Lionel 2243 Horn and decal question

[northernpike]

Need some advice-

Just received my 2243 F3.  Runs great except horn dead.  Battery good, positve up and relay clicks/buzzes when I hit horn lever on kw.  My other alco horn works, so I know kw is fine.  How can I "wake it up?"  Also, If I were to put new decal on nose, what is best way to get old off?

Thanks

Tom

[philo426]

One way to remove the decal is to put scotch tape on it,rub it down and rapidly lift it off.You may have to do this a few times,but it should work.Microscale makes the Sante-Fe decal set in O gauge.(Microscale #48-43).

[lionelsoni]

First verify that you are getting 1.5 volts at the horn.

There is an adjustment screw sticking out of the back of the horn.  Try turning that until it blows.  The trouble is that, if you turn it the wrong way, you could damage the horn.  So find a way to keep track of how far you've turned it and explore in both directions, a little at first, then more, back and forth.

The 2243 is a great locomotive.  I've had one of mine since it was new in 1955.  The drive train is so smooth that I can easily spin the motor, backwards through the worm drive, just by pushing the locomotive on the track.  There are two shell versions.  The earlier one has the cab ladder protruding farther from the body.  They later made it flush, because it was so easily damaged.  If you have the B unit (2243C), it may be worth more than the A (2243P).  It is the only one that Lionel made that matches the much later 2383 A-A set.