In 1992, my son and I came up with a way to expand our American Flyer Christmas garden layout. Part of the plan involved a trolley for the town. We ordered a "377 Pacific Electric" trolley from Putt Trains. After many back and forths we finally received the trolley. Unfortunately I was laid-off and every thing was mismantled and put in the attic.
Flash forward. He has a son (and me a grandson) and I have pulled some of the trains, etc. from the attic. Everything seems to work fine except the trolley. It was never tested 23 years ago so I don't have anything to compare to. The front light lights and the wheels turn. It appears that it can not get any traction. The track is newly cleaned, bright and shiney. An engine and the handcar work fine. The desired configuration is a standard American Flyer track circle on a level surface.
Has anyone got any experience or suggestions.
Is this perhaps what it looks like?
If so, are you sure that all four wheels are turning when it "can not get any traction"?
Bob Nelson
The only differences are that mine says "377" and the screw between the wheels is no where near as big.
I will have to double check if all 4 wheels are turning. Can't right now, the grand kids are here.
Thank you for responding.
Interesting how the trainweb page says they run on ac or dc but at portlines hobby they say dc only. Could that be the problem?
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
When I ordered the trolley (23 years ago) it was apparently still in the pre- or early production stage. I exchanged several snail-mails with Putt Trains about when I would see the actual trolley, hence receiving it at a very inopportune time with no opportunity to test it. When it arrived, it included a rectifier, a diagram and a short set of instructions for converting to DC operation. There was also a hand written note about converting to DC and using an HO power pack. I am, of course, using AC voltage (std. American Flyer transformer) which I checked with a meter at both the transformer and on the track.
Only one set of wheels are turning (the set directly attached to the gear drive). The other set does not appear to have a drive capability, just additional electrical contact to the tracks via a copper strip (1 per wheel).
I has occured to me that there may be a weight problem, i.e. too little, but I need to find some lead weights to explore that possibility.
He said that the wheels turn and the headlight works. So it seems likely that he means that the wheels turn when he applies voltage and that his power supply, AC or DC, is suitable for his motor.
Correct!
BTW, I have replied to 2 posts by you and one by PennyTrains but I do not see the posts. Are they getting through?
SlipStick
Bob what if he put AC to DC motor and it was doing the jerking it will do. that could to an untrained I look like it's not getting traction. tThat the wheels are spinning. The lights would work
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Could be. Another thing that I thought of is that only one axle is powered and the other axle is frozen. We just need more information.
Only one axle is gear powered, although both have track power contacts. The gear powered axle only turns in one direction. Varying the voltage does not affect the (non-) operation.
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Mine was DC
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