Ride on Railways Hercules Loco User manual

Page 1
HERCULES LOCO
Battery Electric Locomotive
for
5” Gauge
INSTRUCTIONS

Page 2
INDEX
Page 3 –Before you start –Manual Handling
Page 4 –Operation
Page 5 –Care and Maintenance
Page 6 –Risk Summary
Page 7 –Fault Finding
Page 8 –Control Wiring Diagram
Page 9- iDrive & Regenerative Braking
Page 10 –Trucharge Fault Chart
Forward
Thank you for purchasing a Hercules locomotive.
I have written these notes so hopefully you will have safe and trouble free running.
Suggestions like “make sure the nuts are on the bogies before lifting the chassis” is not just waffle.
I know from experience because if they aren’t on and you lift the chassis the bogies drop off and
on to your foot (which is why I wear toe cap boots). Now you know I hope you won’t make that
mistake.
If you are unsure of any advice given in this leaflet please get in touch with Ride on Railways.
Similarly if you feel we have left anything out then please let us know.
Happy running
Paul Middleton
[e-mail]
Tel [phone]

Page 3
The warnings, cautions and instructions discussed in this instruction manual cannot cover all possible conditions and
situations that may occur. It must be understood by the operator that COMMON SENSE AND CAUTION ARE
FACTORS WHICH CANNOT BE BUILT INTO THIS PRODUCT, BUT MUST BE SUPPLIED BY THE OPERATOR.
PLEASE REMEMBER:
THIS LOCO IS DESIGNED TO BE TAKEN TO PIECES TO MOVE. ENSURE THE NUTS ARE
FITTED TO THE BOGIES IF LIFTING IN ONE PIECE.
Try to avoid lifting. If there is no alternative please lift the engine in component parts. Do not
lift with batteries fitted.
The chassis with bogies fitted is a two person lift. At 35kg lifting the chassis incorrectly may
result in injury.
Lift the chassis by the buffer shanks or by the buffer beam ends and deck. Do not lift by
the buffer heads. PLAN YOUR LIFT.
Do not roll the engine on concrete or other hard surfaces. Damage to the flanges can
severely affect the performance and may damage track.
Always buy batteries with lifting handles. Type 063 round post terminals are
recommended.
A “Traveller Hercules” has been designed to help with handling issues by allowing the
engine to be broken down in to packages weighing less than 12kg.
Before Use please check –
The battery leads should be tied to the chassis so the batteries can only be connected in
the correct way.
Use quick release connectors to avoid tools shorting out while connecting leads.
Ensure the battery isolator is switched off before connecting batteries.
The deadmans button on the controller clicks when pressed and again when released.
Check for damaged cables –battery and control wires.
The chassis is a heavy item so a good
lifting and manual handling technique is
essential. If you are unsure The Health and
Safety Executive produce good clear advice
which is available for free from their
website.

Page 4
OPERATION
1. Plug in hand controller and turned control knob to off (fully
anticlockwise).
2. Turn the battery isolator switch key clockwise to turn the power on.
3. Flip the top toggle switch on (below the battery isolator). This is the
ignition switch.
4. The Truecharge Meter should flash as it checks the system before
displaying the battery condition.
5. The engine has been fitted with a speed governor (lower toggle switch)
which restricts the loco to 50% power/top speed. It is recommended
that you leave the governor on until you are familiar with the
performance of the engine.
6. To drive, click in the deadmans button and slowly turn the control knob clockwise. The faster
you turn it down the harder the regenerative braking will be applied. There is no coast setting
just keep the power applied.
7. Avoid driving by clicking the deadmans on and off (favourite with small children).
8. If in doubt let go of the deadmans button.
9. If towing the loco please ensure the power is turned off by the battery isolator switch and do
not tow faster than 5mph.
TO AVOID RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY AND EQUIPMENT DAMAGE:
oDo not speed. These locos are capable of speeds of over 10mph. Serious injury can occur
from inappropriate speeding.
oEnsure any coupling pin passes through the coupling by at least ¾” - 1” (18 – 25mm). If
coupling to rolling stock with an excessively different height coupling use a pin which has a
system in place to stop it being lifted out. An “R” clip or a bolt with a nyloc nut are two
methods.
oRegenerative braking is very effective but does not work when the engine is stationary or on
wet/greasy track. It cannot replace the need for train brakes especially if you intend to pull
large loads.
oDrivers should be familiar with the locomotive and its performance before carrying
passengers. Drivers should be judged by their skill and ability rather than age. Insurance and
club policies will have their own criteria which should be followed.
oDO NOT disable the deadmans switch without first finding a safe alternative. A run away
uncontrolled engine is incredibly dangerous. Just imagine if the engine comes uncoupled.
How would you stop the train?

