The Intermountain Rock

[jagged ben]

I think that while some of us just can't resist taking new models apart to see how they look inside, and some of us expect to take the shell off to add decoders every time, and most of us are happy to take apart and reassemble models after many hours of fun have led to a genuine need for maintenance, I don't think any of us are happy when we have to do surgery on a brand new model to get it to run. 

[AKNscale]

Agreed, I love working on this stuff, but I do think a $200+ model should run properly out of the box.

@Kuchler10 : look at the front and rear of the model with the body off and check to make sure that the frame halves are lined up evenly. I've seen this with other locos including my SD50s and one of my 40-2s. If they're off at all, once you straighten them the loco should ride level with no wobble. That would be the first thing I'd check.

[JanesCustomTrain]

SO I took the thing apart and did a few things to it including de-gunking the mechanism and gear towers and re-guaging the wheels.

It seems you did take the trucks apart as well. I know the two wheel wiper look the same but they are not. There is a left one (Atlas part #9490306) and there is a right one (Atlas part #9490307). They can easy be mismatched. The problem is they fit in the wrong way but the center axle will not properly line up with the other gears, they are just a tiny bit off and that can be the problem of the truck wobbling. I would check the trucks again and make sure the wheel wipers are in the right place.

@jpwisc better ? 

Jane   

[Kuchler10]

I took the trucks apart one more time but I switched the side frames and they went together better, so I plugged them in and now it works perfectly. I had it running for a few hours on speed step 20 and it crawled around a loop no problem. So maybe it was the wheel wipers, or maybe there is a front and back truck. At least i got it working. Thanks to everyone for the help

[wcfn100]

There is no front and back, the rear truck just needed to be turned 180°.


Jason

[peteski]

Instead of trying to convince him that the trucks are identical, isn't there a parts diagram for that model available somewhere?  That should be indisputable.

[alhoop]

Can we assume apologies to Intermountain are forthcoming?
Al

[JanesCustomTrain]

Can we assume apologies to Intermountain are forthcoming?

- 1

Jane

[AKNscale]

Nope, Kato is the only one who makes good locomotives, lol.

[cbroughton67]

Oh, we've all been there... Glad you got it figured out.

[AKNscale]

Yup, just like no one uses code 55 track, code 80 is the only way to go, lol. Although, I do believe that QC across the industry certainly needs a pick me up.

[BCR751]

Yup, just like no one uses code 55 track, code 80 is the only way to go, lol. Although, I do believe that QC across the industry certainly needs a pick me up.

Too costly to visit the manufacturer to ensure quality is under control.  Poor quality is slowly becoming the industry standard along with astronomic prices.  Seems a bit backward, doesn't it.

Doug

[peteski]

Instead of trying to convince him that the trucks are identical, isn't there a parts diagram for that model available somewhere?  That should be indisputable.

OK, I took it upon myself (since nobody else did).  IM's online documentation is nowhere as good as Atlas'.    The only parts diagram I found is for is for the tunnel locos. But the parts should be similar (and besides, as it has been already mentioned, many of the parts are actually Atlas parts - even the part numbers are Atlas part numbers).  Here is the diagram:
http://www.intermountain-railway.com/customerservice/dccwebpage/N-Scale-SD40T-2-SD45T-2-Insert.pdf

There is only one truck part number - it is used as a front and a back truck (as is the case with majority of N scale Diesels from multiple manufacturers).

[alhoop]

I agree that Kato makes some of the best N-scale locomotives.  Is a Kato Chessie System B&O w/sound available?
If so maybe Kuch will tell us why go with IM?
Al

[jagged ben]

You know quality control at the factory may be a bit lacking, but in my experience customer service for defective locos is excellent in the industry.  The two times I've encountered something major I was unable or unwilling to fix myself, I've gotten free gear replacements and a free decorated replacement shell in response to my complaints.