# Engines outside and freezing temperatures?



## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

I'm wondering if leaving engines outside overnite in freezing temperatures is of any concern? Seems to be so much plastic, nylon, and rubber in most engines, don't know whether it's wise to leave them out. Nice to power up and plow snow early! Its been below freezing here for several days, and I've brought mine inside.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

As long as they are well lubricated it shouldn't be a problem. If you are planning to run in the snow, you will have to leave them out for an hour or so before you put them on the track and run. It is necessary for the engines and cars to be cold. Otherwise the snow will melt on the wheels and then refreeze when they reach the outside temperature. This will then lock up all the wheels.

Chuck N 

PS When conditions are right. I bring out the Rotary.


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

I always leave mine in my back unheated porch. I've done this for many years now and never had a problem. The porch protects them from being burried in snow and ice so they are always ready to run when I get the urge. I plow snow a few times a winter with my Aristo snow plow. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/4663399942/
Bob


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

I've used my trains out in the snow for a while now. Like the others said, you need to let them cool off before running them to prevent ice build up. 

Personally, I've found the best results for plowing snow is to run the trains continually when the snow starts falling. Besides looking pretty, it is easier on the equipment. Now, that said, last year I tried to run in a heavy snowfall and ended up doing damage to one of the gears.


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I have stored my engines and rolling stock in an unheated shed/wooden cabinet outside for 5+ years in Delaware. Easily below freezing for weeks at a time. No side effects to outdoor storage that I am aware of. That represents 4 different brands of locomotives. 

Tom P


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I would worry about rubber and plastic aging from the temperature extremes. 

One thing I have seen is the plastic "insulator" between the axle and wheel on rolling stock crack, shrink, distort. 

In locos, some of the plastic parts can become brittle, but I would only worry mostly about the geartrains. 

Electronics seems ok, except where moisture can condense on the boards, but this can be mitigated by spraying with a conformal coating for this purpose, or maybe some silicon caulking. 

Use good lubricants that do not congeal, no 3 in 1 oil! 

Regards, Greg


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Electronics seems ok, except where moisture can condense on the boards, but this can be mitigated by spraying with a conformal coating for this purpose, or maybe some silicon caulking. 

Greg - 

I just did a quick search and now I'm confused. I got a list of about ten different types of conformal coatings: acrylic, strippers, thinner, water based, etc. What sort of said coating would be good for our purposes? Preferably in less than 50 gallon drums. 

JackM


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## Bret W Tesson (Jan 6, 2008)

Until (2) days ago, I would have agreed that the cold temperatures had no affect on the engines. However, I went to get an SD-45 out of my exterior shed and when I lifted it up, the forward truck fell off. The plastic that holds it to the engine had failed. This engine worked fine the last time on the tracks (maybe a year ago). It wasn't dropped and has just set on a shelf in temperatures ranging from 0 to 105. That's the only problem I've ever experienced, but that engine is "toast".


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

In theory, if you cooled your electric loco down far enough, it would - 

a. run forever on no power input at all due to the properties of super-conductivity, and 

b. levitate about half an inch above the track while doing. 

Cool, eh? 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Acrylic spray conformal coating is best. (thinner is to remove, thin... stripper is to remove. I don't like water based, but it's ok too) 

Basically a special spray coating that applies as an even thickness. Otherwise, ordinary paint would get thin on the corners/edges and not get good coverage. Comes in spray cans. 

Need to keep it as thin as possible so you don't get heat buildup. Stuff is made basically to protect circuit boards. 

Regards, Greg


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

One other caveat to consider for Gel-Cell, NiCad and NiMH (I'm not sure about Li-Ion) batteries is that their usable life is cut in half if the battery is subjected to sub-freezing temperatures. Likewise, it will also severely cut the battery's lifetime if the battery is subjected to 100º+ temps! By this, I mean that the life of the battery will be (on average) around 5 years. If the battery is kept regularly charged and discharged and re-charged again and the temps never go beyond a 30º variance, the life of the battery could be as long as 10-15 years (this was told to me by a battery manufacturer's rep.)


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## ORD23 (Jan 2, 2010)

Check out this melted 4-6-0 for sale on ebay (200551983725). I never thought an engine could melt like this from the sun! 

Ed


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Here in the northeast, the cold makes the glue in Aristocraft products unstable. 
I had a new caboose in a box fall apart when opened after keeping it in an unheated unattached garage. (temperatures below zero F.) 

LGB and USA, and bachman cars, no problem. I have several of each that have never been inside.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

All my locos are stored in my garage with no heat. Temps very during the year and have not experienced any problems now in over 10 years. I would only be concerend with protecting the circuit boards if subject to water such as rain. The only electrical parts I've protected is the slide switches on the locos as they are at times prone to lock up with humidity. I use CRC 2-26 for the switches..

Bret for your SD 45 you can order replacement part from Aristo to fix the truck . Later RJD


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I bring in the batteries, leave the locomotives and trains out in the shed. Been doing it for years with no problems.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Jerry, what brands of electronics are left outside? 

Ever had problems with speakers rotting? 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg even with the locos stored in the cold in the garage no problems with speakers.. Just don't let them get rained on that's a different story. Later RJD


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

In addition to my locomotives sitting in a cold unheated porch all winter, my DCC system (Digitrax) sits out there also. The lows are often in the single digets in the winter and someitmes below zero. The only problem I've had has been with one DT400R throttle that quit working on radio and had to be sent in to digitrax for repair. But that was after a few years of being out in the cold. It's back out there this year and still working so far. Our lowest temp this fall has been in the mid teens so we'll see what happens when it gets really cold again.
Bob in Kalamazoo, Michigan.


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## Chata86 (Dec 5, 2010)

Is 3 in 1 oil bad? I thought I saw someone touting it recently for G scale trains.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I believe you could still find an extensive thread on it. 

It used to have some fish oil in it a long time ago... organic and did not attack plastic, but congealed and went rancid. 

Now it is a mineral based oil but not plastic safe....

When you ask this kind of question, for your own benefit, try googling "3 in 1 oil plastic safe" and you will get a lot of info...

Read about the 4th post down here from "Tom the Brat" (obviously Torby a.k.a Tom Ruby, a frequent contributor)

*http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/t...tID=867372* 


You will find people who have never had a problem, and you will find people who have.... It's your train to risk... for the small amount of oil and cost, use a known plastic safe lube.

Regards, Greg


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