How to repair faulty axles on Proto 2000 diesel locos.

[@johnmiller9693]

Had the split gears on a Proto 2000 GP30 years ago and sacrificed one of my Athearn's axle gears as well for the GP30. Also had the same issue with that thick grease on the worm gear on all my Proto 2000 locomotives. Cleaned and re-oiled the worm gears and now they run better.

[@struck2soon]

John Miller yes John, it seems that this problem is almost universal with the older 2-axle diesels from Proto2000...and the cure is generally the same.

[@MrJojowasaman]

Very thorough and easy to follow your work. Thank you.

[@toycarcollector]

Just the info I was looking for. My local shop seems to always have Proto 2000s for sale in new condition. I've not been testing them before buying and just got a dud. Looks like worn gear repair for me. This is the only video I found with the complete information. Thanks!

[@struck2soon]

Glad it helped. This is such a common fault with those Proto2000 units that I do it frequently. I have since refined the process slightly to make it easier by drilling a shallow hole in the edge of my workbench the same diameter as the axle, when pushing the gears on I locate the axle end in this hole as it stops the whole assembly wobbling about. My only other bit of advice is to double-check you have clearance between bearing and gear before you put the axle back in...very frustrating to find it doesn’t rotate after you have re-assembled the truck!

[@ModelingSteelinHO]

Thank you ! Just finished up one gear change on a Proto 2000 Alco FA-2 . Simple fix. I didn't have a NMRA gauge for the wheel,so I used a piece of track for gauge. Once again thank you for the tutorial.

[@struck2soon]

You're more than welcome! Having had to go through the "pain barrier" with this one myself, I was hoping to save someone else the hassle....looks like I have succeeded. They are great locos when they run right. In fact, just bought my first Proto 2000 steam loco(2-8-8-2) from ebay this week, runs REALLY smoothly but can't pull a decent load. Have put some of the legendary 'Frog Snot' on a pair of drivers this evening, should know how it runs by the morning. In my fifties and still playing with trains...hope I never grow up!

[@ModelingSteelinHO]

+struck2soon You might need to add a bit of weight to the locomotive. Talked to another guy on you tube that was having a problem with his proto steam loco. Once he added just a little weight. The little bugger pulled a hefty size train. There has got to be a video adding weight to proto steam Loco's. Hopefully you'll find a solution.

[@struck2soon]

+Low Budget Scale Modeling. You read my future! The Proto 2000 steam loco slipped on the gradient with only about 15 cars. I went the other route: I put some of the magical Frog Snot on rear drivers of rear engine unit. Pulls the train up hill ok now. Will give it a proper load test to find the slipping load.

[@ModelingSteelinHO]

+struck2soon If you get a chance. I humbly request a video of the 2-8-8-2 in action. That's a great locomotive. Is it DC or DCC ?

[@struck2soon]

+Low Budget Scale Modeling. No worries, might have to be a quickie from the ipad though as my pc has a virus so cannot upload a properly edited film. It is dc, and I got it at a decent price because someone has decaled it for a fictitious railroad. I intend to re-letter it for one of the three locos that UP purchased from N&W at end of WW2.

[@HARPO1ME]

Well explained .I remember when the proto 2000 was introduced and really took command of the higher end super detailed ho scale market in the US. Great locos except for those axle gears. After Walthers purchased them they warrantied the split axles for a wile under life likes lifetime warranty ,but then stopped giving them away. Does not seem right.Sometimes a deal can be worked out with them if your buying more new trains from them. I have the rare e 8/9 b unit from the original blue box run .Then from what I was told they stopped making them since something happens with the tooling .Then in the 90's or early 2000 they sold them with sound in a a/b set for around 500 US Dollars ,but they were of different tooling that did not have doors that opened.So for collectors these can be something of value.Thanks for sharing!

[@struck2soon]

HARPO1ME ...good to know I may have helped out. I contacted Walthers and they were only prepared to honour the warranty if the original purchase invoice could be produced. Much to their amazement I still had them from 20 years earlier!

[@4449John]

Walthers has always found a way to jerk folks around, either by their models quality or by their attitude (like finding an invoice from years back); nothing new there. I found out ages ago they do not honor the life time guarantee and had to purchase replacement parts for several of their engines, not just P2K. You can use Athearn's axle gears, or you can force the correct size copper tubing over the split and this will work too.

[@struck2soon]

HARPO1ME Good tip about forcing some copper tube over the split gears, I shall have to remember that one. Thanks!

[@Harrisonidk]

Thanks for the helpful guide!, my gp30 had all cracked axles

[@struck2soon]

Glad it was useful, yes they all seem to have those cracked gears!

[@philsturrock2896]

Thanks for providing this video, your tips worked fine on sd60m

[@struck2soon]

My pleasure Phil. My own SD60M only had the problem of the hard grease on worm bearings, all the gears were fine. Was it the same on yours?

