Thanks, guys! I did the 1688's e-unit myself, and it surprised me how easy it went back together. That was not the case with the 224e, but I think I just need to get rid of those old finger boards and rewire everything. Those fingers have been in there since about 1939, I think they have done their job already. No amount of straightending is going to help.
But I do appreciate your help !
Paul
Also, when I look at the old fingers, they appear to have worn thin where they contact the drum. This probably contributed to them folding over the way they did. I will try some new fingers, and see what happens.
I have fingers ordered. Looking at the old drum, it may have been faulty also. The rotating pins on the ends are badly worn.I just discovered something interesting; in a 360 rotation of the drum,it will hit each combination twice. Twice it will land on forward, neutral, and reverse because the same combination of contacts occurs on the drum 180 degrees apart. So my symptom of cycling twice to get into forward points to a drum contact problem. I will leave the new drum in,AND change the fingers.
Let me revise slightly:
In one revolution of an E-unit drum, it will hit forward twice, reverse twice, and neutral four times.
There are 8 teeth on the drum. The pawl will advance one tooth each time the current is interrupted.
It would advance like this:
F-N-R-N-F-N-R-N-
and repeat. I looked at my old drum, and one contact is worn low. The finger could not touch, so I would reverse every 180 degrees on the drum, forward every 360 degrees on the drum because one contact is bad.
How clever these people were who designed this stuff !
In case you're wondering, the fingers came in today, got the E rebuilt, new drum and fingers . It was completely worn out, it has needed this rebuild for a long time, but I put it off until it died. Running great forward and reverse. Tomorrow will be insulating, dressing wires, and final assembly. I've always loved this engine !
Last step: Test track !
Always a good excuse...
Here are two other links dealing with E unit repairs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3cHF_a6CNM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA6AdfzXo3g
swede
TM Books and Video has a post-war Lionel repair video which shows you how to repair and E-unit, but to their credit they don't try to make it look easy. I haven't quite worked up the nerve to try it myself.
www.tmbv.com
Yes. These old trains. The Agony and the Ecstasy.
I've got a 224 who's E-unit died in a shower of sparks. Glad I had the lights off when it happened, looked pretty cool, but anyway since I hardly ever back a train on my layout I just removed the thing and hard-wired the pick-ups to the motor. Runs fine, but in forward only. One day I'll replace the E-unit.
O.k., but it still looks great. Talking about modeling skills, I find myself building in larger, and larger scales ( as my eyesight becomes less precise ) .There was a time it was N scale. I was happy to change out couplers, and wheelsets for Kadee products. When I went to HO, I thought I had gone to Large scale ! Now, I like to build, and kitbash in G. I can see it ! But I still love to repair Lionel postwar. Simple, straightforward.
So, today I was running trains. Like to rotate all the Lionel postwar engines, to keep everything running well, especially after all the servicing I've done over the last few months.All my children are happy! Ran the 2046 , the 2025, the 2037, the 1615, the 726rr, the 681, the 2055, the 2020, the 627, the202.
Then, I put the 224e on the track. Last train of the day. I'm feeling quite content. This engine has had a sticky E-unit for just about ever. Usually, it will cycle easily into reverse, or neutral, but I will have to cycle it twice to get into forward. This has become the norm, and I don't pay any attention to it. Well, today I put it on the track, cycled in reverse and coupled to my train. Cycled to neutral, o.k., tryed to cycle to forward, and it pulled a dead short.I could not clear the short until I lifted the engine off the track. The E-unit had picked today to try to make a point!
I have a new e-unit drum on my workbench, and I'm thinking " how bad can it be ?" So, off comes the shell, out comes the E-unit, split it open to remove the old drum, and there's my problem: 2 of the fingers are bent near the tip. Boogers ! I don't have fingers! So, I'm sitting there like a fool trying to straighten them out, and feel quite proud of myself; everything is back together, and appears to be seated correctly.
But wait. There's a wire hanging loose from somewhere. I wonder if it's important?
