6466WX Tender

[Anonymous]

I have a Lionel 6466WX tender that came with a 675 Locomotive. The problem is the motor that creates the air for the whistle makes more noise then whistle. I have tried to find the supplement on the Lionel web site to possibly order parts but I get lost in there site.

[ben10ben]

Usually its just a case of lack of oil on this often neglected motor. Take the shell off using the four screws in the corners. Then locate the oil wick between the two silver brush holders, and apply a good amount of 3-in-1, or better Labelle brand oil to it, running the whistle at the time. As you add oil, the motor should get quieter and start to spin faster, which should also result in an increase in volume of the whistle.

You may also need to replace the motor brushes, which is an easy and inexpensive job, as well as clean the commutator.

[Anonymous]

ben10ben,
Tops off not sure where the wick or the silver brush holders are. Can you tell me about where they are in relation to the where the shaft comes out opposite side of the fan.

[ben10ben]

I'm assuming that this has a side-mounted whistle, like my 2466WX.

If that's the case, locate the side that you can see the fan on. Directly opposite that, you should see a brown fiberboard plate. Right in the middle of this, you should see two tall silver tubes with holes in the top. Right in between these, there will be a blue metal strap. This strap is where the oil wick will be.

[Anonymous]

In between my silver tubes with the holes in it is a long silver metal piece (about an inch long) on the fiberboard plate. The shaft sticks out of this about a 32nd of an inch.

[ben10ben]

That's it. Put a drop or two on the place where the shaft sticks out. Look and there should be a small notch in one end of it. This notch is where you fill the oil wick, and will take several drops of oil.

[Anonymous]

Ben,
Found it at the bottom of the metal strap is a very small hole. Thanks again.
John

[Jumijo]

Thanks for some great info, Ben.

What does the X (2466WX) at the end of a whistle tender's part number signify?

Jim

[1688torpedo]

Hello Jim ! The W indicates that the tender has a whistle and the X most likely means that it was a department store special or made up for a different Lionel Customer Account. In the prewar years the X meant many different things.Such as No Journel Boxes on the trucks of certain freight or passenger cars(eg "027" 1600 series) or maybe a special set for Macy's or Gimbels in New York. There has been much discussion over the years as to why Lionel used a X to signify different things about its Trains. Hope this helps................Keith

[Anonymous]

Ben,
Ok I oiled it and it is working better but still makes a lot of motor noise. Can I ask how to replace the brushes? I assume they are at the end of the silver tubes with the holes in it.
John

[Jumijo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1688torpedo

Hello Jim ! The W indicates that the tender has a whistle and the X most likely means that it was a department store special or made up for a different Lionel Customer Account. In the prewar years the X meant many different things.Such as No Journel Boxes on the trucks of certain freight or passenger cars(eg "027" 1600 series) or maybe a special set for Macy's or Gimbels in New York. There has been much discussion over the years as to why Lionel used a X to signify different things about its Trains. Hope this helps................Keith

Thanks, Keith. I knew the W stood for whistle, but have always wondered why some whistle tenders had an X at the end of the part number while others did not. I have David Doyle's book about Lionel's post-war trains, and although I think it's a great reference book with many color photos, it has very little information about tenders and all their variations.

Thanks again,

Jim

[lionelsoni]

John, don't get your hopes up. Even with all the lubrication possible, Lionel whistle motors can be annoyingly loud. I think they counted on the train noise and the whistle itself to hide the motor noise. Perhaps this would finally be a good application for the notoriously loud Fastrax.

[SPFan]

QUOTE:
Thanks, Keith. I knew the W stood for whistle, but have always wondered why some whistle tenders had an X at the end of the part number while others did not. I have David Doyle's book about Lionel's post-war trains, and although I think it's a great reference book with many color photos, it has very little information about tenders and all their variations.

Thanks again,

Jim

I am not sure what the X stood for but it seems only those tenders made before 1950 had the suffix and they also had a "complete" compliment of handrails, ie verticals at all 4 corners and one around the rear deck. The ones without the X had either no handrails or just the one at top of deck.

Pete

[Jumijo]

Thanks, Pete. Sounds good to me.

Jim

[Anonymous]

Bob,
I got the tender to work pretty well on the track by it self but with the engine (a 675) and tender the motor would spin but no whistle noise. I put a volt meter on the transformer and it only is putting out about 14 volts instead of the 18 volts it is suppose to . I believe it is the original transformer. It probably needs the extra volts to spin the tender motor fast enough to make the whistle noise.
John

[Jumijo]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but John's latest post has me wondering. Will a post war whistle tender whistle when using a small, modern transformer's (CW-80) whistle button?

