Lionel #50 Section Gang Car

[steve1946]

I have an issue with my gang car that is driving me nuts.  It runs in both directions like a new one but it runs in the direction that the bumper is pushed in!  In other words the polarity is messed up. When it gets to the track dead-end-bumper it sits there and spins it's wheels because the car bumper is already pushed in.  Any thoughts from anyone.  Thanks.  Steve

[cwburfle]

Was it always working this way?
It sounds like the contact plate over the reversing slide needs to be turned around 180 degrees. Or you can unsolder the wires from the  contact plate and reverse them.

THOSE WIRES BREAK EASILY, be careful.

[steve1946]

This car has been in my collection for years and has been on the shelf and never operated.  I took it apart and cleaned it and re-lubed lightly in the areas the book recommends.  Looking at the wires and soldering everything looks factory.  I ran the car without the seating platform and the contact plate assembly meets up perfectly with the contact spring.  According to the wiring diagram the  contact area on the contact spring is meeting up with the correct lug on the contact plate assembly but the stupid little car stills goes in the wrong direction, ( in the direction opposite it should go according to the position of the bumper) !!!!!!  Thank you for your comments and if you have any other thoughts I would like to hear them.  Steve

[cwburfle]

It's assembled properly, but it runs in the wrong direction.
How can that be?

[Dave632]

Sounds like, as suggested, simply reverse the wiring to the motor brushes.

[cwburfle]

He could do that, but I had recommended switching the wires on the slide contact plate.

[steve1946]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.  I ended up switching the wires on the contact plate since there was only one wire per lug and the wires to the motor brushes were in a little less convenient place for un-soldering and re-soldering. The car now runs like it should but what really amazed me was how professional the soldering was done originally. The wires to the brush plate looked like the factory had placed them and soldered them.  Maybe they did!