James stops working...what now?

[Anonymous]

I decided to let my Lionel James out to play on the new layout today... running light he did OK, but when we added 3 cars he decided to go on strike with a grrrrrrrr.

Now I had already stabilized the motor with a couple plastic strips and a wire tie a long time ago. So I'm guessing the drive gear probably stripped this time. I also know that the darn things have been out of production for a LONG while, and the idiots, err, buyers on evilBay now think they are solid gold. Unfortunately this is my 6YO's favorite engine, and I have spent quite a bit of time detailing him to look more like the books, so I'd really hate to have him relagated to just a dust catcher.

Long and short, does anybody sell gears to redo this engine? Or do I have to scavenge from another Lionel 0-6-0?

[Benjamin Maggi]

Just a thought, but could you put his tender on a powered "block" (new to this, so I think that this is the term but not sure) from an Aristocraft six-axel engine and just remove the stripped gear to effectively make James a non-powered engine? This would also give him more power, and if you wire the pickups from the engine to the motor block in the tender it would also increase his electrical pickup.

Just a thought. I know I want a Thomas myself, but they are very expensive these days.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. A fellow on another board was kind enough to chase down the Lionel part # for the axle/wheel/gear assembly for me. I've already ordered it online (about $15 with shipping, though I probably should have ordered 2 since this seems to be a common problem), so now if they just have it in stock!

The powered tender/dummy engine idea reminds me a bit too much of the old HO  "Chattanooga Choo Choo" I had as a pup.  The loco never wanted to stay on the rails and the tender would push it off the edge of the table.

[MTCarpenter]

I decided to let my Lionel James out to play on the new layout today...

Do you have any pictures of this?  I'd love to see it.  My kid flips for Thomas and the other engines and I'm really curious to see what you've got.

[Anonymous]

Here is an old pic (I hope), sorry it isn't clearer. I'll have to borrow the digi camera off the (ex)wife if you want more.


Mods include: LGB smoke unit, brass buffers (off a Mamod Live Steamer), working LGB headlamp and brass lampstands on the front buffer, Lehmann brake hoses, brass handrails, twin safety valves, a loop coupler attached to the pilot wheelset (to doublehead with Thomas of course), Lionel/Thomas driver, lowered tender body to match the cab, some paint, and about 1.5# of steel plate for weight (which probably contributed to the demise of the gearset). A lot of people have gotten a big kick out of this loco pulling a Lehmann Toytrain "Pustefix" bubble blowing car and/or animated aquarium car at shows (The bubble car is a LOT of fun, but boy does it make a sticky mess!)...I probably should get the dinosaur car too.

BTW The new "empire" is extremely boring at the moment --just a loop of used track on a piece of hunter green plywood. I need to fish the buildings and cars out of the old garden in the next few days, and I'm still looking for cheap or free houseplants to make it an indoor "garden" RR

[MTCarpenter]

No, that's just fine!  Very nice.  Well done!!  My son would flip if I had one of those.  I thought about getting him an HO Thomas or James set, but he's only 3 right now, and I'm trying to funnel funds to my GRR right now... :)

Thanks for sharing that.  Very cool.

[Tom The Brat]

Given that Caleb is 14 now... Perhaps somebody will make some again about the time I have grandkids to enjoy it.

[RR Redneck]

Good to hear.

[Anonymous]

I usually call Northwest Shortline (nwsl.com?) for parts to models a lot of people gave up on. I have repaired some imported and out of production engines with their parts. Most of the time I can't stump them. The cool thing on the gears is you can order metal gears and they will last. I recently bought five USA Trains blomberg motor blocks that were stripped out, one with a blown motor, for $5 a piece. New nwsl motors are $30 and the gears I need are $15. 4 gears and 1 motor are $90. USA lists each replacement block at $100. One day these will become a pair of MP15 ACs. Mike.

[Anonymous]

the parts arrived today...not a bad turnaround time! If this doesn't work (or work for long)  it will be time to look at butchering a B'mann Mining Mogul drive to fit