Please don't hold back with your comments

I have attached a photograph of my LGB locomotive. It has the DCC module just exiting the cab. (It is here because I needed to tidy the locomotive up and started by removing the Velcro that was holding it in).
What information can you tell me please about this particular locomotive model. There is a number on the base, 2020, does this mean anything, please?
Further comments would be appreciated.
Many thanks
 
OK Sarah, that's a very helpful pic..... Your Stainz is quite an old one, but not a real veteran! It looks in very nice condition, everything seems to be there and unbroken (the first things to go on heavily used/abused ones are normally the gold whistle on the cab roof, bits of the boiler pipework, and the buffers - all look to be present and correct on yours).
It has the old type metal motion, connecting rods and valvegear - the more modern versions have all this replaced with much bulkier grey plastic rods.

I would think it was probably made anytime from the late 1970s to the 1980s, but Sparky is the real Stainz Guru on here, he has well over 50 of the little things dating back to the very first ones of nearly 50 years ago, so I hope he may pop into the discussion and be able to give you a more accurate date range for your loco.....

Jon.
 
One more question, the answer to which may help narrow down the age of your loco..... looking at the front of the loco, on the red buffer beam, above the buffer and below the smokebox - is there any small white lettering or numbers?

Jon.
 
Hello Jon.

Yes. Leizte No 22.6.64

There is some damage to the boiler hand rails (it is noticeable on the photograph) though nothing that detracts from it's condition.

The pick-up skids are well worn. I hope I can test the locomotive shortly.

I have another question please? Is there pick-ups on the wheels or only from the skids and are the locomotives prone to stalling on dead frog points?

Sarah
 
OK, the presence of the white lettering helps a lot with the dating - it means the loco was built after 1983.... (at least according to my copy of Greenberg's Guide).
There are pickups on all four wheels (sprung carbon "bullets" that rub on the back face of each wheel) plus the two skates. Almost all G-scale points are dead frog (the exceptions being some very expensive and hand-made brands) and while the short 4-wheel locos can occasionally stutter over them at low speeds, generally they will be OK.
You can change the skates quite easily if they are very worn, but be careful when buying replacement ones - your loco may well have one of the older design "clamshell" gearboxes rather than the newer "sandwich" type, and they each use a slightly different design of skate - the new type will not fit an older gearbox, so if it is a clamshell mechanism then you will have to find some "new-old-stock" skates.
The simple way to tell is to look at the loco underneath - if the bottom of the gearbox and motor unit has a seam line running fore-and-aft down the middle of the unit, then it is an old-style "clamshell", so called because the gearbox splits vertically into two halves. The later "sandwich" boxes have a one-piece bottom plate with no seam down the middle.
I can't recall what the year was when LGB changed from the clamshell to the sandwich design, maybe someone else can help on that?

Jon.
 
Jon,

Completely agree with you there. It is a clamshell, as the screw holding the skates and the central ribs on them are visible too.

This a very late clamshell mech as you say 1983 plus? I am guessing the change was after soon 1985. My 1988 Anniversary has one, but my 1988 2030 doesn't.

I need to look this up, but my guess is that the Stainz went over to the modern type chassis when the plastic rods arrived? That said my 2095 with plastic rods has clamshell chassis, so I am probably wrong on that.....

Other dating features worth noting - The wheels have metal tyres on plastic centres and there are lifting lugs on the cab roof. Also the reversible type couplings. These all make it distinct from my late 76 early 77 type Stainz.

I wonder if it has a PCB? The fact that the chip is hanging out the cab with all those wires, makes me think that it may not.

James
 
Further to your helpful replies. I have taken another photograph of the underside of the locomotive which hopefully is attached.
The black/brown oblong looks like a flexible magnetic. Could you suggest what this is please?
Regarding James's post, how can I tell if it has a PCB please? What is this and what part does it pay in the locomotives operation ?
I am capable of dismantling the engine but would welcome help by way of a description in case bits start flying about!
Many thanks,
 
Picture below. I haven't understood how to attach a photograph to a post.
 

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Those pics are very useful, Sarah! Yes, it's on old-type clamshell mechanism, as shown by the split line down the middle of the underside. The large oblong is, as you thought, a magnet - it it stuck on there to trigger certain things that can be installed as track contacts, where a reed switch operates when the magnet-equipped loco runs over it. They are commonly used to operate signals, point motors and the like on analogue (DC) layouts.

The mention of a PCB - Printed Circuit Board - in this context just means if the loco has a board of electronics inside it, usually in the boiler in the case of a Stainz, which carries things like the diodes (and sometimes a voltage regulator) for the directional lighting and also the plug connections for motor, power, smoke (if fitted), lights etc. I strongly suspect that given the age of the loco, it won't actually have a circuit board - just a very basic wiring loom to connect the lights to the track power.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, if you want new skates (which wouldn't be a bad idea, those ARE rather well-worn as you'd already said!) then you will have to make sure that they are the old type, not the current production ones which will not fit.

The previous owner, or whoever installed the DCC decoder, will have had to do some re-wiring of the motor block in order to make the old clamshell gearbox DCC-compatible, as "DCC-ready" gearboxes didn't come in till the late 1990s.

Taking a Stainz apart is not difficult, once you know what you are doing! There are a few little traps for the inexperienced, but lots of folks on here have done them and between us we can probably talk you through it when you're ready to try. For the moment, I would definitely suggest just testing the loco with power to the skates before you go any further. Also, have a careful look at both sides of the Decoder circuit board, do any of the components look discoloured or melted? Does the board have any lingering smell of burnt components? I strongly suspect that if it runs one way and not the other, then the decoder's driving stage is damaged as an earlier poster suggested.

Jon.
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Regarding James's post, how can I tell if it has a PCB please? What is this and what part does it pay in the locomotives operation ?
I am capable of dismantling the engine but would welcome help by way of a description in case bits start flying about!
Many thanks,
Click to expand...

Sarah,

Apologies for slipping into jargon there....Jon has explained what I should have said. He has also hinted that the loco has at some stage been dismantled right down to almost the last nut and bolt to wire in the DCC chip.

This is because DCC locos need to have the pick ups and motor connections seperated, but the clamshell mechanisms were built with brass connector bars inside to take the power from the track via the shoes and the carbon bullets (rubbing on the backs of the wheels) straight to the motor.

The only way to make this older motor DCC compatible is to dismantle the chassis, open up the clamshell, to insert insulation in two places and alternative wiring from the pick ups and to the motor.

If you need to take it apart, I hope that this link will help you: http://www.onlytrains.com/manuals/2020-1.pdf
This appear sto be correct for a loco of the age shown in your images, although a few bits my differ slightly. I note that there is no printed circuit board!

And if you are going to replace the shoes, which do look rather beyond thier 'best before' - This is the part you need; Available from all good LGB stockists: http://www.gardenrailways.co.uk/pick-up-shoes-lgb-63210.html

If the loco is being stripped down then you might as well replace these too: http://www.gardenrailways.co.uk/lgb63110.html
As doing it later means removing all the motion and the wheels! Again all stockists should have these.

James
 
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Sarah
I can only suggest you take a set of wire cutters and get rid of that
DCC chip. acquire 8ft of track and enjoy with your analogue controller.
Personally I use radio control and live steam ,but I keep some old
LGB that I use with an analogue controller and enjoy seeing going
around my layout

Later Ron.
 
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