Model Railroading > Metallic smell when N scale engines run

I have a lot of DC N-scale engines by Atlas, Life Like, and Kato that used to be my fathers. When I test run many of them, there is a smell that I can only think to describe as "metallic" that occurs. I recall it also as a scent when I used to run N scale on is layout 15+ years ago. Any idea what it is or what causes it? I feel like I never encounter it with HO engines, even if I run older Athearn stuff.

Are you reffering to what is called the electric motor smell that some older electric motors give off?

In the past the smell was called 'ozone'. It's generated from the sparking between the commutator and brushes, all DC motors have them and make that smell. I don't know the connection between the Low atmosphere Ozone and the high atmosphere Ozone, here's a website with some of the words and phrases to search with if you want to sort it out.

https://www.drax.com/technology/does-electricity-have-a-smell/

Kind of what I was trying to decipher. is it the ozone smell or something all together different.

Thanks, I think it is the ozone smell that is being described. Does it require any maintenance?

Everything I have heard is that when you get that smell, it means the insulation is breaking down and the motor has to be replaced. Unless somebody knows for sure, I would do research on that.

Ozone is created by electric sparking - if you're test running a bunch of motors that haven't been run in a while, there's bound to be an oxide layer to burn off on the commutator, wheels, and in N scale all the little wiper contacts.  Once they've had some run time the sparking should be quite reduced, and the ozone smell will go away.  I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks, that is good to hear. Almost all of this hasn't run in years, and in some cases, over 10 years.

inCHI Wrote:
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> Thanks, that is good to hear. Almost all of this
> hasn't run in years, and in some cases, over 10
> years.

That would fit with the motors having to work harder, or use more current to simply turn. More current and higher voltage would cause a bigger spark and more of that smell.

There's another smell that's more of a burning smell, that's something getting too warm and causing the 'Mag wire' insulation to heat up. Motors and transformers are often made of windings using a orangish-reddish coated wire, it gets the name 'Mag wire' since it's used for a magnetic device where the windings need to be very close to each other but electrically insulated from each other. Often they use a barely adequate wire size so it tends to heat up and 'outgas'. It often happens to a transformer since it has plenty of voltage and current and little ventilation.

There's a phrase 'letting the smoke out' of whatever box the transformer or motor or transistor / IC, etc is contained in. They're just joking, they don't install smoke at the factory, but it is a distinct smell. It's another dimension of Electronics school training.

If you plan on doing more than a quick test perhaps a little lubrication is in order.

The best thing you can do for model trains is to run them every year or so. Just to keep the parts lubricated and moving.

DevalDragon Wrote:
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> The best thing you can do for model trains is to
> run them every year or so. Just to keep the parts
> lubricated and moving.

Good advice for just about anything mechanical.