Page 5
Care and Maintenance
For your own safety, checks and maintenance should be performed regularly.
Bodywork –
The body work should require little or no maintenance.
In line with traditional practice a wipe over with an oily rag should keep the body in a
presentable condition.
Any chips in the paint work should be sealed with a suitable acrylic paint.
Do not use solvents to clean as it may damage the paint.
Chassis –
Regularly wipe the exposed paint work of the top deck with an oily cloth or wax
furniture polish. Not only will this help protect the paint it will help stop the rubber
body trim sticking to the deck.
If you have metal buttons or belt buckle take care not to scratch the chassis when
lifting.
Every 5-10 uses –
lightly oil the delrin gears on the bogies using a light thin oil. In dusty conditions
increase the frequency of oiling
If cranked version oil the axles between the cranks and the axle box. Also oil the
cranks.
Check battery leads and control leads for mechanical damage
Check all bolts are all in place.
Meshing of the gears. The metal spur gear should be able to move very slightly
without moving the delrin gear. A thin piece of paper wound between the gears
should see the gears lock together. Adjust the meshing if the gears are too loose.
Every 20-30 Outings or yearly
Grease the rubbing plates between the bogies and chassis. This requires taking the
bogie bolts off and lifting the chassis to allow access underneath
All electrical connections for tightness. Tighten where necessary.
Using an 8mm spanner check the tightness of the motor mount bolts. The top bolt
may require the bogies to be dropped.
Oil the iolite bushes on the motor mounts
Transportation
Transportation is often overlooked and yet has potentially the highest risk to users.
1. The locomotive should always be secured in transit. In many countries it is a legal
requirement. Ideally all heavy objects should be separated from passenger –i.e.
behind the steel bulkhead of the rear seats.
2. Wet cell batteries should be tied down to avoid acid spillage. Any wet on the
batteries should be wiped with a disposable cloth. If it comes in to contact with skin
or clothing wash immediately with plenty of clean water.
3. Avoid reaching in to cars with heavy loads. Try to roll or slide heavy weights to make
a better lifting position.

Page 6
TOP RISKS - Recap
1. Lifting
–Avoid lifting –use ramps, lift tables etc.
–Plan the lift –start to finish –avoid obstacles, awkward turns, bending etc.
–Reduce component sizes/weight, remove batteries as a minimum.
–Use two people to share the lift weight
2. Impact
–Drive at appropriate speed
–Know your own and others driving ability
–Train brakes for larger loads 1 or 20 passengers can mean a 20m difference in stopping
distance.
–Always drive with an emergency stop option –“deadmans switch” (+ train brakes if available).
3. Electrical
–Make sure batteries can only be connected the right way round.
–Wash any wet liquid from batteries with plenty of water. Acid burns are painful but don’t appear
immediately. If in doubt wash.
–Keep metal tools away from battery terminals.
–Do not make electric connections to the control side of the controller unless you are competent
and fully aware of how this may affect the loco performance. This has resulted in runaway
locomotives in at least two locomotives.

