| One of the distinguishing problems with brass and | | | | carefully bend the overflow pipes and other items that |
| electricity is brass is an electrical conductor with a | | | | may be coming in contact with any of the wheels |
| tendency to short out a lot and can create a blue | | | | away from the wheels. Be very gentle with this |
| electrical show that is not wanted. | | | | process. It is easy to break the solder joint and now |
| This has been a common problem with Brass Steam | | | | you have a worse situation. Only a slight movement |
| Locomotives. The Asian manufactures have tried very | | | | will fix the problem. |
| hard to create a model that is as accurate as possible | | | | The next item is the draw bar and the post on the |
| in 1/87 scale. In doing so many times the tolerances are | | | | tender. Many times the draw bar has not been fixed |
| so tight between the pony trucks and the cylinders | | | | properly to the frame. There are insulating washers |
| that you get continual shorts. This may also be true | | | | that must be installed properly and the solder joint must |
| with the trailing trucks and the cab of the locomotive. | | | | not come in contact with the frame. The draw bar is |
| This being an intolerable situation for the hobbyist one | | | | intentionally isolated from the frame since it is bringing |
| wonders what he or she is to do to take care of the | | | | the power from the tender to complete a circuit on the |
| problem. There are several methods to alleviate the | | | | motor. Make sure that you have the + & - wires |
| nuisance. The most common way is to paint woman's | | | | soldered properly or your engine will go the wrong |
| clear nail hardener on the wheels of the pony trucks or | | | | way. |
| the trailing trucks. This is temporary since in time the | | | | The last problem is the body of the locomotive. There |
| nail hardener will ware off. However, by placing a thin | | | | are times when the manufacturer does not align the |
| coat of clear epoxy on the cylinders or cab body will | | | | body to the frame and the two parts may fit as far as |
| generally eliminate the problem. | | | | mounting is concerned but the body is slightly tilted to |
| The best method is to find the exact wheel set that | | | | the right or left. This may allow the body to touch the |
| goes on the locomotive for both the pony trucks and | | | | drivers which will cause a short. To remedy the |
| trailing trucks. The key is to find a set of wheels that | | | | problem remove the body from the frame and |
| are insulated in the middle of the axle. This may be | | | | examine the body and frame interface for areas that |
| difficult for the type of locomotive you have. | | | | may cause Sparky to appear. You might have to |
| Now that the standard among Railroaders is all freight | | | | gently pull the body inwards or add an insulation pad of |
| cars and passenger cars must have metal wheels | | | | fibrous material that will squeeze down on the frame |
| that are insulated to stop Sparky and reduce dirty | | | | yet keep the body from interfering with the drivers. At |
| tracks. You may be able to find a set of wheels | | | | all times be careful not to distort the brass body. |
| among the different wheel sets for the fright cars that | | | | The best way to locate sparky is to turn off the lights |
| match in size and characteristics which will satisfy your | | | | and run the engine in the dark and watch for blue |
| need. | | | | sparks between the various parts that may come in |
| The other shorting problem is piping that hang down | | | | contact with each other. |
| near any of the wheels. To solve this problem, | | | | |