If, like me, you have old Hornby or Graham Farish locomotives on your railway you may notice they lack a bit of oomph. Here’s how I give mine a power-up.
Most often a poorly performing model train is a sign it needs a service and clean but if your locos run fine but just lacks power, say to climb an incline or pull the number of wagons and coaches you want, there’s another option you can try.
Upgrading a model train
No, I’m not* talking about adding DCC to a DC loco. This tip is about upgrading the ‘permanent’ magnets of the motor itself.
At the heart of the electric motor inside your locos is a magnet and replacing it with a new more powerful one can revitalise your engines
Doing so is relatively straightforward and really no more complex than the procedure discussed in my last post on model train servicing.
New Magnets
I use Neodymium magnets when upgrading my Locomotives. Neodymium is a relatively new type of magnet and many times stronger than traditional types. Magnets of this sort of the size and shape needed are available on eBay (for Hornby).
Examine the locomotive a locate the screws fixing the bodyshell to the chassis. Usually, these are the large screws on the underside of the unit although on some Hornby units you might also find one in the funnel.
Remove these screws and gently lift the shell off.
Watch for tabs and clips, these can break easily. It’s just a case of identifying them and sliding the frame out and away from the upper body shell.
With the top removed you’ll now see the the motor and axle assembly. (For an excellent guide on how brushed DC motors work I recommend this guide from PCB Heaven).
Locate the magnet which is the recessed rectangular slab on the top in the photo to the left of an N gauge locomotive I was upgrading. On other models it maybe a cube towards the rear.
> Tip: While you’ve got the locomotive open, it would be good to give the axles and cogs a clean and oiling. It’s also worth noting that Neodymium magnets are very strong so it’s worth moving anything they might attract well out of reach.
Prise this free with a small screwdriver and drop in the replacement magnet, ensuring you have it same way around for polarity.
Reassemble the loco back together and give it spin.
The improvement will depend on the state of the magnet you removed. Sometimes the difference is negligible but on one loco I fitted the new magnet too the pulling power increased significantly as did the smoothness of movement.
I’d love to hear how you get on and the difference new magnets made to your trains. If you just want to service your locomotives, see my guide on the best oils and lubricants to use
Footnote: Usual disclaimer applies, this post is for information only and I take no responsibility for any damage or loss caused in relation to the contents of, or use of, or otherwise in connection with this article.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.
Hi Andy; working on an old Hornby class 20 bo-bo, converted from 3 to 2-rail which now runs really well on its back + the rolling road but weakly stops/starts on the track. Have tried all the obvious things with clean/lube/wheels/track/etc without improvement and now wondering about the magnet. But how do I know if it needs remagnetising? A screwdriver/knife blade stick firmly to the magnet & take some pulling off so am I right to assume it’s powerful enough?
HI Trevor, that’s an odd one. If it works on the rolling road, that says the loco is okay so it’s more likely a track issue. Have you got any other trains you can test the track with? Cheers, Andy
Hi Where can I purchase these magnets you talk about in your article?
Hi, click on the the link in the article (in the paragraph New Magnets). Andy
I have just been given 45 Hornby oo trains that were purchased about 1980.As far as I can ascertain these trains have been hardly used and they all come in new looking original boxes.I purchased as all Hornby set so that I could test the trains on it.To date I have tested only a few and what I have found generally is that the trains are working in most cases but some are slowly and jerky .I am comparing the trains to the new one tha came in the set that I purchased.
Can you tell me the best way I can go about ensuring these trains are returned to their original working condition.
Thanks for any advise
Hi Iain, I’d start with cleaning the wheels and oiling the gears, both fairly easy to do.
These two posts http://modelrailwayengineer.com/model-trains-7-tips-to-make-your-model-train-run-smoothly/ and http://modelrailwayengineer.com/model-train-maintenance-wheel-cleaning/ should help.
Let me know how you get on.
Andy
re: “No, I’m talking about adding DCC to a DC loco”.
Did you mean “I’m NOT talking about” ?
Keith, thanks for picking up on the typo! Now corrected.