Where do I start?

Thanks Larry!!!

Larry has it right, but the disassembly on those engines is a little different than a 665 (which is the same as a 2055, they're easy to take apart). The 2018 is a little different. There is one screw right in front of the sand dome (near the bell) that supports the front of the motor. There are two screws holding the pilot truck on, remove those and the truck and headlight assembly will come out. Then you have access to the two screws inside the cylinders. Remove those and the whole steamchest/pilot assembly will come off. Then there is a rod that runs through the whole rear end of the motor and out each side of the shell in the firebox area. I usually use a nail set to carefully push that out. Then it should all be apart and ready to work on. It's not a difficult job, just kind of time consuming to get it all apart and back together again.

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/2018.htm
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/debpix01.pdf
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/debpix05.pdf
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/debpix10.pdf
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/debpix13.pdf
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/loc2016a.pdf

Jerry

Let us know how it goes. Maybe a little before and after?

Thanks for the help. I will post before/after pics once it's back together and able to move out!

Thanks to Larry's instructions & Baltimores pics I took it apart, cleaned, cleaned, cleaned and then lubed.  Put her to the test and yes there was movement!!  It was funny to see the old smoke unit come to life and all the sparks flying.

 

Tomorrow I gently clean her up a little more and I'll try to get an "after" pic.

Hi Jeff, I'm happy to read that all the above good advice got your engine moving. I would like to add that you should check around the drive axels of the wheels for fibers and such.  This is a common problem especially with engines that ran on a carpet central.

Sometimes you can take the shell off and never see it unles you are looking for it. This fiber build up can cause a lot of drag on the engine.

 

Good luck with your new Hudson and I hope you enjoy many years running it.

GG1man makes a good point. Many of these trains were run  under Christmas trees and picked up all sorts of "extra" baggage on those circular routes. I have found carpet fibers, pet hair, and tinsel wrapped around the wheel/axle points.

 

Congrats on putting that beauty back to work.

 

Paul

 

Thanks guys.  Had the tweezers out pulling out a few of those carpet remnants! I'll get pics up later today!

All back together... One question. I think the smoke unit is missing something.  What makes it puff???

 

Here's the cleaned up pic.

 

 

 

Here's the underside of the smoke unit.

 

 

There should be a piston like the one pictured below in that cup under the smoke chamber.

The rod rides in those grooves in the boiler casting right in front of the motor and is held in by the pilot/steamchest assembly.

 

That's missing!!!  Time to find one!!  Thanks!!

Tada!!  It was in the bottom of the box of stuff my buddy gave me.  Installed, added 2-3 drops of fluid, but still not puffing??  Smoking, but not puffing.

Make sure the cup is freely moving in the socket and not binding up.

I assume the Smoke Lever ties into the Drive Rod/Crosshead assembly.  Then the action of the train moves the lever up and down?

 

The lever rod appears to big in diameter to fit into the crosshead...

The crosshead should push the lever forward, and then gravity will drop it for the next run.  Be sure to place a drop of oil on each pivot point as you assemble.  You'll also want to make sure that any pill material has not solidified in the air vents beneath the smoke heating bowl.  The air should move through those hole freely.

 

Jon

The engine has to be moving for the smoke unit to puff.  Additionally the smoke piston is positively lifted up, but falls with gravity so the piston must be free to prevent binding.

 

Earl

When I replaced the wadding I checked the air vent and it was fine.  I guess I'm struggling with how the smoke lever attaches to the crosshead...

 

 

I got it!  The lever goes between the crosshead and the crosshead guide!  I was looking for a mechanical way to lift it up and down.  Time for the track!!