SUGGESTION: KATO N PA-1 / PB-1 Anti Dust crank cases!

[vadimav]

SUGGESTION: KATO N PA-1 / PB-1.Anti Dust crank cases! PROBLEM:  I have a lot of dust collecting by gear inside powered trucks via holed crank cases! 100 micron film and 50 micron Scotch cutted by plotter is a solution!

I use DCC, which is quite sensible than DC for problems in electrical contacts. (especially for sound locos and shunting work with loco uncouplers)  So, I springed each wheel and doubled contacts  in aim to guarantee electrical contact with rail for all possible track  distorsions without applicable noise when decoder reading DCC.

 Axle backlashes are not restricted  by this film. 

This Idea can be expanded to other locos having holed crank cases. 

 

What do You think about it?

 

[vadimav]

[kvp]

57 minutes ago, vadimav said:

What do You think about it?

I think it's a question of tradeoffs between ease of maintenance with the exposed gears and increased time between maintenances with the gear protection added.

 

Personally i think that since dust is bad, not just for the gears but the exposed pickups and other parts (or even for the scenery), keeping the layout room dust free is one method and removing the dust from the tracks before each running session is another. Both make dustproofing the locomotives unnecessary, but require more of work elsewhere. For running at exhbitions and on various other dirtier layouts, dustproofing is a good strategy.

[vadimav]

This  gear protection does not prevent  gear opening. 

When living in the same room together with  layout, it's difficult to reach  antidust conditions.

On the contraey, extremely often track cleanig can become annoying!

 

So , this is a solution above! 

 

 

[cteno4]

I’ve often wondered about the open gears. A few trains like bad that have had more than usual dust and schmutz buildup I’ve tried using tape to seal the bottom of the truck. I’ve not had conclusive results as my train running is sportatic on which trains I run where, but seemed like a prudent idea. Simple enought to remove for maintenance and does look like one of the most open dust entry points.

 

its tough to get dust free but a decent air purifier in the train room does help a lot to try to keep dust down. Dusting the layout now and then as well. Most of the surfaces on layouts are such that they are dust magnets over other common household surfaces. 

 

Jeff

[Lina_Blue]

Dust covers would be an idea.

 

I think a bit of all measuers could keep problems at bay. A air purifier, gear mask and track cleaning.

 

As I have a floor layout, dust, schmutz, grime and hair will get on the track. Fast. Very fast. I always clean track prior to a run with a handheld vacuum and a track cleaning train with a vacuum and cleaning car. This way I elimante a big chung uf fluff and stuff.

[vadimav]

I use automatic train, but not so often :

 

 

[AllScales]

Latest Kato Ge 4/4 II has a dust cover over the wheels too.