Repairing a Westside Brass D&RGW Challenger

The owner's KZbin channel: / garretttaylorleedy
You might see this one again over there sometime. :)
For this video, I'm repairing a brass HO scale D&RGW Challenger from Westside (Katsumi) that was sent to me to figure out a short circuit. It needed a little more work beyond that, but with some fine-tuning here and there, it became a very smooth and strong runner! I sort of wanted to keep it, but oh well. :)

[@SMTMainline]

I'm always amazed by the attention to detail in your repairs. Excellent work!

[@heyitshenry1383]

Lol you have none 💀

[@SMTMainline]

@@heyitshenry1383 lol

[@lebryantjohnson7306]

@@SMTMainline bro me personally I wouldn’t take that

[@how_to_hallagon1]

I wouldn't take it either and I'm on meds to remain calm

[@YourLocalRailfan]

@@SMTMainlinecalmest response ever:

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

When you have brass locomotives you know that you have gone up in the model railroad world. I have great admiration for people who would buy a brass locomotive in the old days and then send it out to somebody who would paint it and or whether it according to the customer's wishes. And then they were to run it on their train layout and actually get the pleasure of operating the locomotive instead of just looking at it in a display case.

[@how_to_hallagon1]

My two brass locos I inherited when my grandpa passed away. He got me started in the hobby when he was alive.

[@kennethljungberg642]

Thank you Darth, the biggest brass Loco I`v seen running. Kenneth

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

You repair these locomotives like they are your own that's what I like about these videos. You are meticulous in your work. I'm sure the owner of that locomotive will be very happy when it comes home

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

It is so cool to see it go around 22 radius curves. A beautiful locomotive Donnelly to look at but you get the pleasure of running it on your layout super.

[@danielcoburn8635]

Love the step by step in the trouble shooting, I followed closely as I've done this with Bowser's. I had no idea/forgot of the gearbox motor alignment! That will solve a few problems!

[@anthonyxuereb792]

The person who dared to tamper with this model probably told his friends that he repairs watches and clocks to. I would have expected the wheels to be marked to indicate correct placement, of course you'd have to know to look out for that. My main gripe with brass is short circuits of which I've had plenty with second-hand locos and I never knew this about the wheels, thanks for this vital piece of trouble-shooting.

[@Tom-xe9iq]

Hats off to your expertise in diagnosing and repairing the model!!! I know who I'm going to contact if I have issues with a locomotive!!!

[@patrickspencer4360]

I repair watches and clocks plus these brass engines. Might I suggest instead of pliers using watchmaker tweezers. They are a 2nd hand and can get into very small areas. I use the #4 and #5. Enjoyed Patrick

[@leisureshoot]

this was a very helpful video. I never knew how much noise and vibration could come from those misaligned rubber tubes. the before and after was incredible.

[@leisureshoot]

Really enjoyed this video. I would love to see you replace one of those open frame motors with a can motor on a future video.

[@bernardc2553]

Yes I'm sure there's. Many that would with today's availability & a quality do it once motor..

[@patrickwamsley3284]

I know it's not the recommended from of lubrication but on engines with all metal gearing, I like to use a little bit of multipurpose grease, like as used in automotive wheel bearings. I've got a Nickel Plate Brass NKP L1-A Hudson the gearbox always made a bit of noise. I put a touch of that grease in the gearbox and it went absolutely silent.

[@michaelhunschag2430]

i wish they would still make such kits today, i got 2 from ebay and it is so much fun building them

[@trains365]

Excellent work, patience is a must have when trouble shooting brass, either steam or diesel. My own Santa Fe stuff has taught me a lesson a time or two in that department. Liked and subscribed!!

[@modelrailwaybackshop]

Amazing Job! can't wait to see the next Brass Repair you do!

[@ralphreinhardt6020]

A job well done sir ! 😎👍

[@bofustjohnson]

excellent work

[@blairmielnik8228]

Great work, I have found that many of these models were designed to operate well, but they just were and atrophy to this condition over the last century. I have chased frustrating shorts all around the models too. I always make sure to do a run-in on both left and right-handed turns to sort out shorts on both sides.

