Model Railroading > Brass Locomotive Help

I've noticed that my Overland Northern FEF is having bad electrical contact between the engine and tender. It is an older Rivarossi style pin and draw bar that connects the engine to the tender to complete a circuit. If I wiggle the tender or engine I will get jolt or two from the engine wanting to run. Any suggestions on fixing the problem?

I've even thought adding a new motor or a plug in type motor for a better circuit.

BNSF7776 Wrote:
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> I've noticed that my Overland Northern FEF is
> having bad electrical contact between the engine
> and tender. It is an older Rivarossi style pin and
> draw bar that connects the engine to the tender to
> complete a circuit. If I wiggle the tender or
> engine I will get jolt or two from the engine
> wanting to run. Any suggestions on fixing the
> problem?
>
> I've even thought adding a new motor or a plug in
> type motor for a better circuit.

I recommend using a wire to bypass the draw bar connection. This will eliminate the unreliable electrical draw bar connection. Anytime you have a friction electrical connection, it will have problems with conducting electricity. Just solder the wire on the two points needed to make the electrical connection and the conductivity problems go away.


Cass Telles
"Slow-Approach-Slow" - 'Go by way of the B&O'
Railroads of NW Ohio
http://www.trainweb.org/rrnwoh
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SlwApprSlw Wrote:
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> Anytime you have a
> friction electrical connection, it will have
> problems with conducting electricity.

You can't get power off the rails without a friction electrical connection SOMEWHERE. Think about it.

I would clean the wheel treads, take the trucks off and polish the bolsters and truck frame top where they contact and polish the pin. Also check to see if the little spring wire hasn't been bent where it won't bear against the tender pin. Should clear it up. Also clean the engine's drivers.

I agree with this advice. Here is some further detail. Open up the engine and identify which motor post is wired to the tender bar end inside the engine. Solder a piece of wire to that motor post. Make the wire long enough to go a little more than half way to the tender. Install a pin connector to the other end of the wire. Reassemble the engine. Now open the tender. Solder the wire to the inside of the tender body or floor or to any wire that is already soldered to the tender body or floor. Take a piece of wire long enough to get half way from the tender to the engine. Solder the other half if the pin connector to the tender wire. Close up the tender , plug in the wire and you are set to go. The drawbar will still be carrying current along with the new wire but now the current will be reliable. Email me if you have questions chuck.sted@gmail.com.

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