Kato SD40-2 motor problem

[upnick]

Hi Herc Driver,

If you have tried the methods of cleaning suggested and still no success take the rear truck just to be sure wipe the track and put it on get a voltmeter and measure the voltage to the rails then measure the voltage to the top of the truck pickups, they should be the same or very near.

If not you have a problem within the truck even factory out of the box locos can have crud in there, another question are the wheels blackened finished if so make sure the black is removed where the wheel touches the track in the flange with any new loco i run it in on a loco tester rolling road for half an hour each direction on DC quarter throttle, it usually gets rid of the blackening on the flange essential if the loco is to be converted to DCC as contact is important.

Also it beds in the gears and results in a smoother running loco good practice for DC/DCC you may find this is the problem though the wheels are clean a film of the blackening is stopping current reaching the truck pick ups.