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

There was an article in Model Railroader where a brass locomotive manufacturer put in 1.2 volt Motors the motor would last long enough to be tested he got very little calls about the engine burning out because most of them were in display cases and we're never run. Brass locomotives were high-priced but high quality. There was an advertisement showing a pile of brass part saying a pretty Japanese girl can make a locomotive out of this can you? Very true. Now if I had a layout with only 18 radius curve and I bought a bigger locomotive I would make bigger track like what's a Big Railroad stand

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. Nice repair.👍

[@segundaaguada]

Excellently repaired. Very inspirational. Thanks for sharing

[@horacioavelinovillela3619]

You are a genius !!! I have my 6 brass locomotives and no one can running...very frustating condition

[@DarthSantaFe]

Thanks! Maybe some of the tips shown in these videos can help you with your brass models. :)

[@jeremiahwilliams7809]

This was a (somewhat) instructional video for me,I really like the (soldering) part, seeing as to the fact that at one point all of my locomotives were plastic,now I have a bunch of brass locomotives as well,I have never worked on a brass locomotive before,and some of the brass locomotives are going to need soldering, also something I have never done before........

[@GarrettTaylorLeedy]

Thank you so much man I really appreciate. You really do excellent work on these locomotives and you really had that special touch to keep them running really good thank you so much

[@DarthSantaFe]

Glad I could help!

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Many of the brass locomotives regardless of scale were powered by Pittman Motors. If the Japanese Imports & American motor for their locomotive you know it has to be good. Unfortunately with my HO scale layouts I never got Beyond 18 radius curve. But then I never could have afforded a brass locomotives much less in articulated.

[@timu19]

Nice Video and a great Work.Thank you...

[@Harrisonidk]

What a beautiful engine

[@danielstickney2400]

If you plan on doing more work on brass models you should consider getting a resistance soldering system. It would have made fixing that boiler face a lot easier.

[@Tom-xe9iq]

You are a genius!!

[@gregoryamer]

great video. thank you.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Looks good.👍♐

[@williamsantangelo]

You are real Good great video!!! Thank You!!!

[@Owencarmody]

Although I don’t know model trains too well, I’m still confused by these brass models, are you suppose to paint them or is there some other purpose?

[@DarthSantaFe]

They can be painted or left unpainted. Brass models are often made to represent unique prototypes you couldn't get in plastic or diecast (like this D&RGW Challenger). Since brass is easier to work with (lower melting temperature, solders well and no expensive casting dies required), takes well to detail and has good strength, it's been a popular material for the smaller custom factories going back to the early days of model railroading.

[@horacioavelinovillela3619]

You are a amazing !!!

[@thomasweekley9062]

Replacing the tubing with universal joints might quite the drive line.

[@DarthSantaFe]

I actually got the tubing tuned to silence, so the only noise left is the metal universal in the middle.

[@victormiranda9163]

ah all that time. most people do not know how much time it takes to sort out a model steam engine

[@colbeausabre8842]

Sounds like a B29 winding up for take off. BTW, how many poles is the motor?

[@michaelstrains4014]

I’m shocked that it can handle 22” curves. Most brass articulateds can’t handle anything less than 30”.

[@DarthSantaFe]

A lot of brass models were made to be display pieces even if they did have a motor. Model Railroader and other magazines used to have a lot of articles on how to make brass models actually work. This one however was built to run!

[@how_to_hallagon1]

Can you show how you read shorts on your multi meter. It was out of frame on here.

[@DarthSantaFe]

The workbench ammeter is on my DC power supply box, so when a short circuit happens, it immediately jumps to the maximum amperage. If you're using a multi-meter, a short circuit will also show as 0 ohms.

[@animenut69]

Are you familiar with bachman steam loco's? got a niagara that came from the factory with no rubber traction tires or anything and can barely pull anything and was wondering if you had any ideas on how to maybe install traction tires on a loco not built for them.

[@DarthSantaFe]

The best I can recommend there is to use a traction product called Bullfrog Snot. You lightly brush it onto the tread of a wheel or two, and it works like a traction tire. Installing actual tires is possible, but difficult since it involves precisely grinding a groove into the wheel.

