An all metal Lionel 45 Gateman with crossbuck, as opposed to the diamond, just came into my possession. It has the under-base light hole for the upward shining light to “illuminate” the man’s lantern.
The good news is that it functions snappily with the lantern man, who seems complete and in good shape, appearing quickly and smoothly at a pretty low voltage, around 10VAC.
The bad news is that the light beneath is loose and its powering wire insulation is brittle and missing in a few spots. So that needs attention. Any tips?
Also the door doesn’t close as though it were missing a spring. Does anyone know the replacement part number for that spring?
If Olsen’s has the diagram it is hidden at a level exceeding my skill to locate it.
The other to-be-expected fact is that its finish really shows its age, as do I. That isn’t a big concern. Restoration is not the goal but it should be cleaned up and something done to prevent advancing deterioration and oxidation. Any suggestions on this?
Hesitation is holding me back from bending the bottom tabs to take a peek inside. What should I look out for when I do?
As always, many thanks.
One more thing, the mast attachment to the base is wobbly. How do I tight up that connection? From the bottom after the base plate is removed, I’d guess.
You might want to check here; DVD of all instruction sheets.
http://www.trainpaper.com/index.html
Also I think the full ID is 45N..if I remember correctly. I have one but it's o.k.
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
You'll have to open the base. Bend the tabs only as far as absolutely necesary,but it isn't a big deal if they break off.
If the figure goes back into the building, the spring is ok. The bottom pin of the door is soldered to a crank that is attached to the linkage inside the base.
Right you are! How and with what do I replace the missing pin. See the white pointer in the image showing the two disconnected "arms".
?action=view¤t=SAM0540.jpg
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll112/thankey/Lionel%2045%20Gateman/SAM_0538.jpg
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll112/thankey/Lionel%2045%20Gateman/SAM_0539.jpg
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll112/thankey/Lionel%2045%20Gateman/SAM_0540.jpg
Sorry I did the first image wrong. How do I fix the missing pivot pin?
The mast seems loose only because the bottom of the base doesn't press tightly enough against it. Maybe a cardboard shim will do the trick. The mast does seem soundly attached to its base but not pressed firmly against the top part of the base.
What can you suggest on the bulb other than replacing the wire?
And do you have any cleaning tips?
It is amazing to see the fresh color inside the base part which were not exposed to wear and tear.
That will be tough. It has been several years since I've been inside one of these, but I think those two are supposed to be riveted together. I am not sure what can be done in this case. I restored a 45 Gateman that had extensive surface cancer on the metal parts and damage to the composite figure, but the mechanism was intact.
As for cleaning, use a mild soap and water solution followed by automotive cleaner wax.
One idea is...You could use a thumbtack like paper clip that looks somewhat like a cotter pin sold in office supply stores used to attach papers that have holes punched in them. I have used them as linkage pins on low stress mechanisms..I simply clip off the tabs once they are bent back. They are usually made from brass. there might be some play but it's a possible cheap and simple solution.
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