Increasing electrical pick up

[Green_Elite_Cab]

GEC -

Given the time interval since you "fixed" the problem, could it be that there is something else going on? My first thought at seeing the time elapsed is that you need to clean your track, pick-ups, wheels/backs of wheels, or something else. What state are these things in, compared with the installation of pick-ups?

Andrew

Nah, I was originally hoping to run these things for my train show. that track was spotless for the train show. The problem was that the E44s had particular track pick-ups (the front truck picks up the "right" hand rails, the rear picks up the left hand rails). In some spots, particularly around insulated switches, the rails were not powered. I tested this with a voltmeter, and at the location of the pick-ups, there was no power. An all wheel pickup engine would be able to "reach over" the insulated gap, but not the E44s.

This necessitated adding another set of pick up shoes, which has been its own set of nightmares. The bottom of the E44 truck has a "ridge" where the truck gears come down between the axles. It was already low clearance as it was, and there wasn't a whole lot of room to insulate and add more tomar shoes. At first, they hung so low that it would hit diamonds and switches, lifting the truck off the rail and hold the locomotive up. I was able to remove the shoes and "shorten" them so that they didn't it the switches so much, but they're still problematic. I may just need to buy a whole new set of tomar shoes and laminated them with the thinnest plastic i can find.

This almost sounds like it's the trucks themselves which are causing the problem. I recall having similar issues with some re-motored Tenshodo geeps - the problem was the truck-mounting system didn't allow enough flexibility, with the result that any irregularity in the track would lift enough wheels to stall the loco. It's been too many years to recall how I solved that problem, but it might give you an idea of what to look for.

I've seen this happen in at least one location. In fact, that was the one major trouble spot that killed my E44s everytime. Maybe i could loosen the trucks up? they're held in by a screw and a spring that allows a little bit of travel for the trucks. I tightened that screw pretty good, and while the trucks still move freely, it may help to let them roll a little more loosely.

I was originally blaming the track (this area was recently ripped up and rearranged when the problem began showing up, and that track is rough), but it could very well be the trucks, as i've had problems on known dips and hills on the layout.

Another possible cause of your troubles could be the wheels touching the sideframes - you could isolate the sideframes by using plastic mounting screws and a washer made from electrician's tape, or coat their back surface with clear nail polish.

I've watched for this as well, but i don't think this is the issue, as the wheels don't appear to be able to touch the side frames. I physically tried moving them with my fingers, and they stayed right about where they were. I may still try isolating them, just so that they don't hit the frame or something and cause a short.

This, of course, still doesn't address the fact that you've got pick-up on only four wheels. The best, but unfortunately not cheapest, solution to this is to replace the wheelsets. NWSL offers ones with both wheels insulated - with suitable wheel wipers, you could have all 12 wheels working to keep the current flowing.

Wayne

Price isn't so extreme to me unless its particularly expensive to do. I'm not sure how to do wheel wipers on this thing though, i already tried that with brass strip and it didn't appear that effective. Perhaps that phosphur bronze material would work better?