Hi. I have a question about using my post war 3656 Stockyard Car. When I energize it with the Stockyard Platform, it vibrates , and the cows move the car it like they should. However, one of the coil couplers gets extremely HOT. So much so that I can't even touch it and it burns my finger. When looking at the car with the two doors facing you, it's the Left Hand coupler. I see that's it has been rewired. Any ideas on why this is happening? Thanks. Don
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Yes. Check the wire that is coming from the accessory slide shoe and make sure that it is not touching any part of the metal frame of the freight truck. If it is, then the AC+ coming from the hot shoe when the car is operating is directly shorting out on the frame of the freight truck, which is AC common coming from the outer rails of the track. The solution is to unsolder the wire from the accessory slide shoe, replace it with a new wire that is soft and has insulation keeping it from shorting out, and soldering it back in to the operating mechanism and to the operating slide shoe on the truck. That will stop the problem.
The 3656 car should only have mechanical couplers. Somewhere some one has changed the couplers with a incorrect one.
Hi Jim. I inspected this wires, and I don't see any breach where a short can occur. I think Chuck is correct that the car did not originally come with coil couplers.
Hi Chuck Sartor. I think you are correct, and I will replace the coil coupler. Thank you.
Agreed. I've had several 3656s through the years and no coil couplers.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
