2023 problem

[Dave632]

 Thanks for the info Steve.

Dave

[Steve1964]

Hello Dave632,

The Nashville Train Show is held at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Last year there was a huge amount of postwar Lionel there, and prewar and modern Lionel too.  I also saw some American Flyer, and lots of other gauges, including G gauge.

 

Steve

[lionelsoni]

Steve, far from being a ground, it is the ungrounded end of the field coil.  The motor circuit is a red wire from the center-rail pickups to the e-unit, yellow and blue wires to and fro between the e-unit and the brushes, the green wire from the e-unit to one end of the field coil, and a bare solder lug from the other end of the field coil to the frame of the motor, then through the locomotive frame and wheels to the outside rails.  (The wire colors may vary.)

[Dave632]

 

Steve1964

I connected the loose green wire to a tab on the back of the motor with alligator clips, and the loco took off and ran just like it should, E-unit cycled properly. It must be a ground for the motor.

Thanks for all of your help!

See you at the Nashville Train Show, 12/14.

Steve

Where is the Nashville train show being held and are there old post war items being sold there?

[RedfireS197]

Steve,

               The green wire is soldered to the lug on the brushplate with the field wire.

[Steve1964]

I connected the loose green wire to a tab on the back of the motor with alligator clips, and the loco took off and ran just like it should, E-unit cycled properly. It must be a ground for the motor.

Thanks for all of your help!

See you at the Nashville Train Show, 12/14.

Steve

[Steve1964]

 

Thanks for your help so far. There is no voltage at the brushes. There is a green wire coming off of the back of the E-unit that is loose, I just noticed it. I bet that is the problem.

Does anyone have any idea where this green wire solders? I tested it with my voltmeter, and there is no voltage on it, either.

Steve

[TrainLarry]

If the brushes and commutator check out, look at the e-unit. Make sure the contact fingers are all touching the drum with enough tension, and that the fingers and drum are not dirty, bent, or worn through. If the e-unit checks out and you still get no movement, disconnect all wires from the motor to isolate it and power the motor directly.

Larry

[Dave632]

With the body off and transformer on check for AC voltage at the brushes. If it is present then check the brushes & brush springs for proper contact with the armature. Clean the commutator on the armature. The field coil could also be open. Check that with the ohm meter section of your Fluke. I had one case where the field coil was shorting to ground near the input side and killing the engine.

[Steve1964]

Hello everybody,

I have been enjoying a UP 2023 that, thanks to some help from this forum, I disassembled and lubricated (down to the roller bearings!) and up until last night ran like new. Last night I was running it when it suddenly stopped on the track, still lit up, and refused to move. I checked the wheels and gears for debris which might interfere with them, wheels turn freely. I took the body off and checked for visible loose wires, everything looks fine. The E-unit cycles every time power is applied, and I also moved the E-unit lever around, which had no effect. All the loco will do is sit on the track, light up and hum with power on. The horn will still blow.

Does anyone have any ideas to get me going again? I have a Fluke voltmeter and a lot of patience, so if anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Thanks a lot!

Steve