The photo is of the SD45.  When I took it apart I was interested to note that segments of the wiring had been replaced... you can see the black heat-shrink in the photo on the orange and light-blue wires.  Same on the truck-power wires.   The SD9 had no replaced segments.

In our exchanges, and in response to my question, the repair tech wrote me that they had "some" units returned for repair with this issue.   

~~~

Andy,

On the unit you were using at Harrowsmith I previously had repaired short segments of the power wires.  The one SD9 unit was balky from the get-go and I replaced the burned sections.   At that time I did not have the courage/incentive to take the unit apart to replace the whole length of the wire right down to inside the trucks.

If anyone else runs into this "burned wires" issue, I recommend replacing the entire length of all the truck-power wires.

                Jim

Andy asked:

"Not sure if you stated the manufacturer of these. Was it Athearn?"

You are right, I should be explicit.  There is a label on the microprocessor in the photo above.  No, the burned-up SD9/45 are Walthers.

~~~

There are 85 units active on the C&NE.

As you know, I have had good success with Bowser C630, C636 and C430 (14 units).  Those are heavy-duty (model) units which are able to take the loadings of the grades and the length of the sessions. 

Most of the other units are Atlas (~60 units), with which I have have zero issues.   There are some Intermountains which also are very smooth running.

I have one Bachman GP7, which I bought last summer for B&M trains out of StJ.  Relatively light service.  It has an Economai decoder, which seems solid, to the point that I bought one which got put in a re-motored (Sagami) Athearn GP38.

There are only three other Athearn's actually on the railroad - a SD70 which sees no service, a Genesis GP38 (B&M) and a new GP7 (MeC).  You may remember that I was using the GP38 as the BDN yard switcher for the first operating day of the October Weekend, but I had to swap it out as it was getting "wonky".  Turned out to be overheating of the decoder, which was turning itself off.  I replaced it with one of the Bowser C430, which ran fine in that service for Friday and Saturday.  

                 Jim

On a positive note, a comment about the Athearn GP-38.  It was a commemorative MEC unit that I picked up at the station in North Conway, NH.  Standard "old-fashioned" mechanism, but one difference.  The bronze axle bearings were overly long, filling the entire "space" between the gear shaft and the wheel.  There was no way for the bearing to "drop" out of those stamped metal truck bearing holders.

So, what the heck, let's see (and I could always use the body on another more modern mechanism).

The unit has "2011" painted on the bottom of the fuel tank.

I have looked, but have not found these elongated bearings anywhere else.   Has anyone else?

~~~

As above, I replaced the motor with a Sagami. And used one of those new? "sugar-cube" speakers.  I have 5 of those speakers in service; and will use more of them.  Sound is good and with sufficient volume.

               Jim

Andy,

The GP-38 model was brand-new in its original box.  As above, when I got it home and opened the box, it had "2011" on the bottom of the fuel-tank. ... which I assumed was the "build date".   And seeing the larger/longer bearings I figured that these were modern improvement on the old standard Athearn mechanism.

However, at the "local" hobby shop (Credit Valley), the current Athearn still have the old shorter bearings.   Thus my question.

                   Jim