Lionel 600/610 SW1 Repair?

[BillP1]

Back in 1955, the Lional catalog offered a bottom line SW1 for jsut $13.95. (In 1954, the similar appearing 623 and 624 which did have a headlight that the 600 and 610 did not have were priced at $25.00).

I received one for Christmas, my first Lionel locomotive, and ran it for many years.

Unfortunately, while I had a tube of Lionel grease which I applied to the gear teeth, I never thought to oil the small studs around which the idler gears rotated. Eventually, these studs wore to the point that the gears would bind enough to stop the locomotive from running in the forward direction. (It still will run reasonably well in reverse.)

Has anyone had any success in repairing or replacing these little studs?

If so, any advice as to how to do it would be greatly appreciated.

-------------------------- Bill

[Anonymous]

Hey Bill,

I don't think that part is commonly available from parts retailers. But many power trucks in various states of completeness are offered on ebay (and at train shows) every day. I'm sure you could pick one up and transfer your motor to it. Or just get a whole power truck with a motor and swap it. You may have to look for a little while, but I'm sure it would be worth the effort and the result would be good for another 50 years...

Good Luck,

Old 2037

[lionelsoni]

I haven't done this repair. But I think the part might be the 622-28 "pinion shaft". The splined end of the shaft appears to be pressed into the zinc casting. You might be able to get a good enough grip on the old one to pull it out and press in a replacement. Diagonal cutters ("dikes") can be useful for this kind of prying.

By the way, although Lionel referred to these locomotives at first as "SW1", they are actually models of the NW2.

[BillP1]

[

QUOTE: the part might be the 622-28 "pinion shaft". The splined end of the shaft appears to be pressed into the zinc casting.

I don't think it is the pinion shaft since the small shafts for the two idler gears (which transfer the motion from the gear on a shaft at right angles to the motor's vertical shaft to the gears on the driven wheels on the truck) are staked from the back to a mild steel plate about 1/16 " thick. The same plate (and another like it on the opposite side of the truck) also has the front and rear axles of the truck passing through it for support.

The entire truck is made up of a total of five steel plates which support the motor, , the gear train and the wheels and axles as well as the coupler assembly. The cast side bolsters are staked to the main plate to which the motor and the other four plates are attached (also by staking).

Perhaps the 600 and 610 have a much lower cost powered truck design than the more expensive versions of this locomotive.

Any how, thanks to both of you for the suggestions.

------------ Bill

[lionelsoni]

Sorry. I didn't realize that you were talking about the later motor.