Track Pins and ac/dc motors

[Javelina]

Hi to all,

I'm an HO guy primarily, but lately I've been rediscovering the thrill of my old O-27 stuff. I'd like to do a small switching layout for kicks. Got a couple questions for the group here, first, how do you remove the track pins from one end of a section (of curve of course) so you can "reverse" a curve. Some schematics I'm imagining have reverse curves and the fixed direction of my O-27 track prevents this. I could obviously just muscle them out but if there's a clever trick I'd like to know it.

Second question pertains to motor control. Please correct me if I'm wrong but it appears that the motor in my Lionel 520 Boxcab switcher is what I would call a "universal" motor and should run on ac or dc. Am I correct? If that is the case, could the motor be set up for dc reversing (without an E unit) by running the field coil on a bridge rectifier so it's polarity would remain constant and allowing the armature windings to be reversed by the dc voltage?

Happy railroading

Lou

[lionelsoni]

Stick a flat-bladed screwdriver up into the rail web under the pin and rotate it to spread the web while pushing down on the end of the pin.  At some point, the pin will come loose from the rail head, and you can easily pull it out.  You can push the rail web back together with long-nosed pliers; but there are special pliers made for that.  I use a pair of tongs that my father bought in 1952 when we lived in Japan that just happen to fit an O27 rail perfectly.  To install a Lionel pin in the other end of the rail, put it in halfway, then pinch the railhead with the tip of small long-nosed pliers just over the neck in the pin.  (Marx pins have only a tiny neck that you probably won't be able to locate.  I suggest replacing them with Lionel pins.)

Yes, the AC to DC conversion that you describe will work fine.  You may find it easier to put the bridge on the armature instead of the field, since one end of the field winding is usually grounded to the motor frame.  The principle is the same.

[Javelina]

Bob,

Perfect, thank you so much. I didn't want to damage the track, as most of it dates to my childhood. My dad got me this stuff when I was a wee lad. Also, thanks for the heads up on the field/armature deal.

Lou  

[sir james I]

Just 1 tidbit. If your track is old Lionel 027 the pins are solid.

After 1970 the 027 pins are just formed metal and hollow. Too much squeeze and you will crush them. This later 027 track has brown ties.

[ADCX Rob]

sir james I

After 1970 the 027 pins are just formed metal and hollow. Too much squeeze and you will crush them. This later 027 track has brown ties.

The hollow rolled pins were very short-lived and were mostly on the track with lithographed woodgrain ties from 1970-1972 or thereabouts.

[Javelina]

Most of my track is old school solid pin, but I've got some K-line I picked up years ago. I'll check the pins and if they're hollow I'll replace them with the solid ones. Thanks for the heads up on the pins fellas.

Lou

[rtraincollector]

another way to remove the pins is tap them lightly into the track about 1/8" then take a pair of plyers and pull real quick and they normally come right out.