Question on postwar S2 turbine rollers pickups

[Deputy]

Looking at my 671 and 681 locos I won off E-Bay. Both run fine and I swear they can pull my pickup truck around the tracks

One thing I noticed on both locos is a "groove" in the center of the roller pickups. Did they come this way from the factory? Or am I looking at replacing both these roller assemblies with ones that are flat/grooveless?

Dep

[martinden]

It's just normal wear from a good amount of running over the years. Some rollers seem more susceptible to grooving than others -- something to do with the material used, probably. Also, dirty track causes arcing, which gradually wears the rollers. Most of my postwar engines  -- about twenty total -- have at least a little grooving. If I buy one (e.g., from eBay) that doesn't, I think "Wow! Here's one that hasn't seen much track time." The grooves don't seem to cause any problems, and I wouldn't worry about it unless they're really deep. Then I replace the roller(s).

[Roger Bielen]

In addition to the roller grooves (which I replaced) the drive wheel flanges on my 2020 are worn razor thin.  Its been converted to TMCC and still runs like a champ.

[Deputy]

Thanks for the replies guys. When you replace the rollers, does it come as a complete assembly or just the roller alone? Any good places to get them online? I'd like to get these two locos as close to new condition as possible.

Dep

[Anonymous]

The original diecast zinc ones will wear much faster, the new repro chrome ones last a very long time. They are very easy to replace on the turbines, just open one of  tabs holding the roller in just enough to pop the roller out. Put a new one in and squeeze the tabs together with a channel lock pliers or a vise.

 Hope this helps,

 

 If you need any further help, just email me.

[ben10ben]

You can get the assemblies either way. When I bought by 681, it had seen some water, and the assembly was very rusted. I elected to replace the whole assembly, which was around $8 as I recall.

The replacement rollers alone are only about 50 cents each. Normally, they're all you need to replace.

[Deputy]

Wow! You guys are GREAT!!! Thought my question was kinda dumb, but you guys answered all of it quite well. I'd like to get those new chrome ones. They sound like the way to go. Can you point me to where I can order them?

Dep

[ben10ben]

Here's where I order

 

Grandpa's Toy Train Parts and Repair

PO Box 736

Union, KY

859-384-3038

[Deputy]

Thanks Ben! I e-mailed Grandpa and asked if they had the chrome rollers. If not, I'll be shooting an e-mail to Jerry for them

Dep

[anjdevil2]

  Dep thanks for asking that question.  I am now just a few dollars away from getting my 2020 S-2.  I'll double check those rollers.  Thanks for the answers, now I know what to look for!!

[ben10ben]

Dep,

All of the rollers that I've ordered from Grandpa have been the shiney chrome type. They have all seemed to hold up really well through quite a bit of running.

Most of my new production trains have gold-colored rollers that seem to wear pretty badly. I'm not quite sure what they're made of. 

[Anonymous]

Ben,

         Most of the rollers on new equipment are brass.  Like you, I have noticed that this type of roller grooves very quickly.  Lionel also used plated brass for some of the one-piece rollers that were made before the early 1950's when they started using the type that turned on a stationary pin. 

[Deputy]

anjdevil2: hope you get a nice one! I've been poking around and found a few places that have replacement parts for the turbines. So it shouldn't be too hard to fix them up. Plus these guys on the forum really know their stuff. My hat's off to them.

Dep