[@philsturrock2896]

Yes, just needed a degrease and regrease of both the worm gears. Bought it 2nd hand last week, seller had it on a shelf for 10 years

[@struck2soon]

Phil Sturrock they are great locos when sorted, the drive mechanism always impresses me. I have converted a couple of my older UP diesels to dcc/sound with good results.

[@thesaers]

I appreciate the video upload. I own a LifeLike set and F7 locomotive. I haven't taken apart my loco completely. I purchased the entire set for only 10.00 with the box still sealed from possibly early 90s. An honestly great deal. I've heard the brand is just what can be as expected from LifeLike at the time. I would like to somehow get less noise from the loco even though it's fairly decent for honestly being a LifeLike and really honestly being old in production. I think it's a proto 2000. If anyone reads my comment and can help... please let me know

[@struck2soon]

T R U N K S Could you be a bit more specific about the noise? If it sounds like gears grinding then the problem is most likely the axle gears....an easy fix as you can see.(Athearn gears are best value as replacements) Please let me know if the noise is from another source, and I will do my best to help. It's worth it as these locos have a great motor and run superbly when everything is in order.

[@anotherluckyone]

Thanks for the advice. It's very helpful.

[@struck2soon]

+anotherluckyone glad to be of some help! These locos run great when the axle gears are not split, but are an absolute frustration when they go wrong.

[@billfusionenterprise]

After someone told me about the cheap copy they made of blue box and the issues, I just avoided buying any proto 2000

[@KaiserFrazer67]

Thanks SO much, Struck2Soon, for posting this! I have the EXACT same problem with a Proto 2000 Chicago & North Western GP7 I just purchased whose seller said it had never been run, and I believe it, because the grease had solidified on both worm gears and their square bearings. It may just as well have been cement. What I want to ask is: What did you use to clean up the worm gear assembly? I am actually disassembling it as I write this, and I am wary of using anything too strong as there are tiny plastic bushings between the square bearings and the worm gears on both ends of each worm, and I don't want to risk damaging or dissolving anything which shouldn't be dissolved. Thanks again!

[@struck2soon]

KaiserFrazer67 glad it was of some help! I simply soaked the parts in white spirit, this has no impact on the plastic but will soften that nasty grease. I used a small brush to scrub the parts after soaking for a couple of hours. The cracked gears are almost a certainty. Easiest way to check is to try and twist each wheel set, this can be done without any dis-assembly. If you are able to move the wheel on the axle by twisting using your fingers, then it will need replacing. As stated in the video I have found the newer Athearn axle gears to work fine. Of course, you may have some recourse to the seller for a partial refund if this is the case.

[@KaiserFrazer67]

I'm gathering that what you're calling "white spirit" is probably what we call "mineral spirits" here in the States? (The stuff I'm thinking of has a mild kerosene-ish smell to it, even the so-called "odorless" mineral spirits.) I hadn't thought of that--I'm not sure why--but it makes perfect sense, since the stuff often comes in plastic bottles over here (implying that plastic isn't harmed by it), and it is indeed an excellent degreasing solvent. Thanks for reminding me! As for the cracked axle gear situation, I remember having had to replace the ones on my Proto 2000 FA2's/FB2's, so I am aware of the problem. Thankfully the axle gears on my GP7 are fine (so far). Axle gears are still available separately from Athearn (part #60024) or A-Line (part #40005) and I have some on order through an eBay vendor, just in case. I did manage to successfully get the GP7's worm shaft/bearings cleaned up with a product called "Goo Gone" which I usually use to remove adhesive from plastic and other non-porous surfaces. Even with the help of an old toothbrush, it took longer than the mineral spirits would have, but it worked--although I had to then wash the Goo Gone off with some rubbing alcohol. Afterward, I properly lubed it and the truck gears with some LaBelle #102 plastic gear lubricant, and it is running wonderfully under load--no cracked axle gears. Thanks again so much for posting your extremely helpful video!

[@matthewlastrapes8104]

Ya I am having a problem with my athern big boy not working right

[@blackterminal]

Would have been good if the gear had been welded metal to metal.

[@struck2soon]

Indeed, a metal gear would not have split. That said it is an easy fix using the Athearn gears, and they don’t cost a lot.

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

I always replace those crappy, what did you expect ('MADE IN CHINA') gears with genuine Athearn and only athearn. even when im servicing a 'Like Like' proto 2000 locomotive trucks i rebuild them with athearn gears for better results and good performance.

[@struck2soon]

I think you might find that even the Athearn gears are made in China! (What isn’t these days?) The main difference is in the material specified for manufacture, Athearn have certainly got the correct type of plastic needed for this job.

[@michaelquinones-lx6ks]

@@struck2soon WHAT! ATHEARN GEARS ARE MADE IN CHINA!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[@farmerdave7965]

I'm getting dizzy watching this.

[@gethighonlife11]

I do not like Proto 2000 locomotives. I have purchased 2, and both of them run crappy. They run rough, and I had problems with the headlight on both of them. I have trashed one of them. I will never buy this mark again.