Does anyone have experience operating the Richart 0 gauge Bi-Polar? I recently bought one that appears to be in near-mint condition, barely test run. It seems to run well enough, but very slowly and it needs a lot of voltage. This is unusual for a can-motored locomotive. I flipped it on its side and tested no-load operation. Both motors started at the same voltage and they ran at the same speed as I increased the voltage. This eliminates the possibility that one motor is dragging. The motors are connected electrically but not mechanically.
The remaining possibilities would seem to be:
- It is set up for higher-voltage operation, maybe with a Z transformer that will put out 24 volts, in which case there might be resistors or diodes in the circuit to reduce the voltage to the motor
- It's just meant to run slowly.
I haven't taken it apart yet to look at the electronics and see if the motor voltage is marked. The e-unit is electronic, not mechanical. I thought I'd post first and see if any of you have any experience with these locomotives. To reiterate, I am looking at the 0 gauge version of the Richart Bi-Polar, NOT the Standard Gauge one.
Thanks.
