.
Sorry for the long read but I wanted to show it and see if any of you have expierenced the problem I am having with it. My uncle and dad are both gone now and I would like to get it back running like I remembered. I can turn the motor by hand and all seems smooth. No drag. I have kept it lubed. I think the wiring in the tender got screwed up the last time we sent it off. Any wiring diagrams around? I hear alot of good things about the 283 but not much on the 282. What kind of reputation does it have? Thanks for any info and again sorry for long read.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g155/nascar4al/Trains/IMG_4804.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g155/nascar4al/Trains/IMG_4806.jpg

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g155/nascar4al/Trains/IMG_4808.jpg

I saw a 282 at a train show maybe 10 years ago for $75. Better condition than mine. I should have bought it for parts to keep this one going. I was surprised thats all they were bringing being they were fairly old.

[mopac]

Looking at the picture of it I sure don't need to weather it.

[Reckers]

Mopac, you have a good locomotive there---everything AF built in that period was quality work. If you look here, you'll see there's not much difference between the 282 and 283: http://www.rfgco.com/steamspecs.html

If you look at the S scale section of the forum, TJ has created a sticky for us that lists all kinds of resources for you. Included is this wiring diagram: http://www.trainweb.org/s-trains/diagram/basic.htm Let us know how you're progressing with it, and don't be shy about posting problems and asking advice.

Best wishes,

[mopac]

Thankyou very much for the link to the wiring diagram. There were 2 different setups
on it and one of them is mine exact. It doesn't appear my wires are routed correct. Also it looks like the plug from tender to engine can be rotated 180 degrees.
Maybe I just need to turn the plug over. If turning the plug 180 doesn't work I am going
to rewire it to the diagram. I will report back on this thread if I get my speed back. The
first time we ran it after getting it back we knew something was not right. I remember being very bummed. I probably need to get 4 colors of wire so it will be easier to follow.
Thanks.

[Reckers]

Glad to help, Mopac. Let us know if we can offer any other assistance----it's nice to have you join us!

[tjcruiser]

Mopac,

I hope Reck's wiring diagram link helps. I'm not an AF guy, but I go all woozy over nostalgic train stories like yours. I hope you can breathe some revamped life into the loco. Great family history / legacy there. Keep us posted.

TJ

[mopac]

Thanks tj. I wonder if the power to the headlight is normally reduced voltage. Maybe the headlight leads and motor leads are reversed. That would cause it to run slower. After looking at my unit again and the wiring diagram at least 2 wires are not following the diagram. Reckers, you might have put me on to something with the wiring diagram. It will be a day or two before I can get to it. Can't wait to try the rewire. The wiring was the last thing that was messed with at the repair place.I will let you know. Thanks.

[mopac]

Looking at the diagram again the motor and headlight power is the same. Still it has some wires crossed.

[Reckers]

Mopac, you're more than welcome. There is no reduced voltage in the beast---the light feeds from the same trough as the motor does. What you may have, though, is a need for cleaning and lubrication. The brushes and armature surfaces get dirty and scored; cleaning them and buffing down the armature face is not a difficult job. Beyond that, you should have a small grease pan on the bottom of the locomotive, usually held on with one screw. Open that up and look inside: there's nothing to fall out except the screw and the pan. You may find your gears are full of old, caked grease hardened to the consistency of modeling clay. If you do, getting this old gunk out and re-lubing the gears will work wonders. If you're doing this, look the thing over and give a drop of oil to all bearing surfaces. Here is your guidebook to that part: http://www.tuveson.com/ServiceKit/service_kit_manua.htm Thank Carl Tuveson for posting it on line for the rest of us!

[mopac]

Update - worked on the engine most of the day. Got the rewire done per the diagram Reckers sent. Had the armature out, it wasn't bad but got the surface all shiney now.
Had the brushes out and cleaned the ends of them. Plenty of spring tension. Cleaned the brass wheels on the tender. Checked all gears no old grease. I have kept it lubed through the years. Regreased gears, oiled the bearings. Relay working correctly. I put it all back together it ran. Thats always good. But that son of a gun did not gain 1 mph.
LOL, it runs just like it did before. I didn't help it any. I have a piece of plywood with a circle of AF track. Had to clean that track also. Its running smooth. Just no speed. At half throttle its just creeping. Full throttle is just a small gallop. I got no idea why it has no fast speed. I don't run them like that but I would want it to be able to. Must be something in the motor. Weak magnets or something. It had speed when we sent it to repair last time. I just can't think what may have happened. Turning the motor by hand the wheels turn very easily. Might be time to get a display case and hang it on the wall in the train room. I guess retire it. At least it runs. It wasn't getting that warm. I want to thank Reckers and everybody for the help.

I thought it was complete. I have lost the drip pan. It was missing.

[Reckers]

Mopac, I wouldn't give up just yet. Let me suggest a couple of things.

First, get a couple of alligator clips, paper-clips, or something similar. Invert the engine between a few books for stability and clip the transformer wires directy to the appropriate wheels on the tender. Fire it up and let it run like that for about 20-25 minutes. They often need some time to run in, heating up and sort of polishing down the newly altered surfaces from your cleaning/polishing.

If it speeds up and runs well, go back and examine your track: you're getting poor conductivity from dirt and grease buildup, someplace. Check your connections, starting at the transformer: clean wire, clean where you come to the device to connect to the track, etc. Examine the track clip-on for dirt and corrosion: a brass toothbrush can be used to clean inside the crevices, and scour the track where you connect.

If it's till running slowly, all is not lost. You probably need to replace the field, that piece with all the copper wiring wound around it, or the armature. Either can develop a short, and both are replaceable. Try the above and get back with us before you invest in a display case!