Page 7
FAULT FINDING
Symptom
Possible Causes
No Power –no lights
on True Charge
oCheck batteries are charged
oCheck battery connection + battery key switch and ignition toggle switch are both on
oCheck all the battery leads, controller connections + handset wiring plugs
True Charge meter
lights up but no power
to motors
oMake sure deadmans switch is applied
oCheck wire connections in handset, plug, socket and plug on iDrive –see wiring
diagram
TrueCharge meter just
flashes
oSee fault code chart. Switch off by ignition switch for 30 seconds before switching on
oIf possible, rectify fault shown on chart
TrueCharge doesn’t
show green lights
oThe TrueCharge Meter reads the voltage from the batteries. Some batteries can give a
slightly lower voltage and yet still provide the capacity required.
Engine seems to be
losing power
oGears are pinned on the motors so unlikely to be slipping but could be a motor slipping
out of mesh. Check and reset meshing
oCheck to see if Truecharge Meter drops when power applied if yes - failing batteries
oGrease on track. This will affect acceleration and regenerative braking. This is more
common than you may think. Clean track and wheels to cure.
Strange whirring
sounds coming from
under loco
oSTOP IMMEDIATELY. Check for meshed gears and trapped debris
oOil all oilite bearings and Delrin boxes on cranked locos
Acceleration and
deceleration is “lumpy”
oThis could be a symptom of a faulty or failing potentiometer in the handset. Replace the
5k linear potentiometer if in doubt.
oGrease on the track –clean track
Electrical smell coming
from the engine
oSwitch off the power immediately by the battery isolator switch.
oInvestigate using smell and touch for hot wires and components. Report back to RoR
oThe controller is rated for 120amp continuous running. Do not over load the loco as it
can result in damaging the motor wires and overheating of the motors. If in doubt check
motor temperature regularly by reaching under the loco and feeling the motors.

Page 8
Control Wiring Diagram
Our standard wiring looms use coloured wire to help identify their purpose. The pins in the metal 8
pin plugs and sockets are identified with very small numbers.
If you do open either the plug or socket please ensure there is insulating material between the pins
and the outer casing.
On later models the deadmans switch is on the yellow control wire. This was done as to avoid
potential issues with sound systems that need to tap in to the potentiometer wires.
We would not recommend using sound systems that tap in to the control wires unless you can
guarantee there will be no interference with the function of the iDrive unit. Stray voltage from
sound systems have been known to cause controllers to power up or lock in full speed.
If you need to synchronise sound it is best to find a system that monitors power to the motors.

Page 9
iDrive Unit (motor control unit)
We have various options of programming with the iDrive.
Auxiliary socket 1 is programmed to supply 24v dc (3 amp protected) when the engine is put in
reverse) as standard. On request we can supply Aux 1 for use with an electronic brake with slight
delay to avoid roll back when setting off. Call if you would like custom programming.
The idrive unit has been programmed by Ride on Railways. The unit is factory sealed and contains
no user serviceable parts. Do not open the unit as it will invalidate the manufacturer guarantee and
may affect how the company deals with a repair.
The Truecharge Meter not only acts as a basic battery condition meter but a fault reporter. If the
unit flashes up a code please use the chart below to identify the fault. If the unit is flashing and the
engine does not power up, take note of the fault before switching off the ignition switch. If the unit
fails to reset please contact Ride on Railways.
Do not worry if you do not get all the green lights lit up on the meter. It meter is only a basic guide
to battery condition and works on the assumption that when batteries are running low the voltage
drops. Some batteries can give out a slightly lower voltage yet still have good capacity.
If in doubt check batteries with a load bank tester.
Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking is when the motors are used to generate electricity which is then put back in
to the batteries. For short light weight trains the power saving advantage is minimal but having a
loco which will bring a loaded train to a halt is a great advantage.
The braking is so effective that on hard braking you may even get wheel slippage on the engine.
Braking is progressive –
“the faster you shut the controller down the harder the braking will be”
The controller also has an emergency stop feature which means at full shut down the controller
will put power to the motors to achieve maximum braking. Try to avoid unless necessary.

Page 10
Truecharge Meter Readings
If the lights are lighting up and down in sequence it means the controller has been switched on with control knob left
with power on (safety lock out to avoid runaways). Return control knob to zero for the controller to unlock.
P Middleton January 2013