Help on repair of a Lionel 1666 engine

[Anonymous]

Finally had my old train set from 1956 returned to me after 30 years!
Included with set was a Lionel 1666 engine which someone had given to my father. The lights work but the wheels do not turn - there does not seem to be any "hum" from the motor to indicate that it is working.
.
The engine also needs the rear set of small wheels - the axel and wheels are missing
also the coupler to the tender is broken and needs replacement

Any ideas on where i should begin -
also any sources for parts would be appreciated.
thanks

[Big_Boy_4005]

Light but no hum could be as simple as E-unit in neutral. Have you tried flipping the little lever on top of the engine? If that doesn't make it move then the problem is on the inside, and you may just want to find your nearest service station. They will be able to fix it as well as get you all of the parts you need.

[lionelsoni]

A pre-war locomotive might have been made either with or without a reversing unit, or E-unit, which gets its name from the letter E put after the model number. Lionel made both 1666's and 1666E's. As time went on, it became more common to omit the E; and I don't know for a fact that any 1666's lacked an E-unit. Unless someone else can say for sure, it could be that your locomotive doesn't have one.

It is also possible that yours is a "Magic Electrol" locomotive made in the last years before the war, in which case it reverses using the relay that would normally blow the whistle, not by interrupting the power to the track. Try the whistle control and see if anything happens.

Of course, if it is a post-war 1666, it should have a normal E-unit. A simple way to tell the difference is to look at the rear coupler on the tender, which should be a Janney (knuckle) coupler, shaped sort of like a fist for post-war, or a weird latch sort of thing for pre-war. Two problems with this are that the coupler may have been replaced and that the tender coupler that you say is damaged may be the rear one.

[Anonymous]

thanks for the info lionelsoni and Big_Boy - I will give both suggestions a try

[Anonymous]

I moved the lever on the top of the locomotive but still no movement.
actually there is a slight hum from the engine.
and light goes on

i imagine its time for the repair shop --

thanks for your replies