Rapido: n scale f40, horrible connection

[simsuper80]

My go to when it comes to locomotives with a bad electrical connection is to take off the trucks and clean the contact points. Well, due to how rapido designed their F40, I cannot take the trucks off.

Although I have not cleaned the wheels of this brand new locomotive, I haven't cleaned the wheels on my kato locomotives either, and they run just fine. Meanwhile the rapido F40s can't even go an inch or 2 without stopping and needing a push. They make my bachmann HHP-8 look like a high quality kato runner

Do any owners of these locomotives have similar problems?

[peteski]

I don't own that loco, but looking at spookshow's review, I can see why these might be problematic (compared to Kato).



* Rapido  use inside bearings/pickups - Kato uses outside axle point bearings/pickups. 

The whole mechanical design of Rapido trucks seems like a giant leap backwards.  I can't believe they keep on using it when a much simpler and more reliable design is being used by many other manufacturers.

* Rapido floods their trucks with grease - Kato uses no or very little lubrication. Overlubrication is never a good thing.

It is also possible that the wheel blackening Rapido uses  is non-conductive, exasperating the pickup problem.   If you happen to own one of the Minitirx brass brushes wheel cleaner, use it to clean the wheels.



This is more of a generic power pickup issue, not specifically electronics or DCC. Moving to N/Z scale.

[dangerboy81]

I think you commented on my Youtube video with the same question.
These aren't built like Kato with the point on the end of the axle running in a cup.
The backs of the wheels rub on a brass plate to provide contact.
This photo is from an FP9, but the F40's are the same.
Is it new? Did someone install the traction tire wheel set? That ruined contact for me.
If you want to clean the contact points you can just unsnap the bottom of the truck and pull the axles out, but if it is new, it may not be nessessary. Have you tried the old method of just letting the wheels spin on a paper towel with some alcohol or mineral spirits on it?

[simsuper80]

I think you commented on my Youtube video with the same question.
These aren't built like Kato with the point on the end of the axle running in a cup.
The backs of the wheels rub on a brass plate to provide contact.
This photo is from an FP9, but the F40's are the same.
Is it new? Did someone install the traction tire wheel set? That ruined contact for me.
If you want to clean the contact points you can just unsnap the bottom of the truck and pull the axles out, but if it is new, it may not be nessessary. Have you tried the old method of just letting the wheels spin on a paper towel with some alcohol or mineral spirits on it?

I ran them around a loop on high speed for a couple hours and they seemed to get better. I haven't tried the paper towel/alcohol trick yet, but I'll try that as well.

[jjb62556]

I had to clean off the black coating on the inside bear on my F units...look the same on these....

[dangerboy81]

I ran them around a loop on high speed for a couple hours and they seemed to get better. I haven't tried the paper towel/alcohol trick yet, but I'll try that as well.

I hope you get them working. I was worried after my problems with the FP9s, but my F40PH was great out of the box.

[peteski]

That Minitrix brass brush wheel cleaner works really well for removing blackening from wheel treads.  Highly recommended.

[nkalanaga]

I have one next to the team track in my mining town, wired to the 12 volt accessory power.  When not in use, it's covered with a basic shed.  Lift the shed, it's ready to use, for standard (N) or narrow (Z) gauge.

[dangerboy81]

@simsuper80
Were you able to improve your model?

[NorsemanJack]

Doesn't Kato make an F40?

[peteski]

Doesn't Kato make an F40?

They sure do, but Katos don't have all those Canadien-specific doo-dads (or somewhat oversize free-standing details) that are included on the Rapido model.

[jjb62556]

The whole under body is different in the Canadian version....

[NorsemanJack]

The whole under body is different in the Canadian version....

If she's a smooth runner, I don't need to look under her skirt.