Proto 2000 GP20 Repairs

 Greetings All,

While recently running my old Life Like Proto 2000 New York Central GP20s I noticed they weren't running that well in consist and heard a thumping noise from one that sounded like a flat wheel but experience tells me that it is a cracked axle gear. 

Here are the units getting shoved into the shop to await repairs on the workbench.  

A few days later the 6107 is on the workbench to investigate the front power truck not providing electricity to the motor. Investigation revealed the wire to have broken inside the insulation. You can see the kink midway between the soldered connection and where the wire goes to the motor thru the weight.

A new wire is soldered in place and the problem is solved.

The 6107 is placed on the ready ready track in the engine terminal.

Next on the bench is the 6109 and the cracked axle gear was quickly found. Cracked axle gears plagued certain Life Like Proto 1000 and 2000 models and I have changed a plethora of them over the years. 

I keep Athearn replacement gears in stock for just such issues. The NMRA HO Standards Gauge works well to set the wheels in gauge when putting the two axles and gear together.

Some of the cracked gears are used at Prestage Tool & Gear. Waste not want not!

Both the 6109 and 6107 are now back in service.

The 6107 and 6109 get the call for a merchandise train out of Terminal Yard.

The GP20s haul the train out of Terminal Yard and thru Bedford NY 

The wire issue in the 6107 has also reared its ugly head in some of my Life Like Proto 2000 E8 units over the years. In the past I've had crushed wires at the tops of the weights that caused sporadic running issues. Earlier this year I pulled out four E8s and three had either broken wires within the insulation or wires that came loose from soldered truck connections.

As noted above certain Life Like Proto 1000 and 2000 units were plagued with cracked axle gears. As my engine fleet and skill level have grown I've gone from replacing just the cracked gears in a specific unit to replacing them all at the first sign of  gear trouble. The cracked gear in the 6109 was an original Life Like gear. 

Modelers considering buying the original Life Like P-1000 and P-2000 whether still new or on the used market should inquire if the gears have already been replaced or be prepared to replace them. The GP20s, GP9s, FAs, FBs, and RS2s in my fleet have all needed gear replacement.

Here is a four unit NYC FA-FB-FB-FA project from 2015 where I  replaced all 16 axle gears. These units have had no issues since. 

https://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/2015/02/fa1-fb1-fb1-fa1-project-part-1.html

Thanks for reading!!!

See ya soon!!!