help with a 2026

running it again this am it doesn't want to run very fast in forward, in fact it takes more power to get it going a fair speed but eventually will get up to speed. once you get it going thou it will run fine. but don't stop as then you have to go thru the whole process all over again 

AS to why it is reversing on it own.... bad pick-up sliders. Either worn, not bent down enough, or not enough spring pressure. Or the rear slider is touching the trailing truck screw.

As far as speed, Gunk in the brushtube wells, weak brush springs, worn out brushes that are too short. Check the reverse unit that the fingers are not arcing on the drum. (Burnt spots on the drum.) Dirty and greasy armature.

Thanks for the reply, brushes do need replace I think, Runs fine now since I bent the pick-up sliders 

Is it possible to replace the sliders with rollers?

I believe it would take a bit more than I can do including separating the frame some what to get present pick-up plate out and another added. It's working fine right now so I'm not going to look into any more changes 

And also a 2036 pick-up assembly will not fit a 2026. (only exception is the '52 version of the 2026) The sliders cannot be replaced with a roller assembly.

I've just gone through that process......with varying success. I have two friends who have those 2026 engines and have ended up doing basic restores on both of them. I have to start by stating I absolutely hate those sliding shoes. They are a continuing problem on switches and operating tracks. So, I decided to make an "improvement" in them to eliminate that issue. With one friend's 2026, I ran a tether from his tender across the drawbar (secured with black cable ties) and into the engine. Problem solved. The engine how has 4 "rollers". The other one I wanted to be more creative. I ordered a new baseplate for it and 2036 rollers. With an Exacto knife, I carved away the excess material so that I could swap out the sliders with the rollers. That was successful. Next was to try and replace the baseplate. Jeff Kane sells a frame spreader that one of his customers makes for him. I bought one and used it first to remove the baseplate from a  2035 in which the wire up from the rollers had disconnected (60 year old solder). That was successful, but put an awful strain on the "spreader". The problem is, the 2035 has an aluminum frame motor because of the magnetraction. The 2026 frame is steel. I tried to remove the baseplate and it was a no-go. The spreader bent and exploded out of there. There's not much for the jaws of the spreader to attach to and the steel of the frame is stronger than the spreader. As far as I can determine, the only way to get that out will be to drill out the studs and repress them in. I don't have a rivet press to do that, so......we'll go with the tether.  But, bottom line.....if you can get that baseplate off, you CAN mount rollers on the baseplate (as above). 

Roger

I just love learning all the details everyone already knows and I never imagined. Thanks.

check the bottom of the cow catcher...I had one that would just barley touch the center rail...enough to switch the e unit. the pilot might need tighten/adjusted, or maybe bent.