[@tracynation2820]

The best way is to add weight to the locomotive, assuming that it is not equipped with traction tires. My railroad eats traction tires and I have filled in the grooves on the wheels for them on all but two of my locomotives, but I still like having an 0-4-0 that will pull fifty cars. About 25% traction is available, and that means for every four ounces added to the driving wheels, you will get around one ounce or more of pull or tractive effort. One of my best non brass HO locomotives without traction tires weighs about 23 ounces, stock weight, and will exert more than 5 1/2 ounces of tractive effort, which is really good for any steel wheeled HO loco without traction tires, but my Mantua double MU-2 motor equipped EMD F-7A locomotive with four traction tires will exert almost twelve ounces of tractive effort, which is god level traction for a small HO road locomotive. 💙 T.E.N.

[@scottb8175]

I remember when these cost more than a good used car or truck.

[@colbeausabre8842]

Any reason you don't use a locomotive cradle? I always worry about damaging some of the detail.

[@DarthSantaFe]

I've thought of getting one before, but I guess I continue to work this way because I'm used to it. I'll probably get or make one eventually.

[@CaptSolo1977]

What's the best way to contact you? I have a BLI brass locomotive that won't run.

[@DarthSantaFe]

If you send an email to [e-mail], I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

[@kensbackshop6399]

I watch all your videos they are awesome ,,,,,i have a question for you,,were do you get that drive line tubbing,,,years ago i got it from a hobby shop and it was made in germany,,,the hobby shop went out of business 28 years ago ,,,can you help me please ,,,,thank you Ken

[@DarthSantaFe]

Thanks! I get my tubing mostly from eBay. It’s usually sold as fuel line tubing for RC cars or medical line tubing. You can find it in all different sizes and in harder or softer grades.

[@KingTrump2024]

Brass loves to short out. I did one OMI DC to DCC conversion and will never touch brass again !

[@DarthSantaFe]

Brass is only as prone to shorting as other metal models in my experience. Some of the really high-end ones with a lot of scale detail and tight clearance might have more problems, but the Challenger in this video is actually very well designed with insulation where needed to prevent shorting. Except for the articulating pipes in front, it was surprisingly easy to work on (a lot easier than a BLI 2-10-4 I also worked on recently).

[@elleryparsons2433]

It Would be Mind Blowing To Know how Many People Would BuyBrass Engines.

[@legocarking45]

i wanted to ask how big is your layout I have 4x8 one my self

[@DarthSantaFe]

The finished section is 4’ x 7’.

[@legocarking45]

@@DarthSantaFe question how did you fit two main lines on there

[@DarthSantaFe]

@@legocarking45 I used a 22” radius for the outer track and 18” for the inner track. The outer track is close to the edges, but I’ve never had any problems with trains falling off, so it works fine for me. :)

[@angelacrawford3173]

Would you be interested in some brass diesels?

[@DarthSantaFe]

Possibly! If you send an email to [e-mail], we can discuss it more.

[@lonewolfe31619]

nice engine but good god the noise from it alone is really bad da** phew I hope you fix that to where it's more quite and install a decoder with sound in it.

[@DarthSantaFe]

It was really noisy until the end of the video, where I finally had it tuned to run very quietly. It's been a couple years now since I sent this back to its owner, and I'm not sure if he's done any DCC installation or not.

[@horacioavelinovillela3619]

When she running was great....i call this...”mission impposible.. for me You was ex employee for PFM or any other ?

[@DarthSantaFe]

I'm just a guy who's worked on enough of these trains to know how to get them running well. I've never actually worked for any of the manufacturers before.

[@tomcook5813]

Darth, I’ve decided to sell my brass Camelback, if you know anyone looking for one. I put it on eBay, thank you for hours of effort.

[@DarthSantaFe]

I don't know anyone myself who's looking for one, but I'm sure it will sell either way!

[@tomcook5813]

@@DarthSantaFe Thanks to you I knew how to service it 🙂

[@shanestoddard3469]

Get some "Red Lithium" lube and those gears will run silently!!!

[@DarthSantaFe]

The gears actually do run silent. The noise comes from the metal universal in the middle.

[@shanestoddard3469]

@@DarthSantaFe You can put some Red Lithium on that metal U as well, and it will make it much quieter! The Red Lithium will prevent the sound from escaping! I use Red Lithium on all of my brass! My old Athearn Blue Box gets it as well in the trucks, the worm drive, and the drive lines. It's the best lube that I have ever used!!! It's not all that expensive either! I have some of those funky Endo drives that Precision Scale put into their brass. Believe it or not, I use them on the layout, after I broke them in with Red Lithium! Now they run with the big dogs just fine without over heating!