[TONOFFUN80]

Just bought a athearn sd40-2 used off ebay. After cleaning runs not to bad but after 3-4 laps of my ez track loop it will cut out for a second than return to running. Sometimes ihave to turn control down and back up..
Could this be the transformer? it's just the one that came with the set

Thanx
Chris

the bachmann geep runs fine but dosn't seem to draw as much power

 

[Reckers]

Sounds like the transformer might be overheating. Have you checked it to see if it's hot to the touch? What you're describing sounds like a thermal circuit-breaker opening and closing.

 

[mr_x_ite_ment]

Hey Chris...if the sd40 cuts out at times, but the geep runs fine, it makes me wonder if there could be dirty wheels on the sd40. I like to use Goo Gone to clean the wheels. I have a turntable I do it on. I lay a Goo Gone soaked paper towel on the turntable and put one set of wheels on it, and the other set of wheels touches the tracks to spin the wheels. Then I turn the engine around and do the other set of wheels in the same way. I am amazed what comes off of them! They seem to run so much better after that...no more stalling! It might not hurt to clean your track well too! Good luck!

Chad

 

[Reckers]

Great suggestion, Mr. X!

 

[mr_x_ite_ment]

Usually when my locos start to stall here and there, dirty wheels has pretty much been the culprit. It is so hard to keep that oxidation off the wheels and track!

 

[TONOFFUN80]

YA i just cleaned the track and engine

the transformer does seem a fair bit hotter when running the sd40-2

 

[mr_x_ite_ment]

Yea, Reckers might be right on the idea of the transformer over-heating.

 

[tkruger]

Might be that the Athern has a higher amp draw. Just enough to tip the transformer over its limit.

 

[TONOFFUN80]

Thanx guys. going to go to my grampas and get one of his extra transformers and try that

 

[shaygetz]

The Athearns until recently pulled almost an amp, you need beefy DCC chips for the early ones especially. As tkruger pointed out, that probably is your problem.