So, that was my day. Have a great 4th.
This is NOT my model. I saw this pic posted on another forum I'm active on for paper model building. There are ways to weather them, and this is what a master builder created for an exhibition:
Whoever made this is operating WAY above my grade!
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Awesome! I recognize the Darjeeling Himalayan tank from some of the DVD s I have. Very nice !
EF55-1. These are Canon Creative Park free downloads. http://cp.c-ij.com/jp/categories/CAT-ST01-0087/index.html The instructions are in Japanese, but they're so heavily illustrated that it's not a big problem. Here's the webpage of the designer: http://www.paperart-c.com/en/card-model/card-model-top.html Unfortunately not all of his creations are available for download.
Here's another Canon train:
DSCF4414_zpsmlnuw2s3 by Rebecca Chestney, on Flickr" alt="" />
The 3 locos in the first pic are roughly S gauge in size but this Himalayan tank loco is G. That's a Lionel Large Scale figure standing along side.
That is so cool ! They look great ! Many rail fans, and train museums in Japan, especially since trains are one of the principal modes of transportation. And many products available, such as your paper models, Nano blocks ( like Legos) to build train models.
Kyoto railway museum has the roundhouse pictured,and many steamers on display. I think half of them are in operating condition. They also have a Porter Mogul from about 1880 .Many American engines used to be exported.
Your models are good, they have all the detail of the originals. Becky, what is the electric in the back ?
Hey! I built paper models of those steam locos!
DSCF4400_zpsn1ybwqbm by Rebecca Chestney, on Flickr" alt="" />
IMG_0528 by Paul Bell, on Flickr" target="">IMG_0528 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_1046 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0886 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0956 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_1051 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0656 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0634 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_1052 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0568 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0523 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_1065 by Paul Bell, on FlickrIMG_0839 by Paul Bell, on FlickrThanks,Becky! Let me try again!
Paul The sweet smell of success ! Thanks for the tip, Becky !
My original photos reposted:
611-92-1_zpsy6tdvwjg by Rebecca Chestney, on Flickr" alt="" />
611-92-2_zpseylkuimf by Rebecca Chestney, on Flickr" alt="" />
611-92-3_zpskr5kvgxw by Rebecca Chestney, on Flickr" alt="" />
611-92-5_zpsqowjopoj by Rebecca Chestney, on Flickr" alt="" />
Postwar Paul Testing... is it working?https://www.flickr.com/photos/155626296@N05/35107426012/in/dateposted-public/ let me try it again, when I have a minute, sorry.
Testing... is it working?https://www.flickr.com/photos/155626296@N05/35107426012/in/dateposted-public/
let me try it again, when I have a minute, sorry.
Use the "BBCode" link for sharing.
The only "bad" thing is you won't be able to see them to make sure they worked until after you submit the post.
That great, Firelock. Wasn't knocking it, would love to see it run ! I'm a Pennsy fan, saw the 1361 in York in '88. So, I've been known to chase after such things.That was the only time I've been to York.
All steam is good steam!
Paul, these are the lads that are trying to build a new T1...
www.prrt1steamlocomotivetrust.org
I met some of the members at a train show last year, and they are in earnest!
Firelock76"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!"
And be thankful most of it happened in the age of photography!
rtraincollector Or PRR saved the S2
Or PRR saved the S2
Or the S1 or a T1. Or maybe if the NYC saved a Niagara.
O well, what are you gonna do?
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!"
Those are some great pictures of the J! I am trying to post some pictures from our recent trip to Japan, but I am far too lazy for all this ! No worries. I'll figure it out someday.
Hey, aren't some dudes trying to new build a Pennsylvania T1? They had a post where they were casting drive wheels. That could get me out of this comfortable Lazy Boy.
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Now if NYC had just saved a Century Hudson...
4449's not bad either, but I never rode behind that one.
I guess this is a different engine, but it was under renovation in 2015!
NWL
The best steam passenger locomotive ever built! EVER!
It's J Day!
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