I sent this question into Classic Toy Trains and it is answered in the Feb. 2015 issue. However, I am asking again in this forum to see if anyone has any further thoughts. The pictures show a Lionel 231 I bought last spring. It seems to be correct, with the exception that the wheels have no magnetic attraction at all. The axles look to be correct for magne-traction, and all other engines I have with the same axles are fully magnetic. Any thoughts on the loss of magne-traction or am I missing something with this particular engine and the axles/wheels? Thanks,
Mark
..........Wayne..........
Not at all.
Depending on where you purchased your 231, it is highly possible that the powered trucks were swapped with the non-magnetic type, from a similar 200 series engine. Most of the trucks on the 200 series are interchangeable. Did you notice that it didn't have magnetraction, immediately after purchasing it. If that was the case, I would suspect that it was swapped. If it did have magnetism when purchased, but doesn't now, then you can always get parts to replace the axle assembly, to restore it to original. Or the last recourse would be to find the correct truck assembly, and swap it yourself.
Axles are corret for magnatraction, I have a B & M Alco thats the same way. Age I guess or poor magnets to begin with.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Those certainly are magnetraction axles. The axles can be replaced, but getting to them is problematic.
From what I see in the picture, you have a nice, clean, 100% original locomotive. To get to the axles, either the sideframe have to be removed (they are riveted on) or the lower portion of the motor assembly has to be seperated from the motor plate. This can be done, but its not for the faint of heart, and sometimes the engine runs poorly afterwards.
In short, I'd say leave it be. You might be able to sell it to a collector or someone else who doesn't care about the magnetraction and buy another engine. I know I'd be happy to own it.
If it were mine, I would remagnetize the axles. You would need a U shaped piece of iron with the ends of the U able to touch both wheels simultaneousl. You would need to wind a fair number of turns of something like #16 gauge wire on the iron. You would also need a DC power supply that could supply about 10 amps. Put the iron on the wheels and turn the power supply on for a few seconds.
Worth a try, but Lionel said that their ST-393 Magnetizer would not work to fix magnetraction.
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