Trying to Fix a 1981 Tyco C430 Rock Island Locomotive Live

[@charlesbellinBama]

I am 77 years old and bought one of the same Tyco Rock Island engines as you repaired. Mine was sold in a set with a matching paint scheme Tyco streamline style caboose. It is still running after almost 50 years, a lot of which was in storage. I discovered your channel about 3 years ago and have taken the time to go back to the beginning and view all your videos I even bought the same DC controller you use for the analog gauges. It is a great help in identifying shorts and abnormal draws. Being retired now, your videos have brought me lots of knowledge and pleasure. FYI, I have several 40+ years old Rivarossi steamers, all of which run. Thanks for introducing the hobby to the young folks and keeping the older guys like me entertained. Charlie Bell in Russellville Alabama USA.

[@lawnmowermanTX]

I’m 51, and Harrison is the Model Locomotive Surgeon. I know that the wear and tear use on carpet does gum the gears..

[@SMTMainline]

It means a lot to hear that from someone who has been in the hobby as long as yourself. The 9500 series has been one of the best investments I've made in this hobby. It's amazing how much information you can get from two simple gauges.

[@lawnmowermanTX]

@@SMTMainline Agreed! My dad loved model trains and I haven’t had any months off to get my board running again.

[@chrissharp5073]

Another great tutorial and another i findgrest way to keep older models still running. Its also a very relaxing way to spend some spare time and achieve a great outcome .

[@user-MotoTrains1974]

Good on you Harrison an another train fixed you are so talented

[@yogistanu55]

Just saw this and a little oil on the armature bearing, probably dry, should do the trick...The Duck Call of Locomotives notorious in Tyco Power torque pancake motors🤣🤣🤣 Great video and Thanks!!👍👍

[@fredtrott8717]

Really like your layout and work station, keep up the great work and happy railroading. Thank you for tips and advice you give, it has made this hobby fun for me. Peace ✌

[@williammcgeehan3424]

I've got 3 of these Alco Century 430 units from 3 different ho scale manufacturers and importers. One Tyco-Mantua Chessie System that I stripped the paint from. I also bought Northwest Short Line replacement trucks for it. ( Still a project in progress ) ☺. Still looking for the correct side frames and how to place them on a self-driving truck with motor. ☺ I have one Bowser C430 in Reading Railroad green & yellow with ConRail " CR " stencils and numbers and the Reading Company's heralds and numbers blacked out with ConRail stencils and numbers. It came that way from Bowser ☺ And one Alco Models Century 430 in New York Central black that I'm changing to a ConRail black paint out. By the way, the Tyco Alco Century 430 is a real oddball for a mass produced engine in ho scale. Not only were there only 16 of them ever built for the railroads but of those, only three rode on those very common GSC ( General Steel Casting ) AAR Type B road trucks. The other 13 rode on the much better Alco Hi - Adhesion truck. So the tyco model is correct for only 2 railroads. Both of the Reading Company's units and the one Green Bay & Western unit were the only C430s to ride on the GSC trucks. New York Central's 10 units rode on the Alco Hi-Ad trucks as did the Louisville & Nashville / Seaboard Cost Line units. Tyco ironically enough never issued a paint scheme for the railroads that actually used the Alco Century 430.

[@beefs0ck911]

I've got a couple of these tyco c430s and they really need some work done on them. Thanks for the video, I feel like I have more of an idea what I'm doing now

[@enriqueaguilar4892]

That penn central f7 unit should go with a Stewart chassis with flywheels

[@kevinanderson4846]

My first train set was a tyco Spirit of 76 I got for Christmas in 1975. Still got it,still working order. Now I collect everything tyco ho

[@ivandelmaschio6189]

saludos desde españa... todavia tengo mi rock island fue mi primer tren electrico....y lo conservo con mucho cariño...

[@arnaldocruz4058]

Another informative masterpiece. Thank you

[@GarrettBarclay7690]

What really surprises me of locomotives versions is that I think it really depends on which brand you buy it from isn’t still all the same to me except for the motors that power them

[@SMTMainline]

The level of detail is pretty different as well. There are much more accurate C430s from other brands out there.

