Dapol Terrier

austinbob · January 31, 2017, 08:27:18 PM

Thanks for that. I screwed up the quartering on mine while clearing the wheels.

Did you get the right quartering by trial and error or did you have some way of setting it accurately. E.g a jig.

EtchedPixels · January 31, 2017, 08:35:33 PM

I've got several and they are lovely little models, but don't bother running them on Peco insulfrog pointwork because the wheelbase isn't much bigger than the giant plastic blob. Fine on anything else.

No trouble with slow running given a good controller or DCC. The motors are tiny though so I'd be cautious about using any kind of pulse or feedback controller not intended for tiny motors.

I've also abused them quite successfully. They make a good chassis for lots of little 0-6-0's, and they fit inside even tiny tenders.

Alan

silly moo · January 31, 2017, 08:41:12 PM

I touched the loco briefly onto the track with the power on until I got all the wheels on one side to 12 o'clock and then adjusted the wheels on the other side to 3 o'clock. In my case there was only one wheel on one side out of alignment, if there are more and on both sides it will be quite tricky.

If the wheels are very loose on the axles you might have to resort to super glue or loctite to hold them in the correct position.

If all else fails you might have to send it to Dr. Al.

Good luck.

austinbob · January 31, 2017, 08:43:57 PM

Quote from: silly moo on January 31, 2017, 08:41:12 PM
I touched the loco briefly onto the track with the power on until I got all the wheels on one side to 12 o'clock and then adjusted the wheels on the other side to 3 o'clock. In my case there was only one wheel on one side out of alignment, if there are more and on both sides it will be quite tricky.

If the wheels are very loose on the axles you might have to resort to super glue or loctite to hold them in the correct position.

If all else fails you might have to send it to Dr. Al.

Good luck.

Thanks so much. I'll give that a try.

EtchedPixels · January 31, 2017, 10:25:09 PM

your intuition is bang on

silly moo · February 01, 2017, 03:04:20 AM

If you have a brand new loco on the way and find that it is unsatisfactory send it straight back for replacement. Dapol locos have a two year guarantee.

I live overseas in a country with a dreadful postal service so I have to take pot luck.

The advice about careful wheel cleaning and general handling still applies though.

I've done a recount and I actually have five Terriers, so I only had one dodgy one and had I been in the UK it would have been returned.

austinbob · February 01, 2017, 08:21:38 AM

Quote from: EtchedPixels on January 31, 2017, 10:25:09 PM
your intuition is bang on

As EtchedPixels said bang on... One of mine runs like a demented Kangaroo but, with the help of Silly Moo's advice, I'm gonna have a crack at fixing the quartering.

jthjth · February 03, 2017, 02:18:37 PM

I use a Kato Unitrack starter set (Kato V5 20-864 Variation Oval Set) to test my locos, before they go on my main layout. The advantage is that it is a fairly robust track system that can stand being set up and torn down multiple times. As it also has its own base, it gives a much firmer track for use on the bench, with much less risk of twists, lumps and bumps etc. The last thing you want when testing a new loco is not to know for certain if the fault lies with the loco or the track. Costs around £27.