Lionel Silver Bell Express Issues

[mrbungle99]

good day all. We purchased a Lionel Silver Bell Express set for my grandfather a few years back and he has run into problems with it recently.

When you put the engine on the track and turn on the transformer it runs fine, but as soon as you add a piece of rolling stock to it the power cuts in and out and the train just jerks an inch ever 3 seconds or so. I have made sure the wire and clip are hooked up tightly and securely and there are no gaps in the track. He has it tacked down on to a piece of wood so it won't move. I did have the train running for a few minutes with all 3 cars on the max setting of the little red plastic boxed transformer, but once you slowed it down it would do the same thing. The green power light would go off and on and the train would just jerk and inch or so up.I would love to get this fixed for him before Christmas

Any ideas on if the problem lies in the transformer and where I would find a suitable replacement?

Lionel Silver bell Express 78-1024-250       8/38

transformer ac-160-1250

I\P 120 VAC  60Hz 28w

O\P 16 VAC   1.25a

P\N 610-2860-020

[hrin]

Sounds like the G scale set.

Nothing is obvious to me but I would try cleaning  the track. Check the loco's wheels and visible gears for anything that may be binding it. Check the power pack cord wire for any damage. Check the wires that go from the lock-on to the transformer for damage. Look closely. Ensure that the lock-on brass contacts that go under the track are clean as well as the area of the track where those brass contacts will contact the brass rails. Brass can get a little funky over time and may need cleaned.

 

[lionelsoni]

Despite what the manual says, I am skeptical that the output of this thing is AC.  It has a switch which seems to be marked as if its two positions are for the two directions of travel.  This suggests to me that it puts out DC, with the switch determining the polarity.

[ADCX Rob]

Bob, the AC output rating is pertaining to the AC wall-wart.  The output from the controller to the track is DC as you surmise.

Rob

[lionelsoni]

So, an ordinary Lionel transformer is not going to work, and may damage the train.

[mrbungle99]

yeah I brought over my regular transformer and hooked it up without thinking and the train just hummed and the light came on. Disconnected that and was back to step one.

What is the best stuff to clean the track wtih?

[Penny Trains]

Sounds to me like the problem is in the cars, not the engine or the transformer.  G-Scale, #1 Gauge or Large Scale, whatever you want to call it, most commonly runs on 2-rail DC.  That means your wheels have to be insulated from each other.  The industry standard is plastic wheels on starter sets, and metal wheels on premium cars.  But either way the wheels have a plastic bushing to isolate them from the metal axles.  If the plastic cracks, as it often does, then you can get an arc between the wheel and the axle which will short the transformer and cause this kind of jerking action.  You may need to replace the car wheels especially if any of them are metal.  Metal wheels are most oftenly used on cars with interior lighting or tenders with sound.

I run a 1988 Lionel 4-4-2 NYC atlantic and an Aristo-Craft 0-4-0 Pensy switcher every Christmas on LGB brass track.  In early November I unbox the engines and track and clean everything.  I use a carbon steel metal polishing wheel in my Dremel tool to clean locomotive and car wheels and a ScotchBrite pad to clean the track.  These methods have provided me with nearly flawless operation every season for several years.

Becky

[mrbungle99]

Thanks for the advice, I will have to have a look at the wheels. I know when we tested the transformer and the engine at a local train shop they ran without issue, and I could not figure out what else to look at. Never thought of the wheels on the cars. The caboose has a 9-volt hook up to play christmas music as the train rolls around the track.

You don't use any cleaning solutions on the wheels or track?