[@GarrettBarclay7690]

@@SMTMainline thank you and I’m going to send you my life like Santa Fe fa unit it still works to a certain extent but it’s giving me problems such as causing short circuits on my switching layout each time I operate it

[@actorprosvintagetrains7217]

Even though I’m more of an o gauge collector I still love your vids keep up the good work

[@DennisLora2001]

Pretty good video my friend

[@FideleBouchard]

Have a tyco like that one with striped gears offt the motor.repaired with pulleys off of amamazon converted it to band drive

[@elleryparsons2433]

Well When You Get some Stuff from The train Show you did Good👍👍👍👍.

[@tvengineer]

I bought a box of HO engines off ebay about 15 years ago. 4 engines and this is one of them. It does not run so I'm going to dig it out and give this a shot.

[@SMTMainline]

Best of luck. Most of the time they can be saved :)

[@JerseyBill-x9r]

I caught the last 15 minutes of the live stream. Two locomotives repaired in one hour is impressive. The Rock Island just needs oil at the two ends of the motor shaft or motor bearings and Bob's your uncle. lol Jersey Bill

[@SMTMainline]

I added some to both bearings and its still making sound so I'm not sure what's up with it.

[@JerseyBill-x9r]

@@SMTMainline It may be a bad motor bearing with too much slop in it or the oil just didn't get to the entire bearings. You know what you're doing so I have faith in you. Good luck, Jersey Bill

[@SMTMainline]

@@JerseyBill-x9r I might try adding grease. I’ve had success with quieting down noisy gearboxes with it.

[@JerseyBill-x9r]

@@SMTMainline I would like to know how it works out for you no matter what you find. I have a vested interest now. :)

[@strobson1]

Great episode Harrison with aloha

[@SMTMainline]

Thank you!

[@KontrollerPackers]

damn how did i miss this lol

[@leslie-up7qs]

I live in Laurel Mt the old MRL yard is located here since BN took it back u can see SD-40-2s hooked to SD-38s for switching now

[@Tomlin4014]

I have the same engine with the same issue, same rock island livery too!

[@c44-9w9]

Nice train! I just got a pemco sd35 rock island locomotive!

[@davydigger708]

Those Pemco's are cool! The SD-35 looks really good in the Rock paint scheme, even if they didn't own any in real life!

[@c44-9w9]

@@davydigger708 the only accurate pemco is the Santa Fe f unit and the cn and cp f units (however those models of f units were built as b units)

[@Gfysimpletons]

I love finding old MANTUA F-9’s…..I strip em and make them fit the TYCO shells……… The shark nose shell needs no mods……..

[@elleryparsons2433]

I’ll Bet the Trackwork will Be Challenging.

[@FideleBouchard]

Moved from east coast nb to thunder bay on. Startedmy new layout its gonna be big

[@JeffHanna-f3d]

Great video Harrison. I was able to pickup an MRC controller like yours but it has an issue with the throttle. When the unit is turned on it is immediately at 100% throttle with the throttle handle at zero. Ate you aware of anybody in the community that knows how to fix them? Thanks, Jeff.

[@barrydelaney6748]

I had one do that exact thing several years ago. It happened as a result of being shorted out. I threw mine away because it wasn't a very expensive one and it wasn't worth fixing.

[@SMTMainline]

I'm not sure what would cause that. Have you looked on any model railroading forms?

[@OldcampRanch]

Well done 👍🏻

[@generalbob1]

This stream reminded me that I have an old tyco similar to that one but it needs repairs and I just wanted to know what is the block that you are cleaning the wheels with?

[@mikegrappone9078]

Greatideo. Thanks!

[@irinamironets4571]

Hello smt my son met you at the prescott train show this year remember?

[@SMTMainline]

Yes, it was nice to meet both of you

[@elleryparsons2433]

I Agree go To Train Shows and Get Involved.

[@Wyattbmarksman]

I have the same train and every time I put it on the tracks and I give it about 30% power it starts smoking While I was watching this, I was playing with my brand new model train

[@SMTMainline]

It probably needs to be cleaned.