Jim

[jwse30]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but John's latest post has me wondering. Will a post war whistle tender whistle when using a small, modern transformer's (CW-80) whistle button?

I would assume so. They work with my modern MRC dual power (the one that puts out the square sine wave). The only issue might be wattage, but an engine and whistling tender shouldn't eat all the watts up. If you have a lot of accessories, or a lighted passenger train, that could be a different story.

J White

[ben10ben]

Jon,
You might just be in need of a new set of brushes. The brown fiberboard plate is held on with two screws in the edges. You will need to remove these, and lift the plate off. Underneath it, you will see two brushes at the end of springs sticking out of the silver tubes. The commutator will range any color from bright and shiney copper colored to blackish-gray. Using a pencil erasor, clean the commutator off until it is copper colored all over. Use a toothpick to clean out the slots between the segments.

You can then either attempt to recondition the brushes or obtain a new set from your favorite parts dealer. They will need to be eventually replaced anyway, so I usually choose the latter. This option runs less than $5. Should you wi***o attempt to recondition the brushes, first removing them, taking care to keep the springs attached if at all possible. Rub the face of each brush lightly and squarely on a piece of fine sandpaper for a couple of stokes, the reinstall. Put the plate back on, making sure the brushes seat in their wells, and then try it out.

If you still are not satisfied, there's one last thing you can try. Locate the contacts on the side of the whistle relay. Carefully insert a piece of fine sandpaper between them, and move it back and forth a few times, being sure to hit botht the top and the bottom contacts.

If the whistle still doesn't work well after all of this, it may be time for professional help.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again for everyones help.
John

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jwse30 and jaabat

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but John's latest post has me wondering. Will a post war whistle tender whistle when using a small, modern transformer's (CW-80) whistle button?

I would assume so. They work with my modern MRC dual power (the one that puts out the square sine wave). The only issue might be wattage, but an engine and whistling tender shouldn't eat all the watts up. If you have a lot of accessories, or a lighted passenger train, that could be a different story.

J White

The CW80 can accutate the postwar whistle relays, only it is VERY sluggish! You are right, if you start use some watts (lighted caboose, passeger cars, smoke units) it will hardly close the relay at all.

The modern transformer only need a little DC current to close modern electronic whistle relays and soundboards.(Thats why the CW80 has low DC voltage) But postwar relays need a little kick in the rear end to close. The old lionel transformers equiped with a whistle rectifier can give that extra "kick".

Jerry

[ChiefEagles]

Bottom bearing needs oil. Use a needle oiler and put oil on shaft under comutator. Let it run to the bottom bearing. Use 14 volts and blow whistle. If needed do over until it quites down. Just fixed mine the other day.

[Jumijo]

QUOTE:
The CW80 can accutate the postwar whistle relays, only it is VERY sluggish! You are right, if you start use some watts (lighted caboose, passeger cars, smoke units) it will hardly close the relay at all.

The modern transformer only need a little DC current to close modern electronic whistle relays and soundboards.(Thats why the CW80 has low DC voltage) But postwar relays need a little kick in the rear end to close. The old lionel transformers equiped with a whistle rectifier can give that extra "kick".

Jerry

Thanks, Jerry! I've learned an aweful lot in this thread!

Jim

[Anonymous]

ChiefEagles,
Is this the shaft that the fan is connected to? Might anyone know where the exploded diagram for this tender is on the Lionel web site?

John

[ChiefEagles]

You are right. Have to go down between the fields abd hit the shaft. Let the oil run down. Will work fine as long as no oil on brushes.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ben10ben

That's it. Put a drop or two on the place where the shaft sticks out. Look and there should be a small notch in one end of it. This notch is where you fill the oil wick, and will take several drops of oil.

Ben,
The notch on mine is at the bottom (with the tender in up right position) . Shouldn't the notch be at the top so gravity would pu***he oil down to the shaft? I have it apart so I could put it at the top if it won't goof anything up.

John

[ben10ben]

John,
Inside of the metal strap is a big block of felt. The oil is drawn to the shaft by capilary action, so the orientation of it really doesn't make a whole of difference.

Without having a tender in front of me, I believe that the screw holes and brushes won't line up correctly if the fiberboard plate is installed upside down. I'll go and check and see if it can be done, but I don't think that it can be.

[Anonymous]

Yep, Chiefeagles is right.