i have a frisco w/tender 0-4-0 mantua HO scale that im trying to get running when i put it on my test track strip it overloads my controler the overload light comes on in stil no power to engine when taken apart the motor turns easily by hand but wont when put back together can i get some help
Sounds like it's shorting out. Might have a bare wire somewhere touching something it shouldn't. Also clean it well as it could have some oxidation and gunk build up. Make sure any insulated wheels are on the correct side. I'm sure you'll hear from others. Good luck. Jim
If I understand the situation correctly; the motor and drivers on the loco turn freely but when the tender and locomotive are coupled and placed on the track the controller indicates overload. If so, then this is what I would look at: Make certain that the trucks on the tender are properly oriented (electrically). If I remember correctly, the locomotive picks up from one rail and the tender is the pickup from the other rail (one wire from tender to locomotive or the locomotive to tender coupling link is the conductor). If two wires connect the tender to the locomotive, then make certain that one truck on the tender is oriented opposite the other. Do you have an ohmmeter?
there is one wire to the tender and if you are looking at the wheels on the tender the 4 are brass and 4 are black do they need to be matched? also a different question bare with me im new to this, on some of me engines mainly diesels some of the wheels have some black/dark grey on them should i clean these? of is it some kind of traction stuff? these are older they were my dads thanks
If you have an ohmmeter, check for resistance from one set (left side or right side) of drivers on the locomotive to either the left or right side wheels on the trucks on the tender. The wheels on the tender that have the lowest resistance to the drivers on the loco should be on the opposite side. Example: In the attached picture the drivers at the top on the loco (left rail) have low resistance to the wheels at the top (left rail) on the tender. This means that the trucks on the tender are oriented as they should be. If yours do not match this scenario, then turn the tender trucks 180 degrees. If you don't have an ohmmeter, just try turning the tender trucks 180 degrees and see what happens. If you look closely at the wheels on the tender trucks, you might see some type of insulator between the axle and the wheel on one end of the axle (the little black rectangles in the drawing). The insulated ends must be on the same side on both trucks.