[@Wyattbmarksman]

Yeah, I wish I knew how. I don't have any of the right tools

[@neanderthal88]

This engine has 3 front axles and 2 rear axles? Never seen that before. Good asvalways.

[@Engine1988]

I think that the third axle is simply for gears. I've seen lots of locos where there's a third axle with no wheels. The rear one has no such axle because it's unpowered.

[@SMTMainline]

That's just it. Tyco reused the same block for their entire power torque line and had to add that as a functioning space holder.

[@neanderthal88]

Interesting Thank you both.

[@edwardjackowski771]

Rock Island Rock on

[@SidneyDave1]

What layout planning software do you use?

[@SMTMainline]

Railmodeler pro

[@stephenhudson8739]

One of the Traction tires may have slipped off a wheel

[@Coconutvr164]

Could you build a duel motor Tyco diesel? With comments on wiring and mounting. Thanks

[@GrahamCasey-h7e]

My rivarossi 4-6-4 dreyfuss hudson front bogie keeps derailing do you have any tips for me?

[@williamsquires3070]

1) make sure the wheels are in gauge. 2) make sure the wheel flanges aren’t hitting the track, especially at turnouts, or grade crossings. This is a problem with older models; the flanges aren’t suitable for anything less than code 100 (HO gauge) track. 3) make sure the front truck (bogie) swings freely and doesn’t hit any detail parts of the locomotive. 4) if you can, remove it and check the spring; it should be neither too stiff, nor too loose. Also, make sure there’s no dust/dirt in the pivot point. HTH. 😊

[@GrahamCasey-h7e]

@@williamsquires3070 thank you I will try this.

[@SMTMainline]

As William mentioned the spring tension is very important. Try adjusting the screw 1 to 2 turns in both directions at a time and see if it makes a difference.

[@roxiewood8310]

Please make a budget layyout and work on n scale layout btw my parents just got me a bunch of marx and Lionel stuff.

[@watchtrainsnow1099]

The Montreal train show is next weekend. Did you want to go? Do you want to meet me there?

[@SMTMainline]

I'm gonna try to make it out there.

[@watchtrainsnow1099]

@@SMTMainline I’m going Saturday

[@dankamikubo7002]

The “felt” packing that you found in the gears weren’t installed in this engine, that hasn’t been used for at least 20 years before this engine was made. Rather, what you found was either pet hair, or more probably carpet fibers. Please recommend to your viewers to not run their trains on carpeting, at the very least they should lay down a bedsheet before assembling their temporary layout. Anyway, keep up the good work!

[@SMTMainline]

Tyco did have felt oil pads on some of its early 80s models, this is the second one I've seen with it (both models from 1981) It didn't stick around long due to the issues it caused but I've heard from some users who have had them for 40 years without it failing. I have however seen countless models with the lower gears packed with carpet fibres. That roadbed-less track combine with exposed gears did them no favours.

[@generalbob1]

@@SMTMainline I believe mine is from 1977 and has those oil pads

[@marshalblue3259]

I’ve got the chassis but not the body for this locomotive

[@stephenhudson8739]

Hope it doesn't launch itself off the track going that fast

[@ASILLYTRAINBOY2011]

I HAVE THAT

[@Mm2_for_life2]

:_super train

[@seanrff]

Hi

[@elleryparsons2433]

Say hi To Nerfcat for Me Ok God Blessed nerfcat.

[@useruser-oc8xn]

MORE FRANKENSTEINS

[@davidballoid2118]

Oil Pad ? look's more like Pubes and Shag Carpet to me ! 🤢🤮Harrison you should consider wearing gloves and using some Lysol when cleaning out those locomotives bro !😂

[@SMTMainline]

I sure hope not. TYCO did have an oil pad on some of their locomotives from the early 80s, this was one of them. I've seen others packed with carpet fibres, nasty stuff.

[@MelissaTolbert-q5o]

For every like this coment gets in 3 days i will like an smt mainline video

[@Csx1254]

Hello