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Why does Thomas fly??

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KRM
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Why does Thomas fly??
Posted by KRM on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 3:52 PM

I just got an early Thomas the tank engine and it FLYS around the track ??  Travel

In the owners manual they state that it is specially configured for slow operation to prevent de-railments, especially for young train operators. You may notice more throttle rotation is necessary for Thomas the tank than for other Lionel’s.. Not the case with mine. It also said it has a "power up reset" where it will start in forward if it has been off for some time. Not mine???????

How can I slow it down?

Any ideas?

Tks,

Kev.

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 4:37 PM

sounds like someone has done some tinkering with yours. you could always put some wings on himLaugh

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KRM
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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 4:53 PM

RT,

It looks to be one of the first production runs. It is a 610871900 in the parts break down on the box it is a 6-18719-200

The manual calls for a 6-18719-250

It also is quite different than the newer 6-18728 if you look at the two part break downs..

Maybe it was just made that way? I would like to slow it somehow

like a rheostat or something like that?? It pulls very good I have 8 cars behind it with no problem but the traction tire is pretty dry so I am going to change that.

 When I first put it on the track it would run very slow for a few secs then take off like crazy then solw. But after a lub job now it just flys around the track.

E-bay special, I have $36.99 in it so I can mess with it some.

Tks,

 Kev

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 5:13 PM
Still say we can make some wings for it LOL

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Posted by Boxcar Bill on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 6:01 PM

You should try this e-unit    6108719103

Factory Trained Lionel Service Tech.
KRM
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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 6:09 PM

Bill,

 The parts list claims that is what is in it. Do you think it is bad?

 

 The other engine 6-18741 shows these   6100107100   E-UNIT / CONVENTIONAL / DC MTR / (ALT: 6100103100)

Tks,

 Kev

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 6:21 PM

KRM

Bill,

 The parts list claims that is what is in it. Do you think it is bad?

 

 The other engine 6-18741 shows these   6100107100   E-UNIT / CONVENTIONAL / DC MTR / (ALT: 6100103100)

Tks,

 Kev

 

 

Bill,

 I just looked and it has a 600-0103-001 E-unit in it now.  It does not look like anyone has changed anything in this engine???

 Is that the issue?

 Tks,

 Kev.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by Boxcar Bill on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 7:01 PM

Maybe someone put a 103 or 107 unit in as a replacement. The part number should be on the unit.

 

Bill

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KRM
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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 7:36 PM

Boxcar Bill

Maybe someone put a 103 or 107 unit in as a replacement. The part number should be on the unit.

 

Bill

 Bill,

 Like I said in the earler post It has a 600-0130-001 in it. That is the number on the e-unit. Is that the wrong unit?

Tks,

 Kev.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 8:55 PM

Kev, tell me about your transformer set-up? Is Thomas getting too much 'power'?

 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 9:44 AM

Doug I don't think so,

Just the same ZW I use for everything else that I got from Chief.

It is controllable but push up the handle and look out!

Even at the lowest setting just before it will stop it still moves pretty fast.

Kev

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 10:10 AM
Maybe thomas is going thru his second child hood and thinks hes a teenager and all he knows is stop or go like $#@! :)

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Posted by Eriediamond on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 10:41 AM

I'm not an electronics expert by any means, but would it be possible to place a resister in the locomotive circuit? Maybe someone with electronics know-how can advise how to do this. Just a thought.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, April 13, 2012 9:48 AM

I ordered the e-unit today and will swap it out when i get it.

 Hope that will take care of it.

 Tks,

 Kev

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by Banks on Friday, April 13, 2012 8:36 PM

How can the wrong E-unit make it run faster?

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Posted by gunrunnerjohn on Monday, April 16, 2012 1:51 PM

I'd consider three or four sets of back-to-back diodes in series with one of the motor leads to drop the starting voltage to the motor.  A resistor is a poor choice, since the voltage will vary with current, but the diodes will have a constant drop of around .7 volts for each set.  The back-to-back configuration allows current to flow in either direction, since I presume you'd like reverse capability. Laugh

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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 2:44 PM

Banks

How can the wrong E-unit make it run faster?

Banks.

Here is how it is listed. I guess it is modified to make it go slow?

 Perhaps something like John suggested?

             6108719103         E-UNIT W/O BRKT MODIFIED (SLOW)

Kev.

 

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, April 20, 2012 4:16 PM

Well got the new e-unit from Lionel and installed it into Thomas. Smile

I know it wired it correctly because it was the same as the one in it.

Anyhow, He ran crazier than ever. Fast, slow, jurk, leap forward, stop, burn out an go like nuts.  Surprise  Just like the other one would do at times???  Bang Head  Bang Head

Then all of a sudden it stopped and I could smell the sweet sent of electrical fire.    Surprise  Surprise  Huh?

That was that for the e-unit. Dead  Ick!  Black Eye

So I installed the original and just load it up with 8 or 9 cars to slow it down. Whistling

What the heck???   Confused  Confused

Kev

 

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Friday, April 20, 2012 5:44 PM

KRM

Well got the new e-unit from Lionel and installed it into Thomas. Smile

I know it wired it correctly because it was the same as the one in it.

Anyhow, He ran crazier than ever. Fast, slow, jurk, leap forward, stop, burn out an go like nuts.  Surprise  Just like the other one would do at times???  Bang Head  Bang Head

Then all of a sudden it stopped and I could smell the sweet sent of electrical fire.    Surprise  Surprise  Huh?

That was that for the e-unit. Dead  Ick!  Black Eye

So I installed the original and just load it up with 8 or 9 cars to slow it down. Whistling

What the heck???   Confused  Confused

Kev

 

 

Lets see we overload it so it slows down some in the mean time were putting a strain on the motor and in time we burn out the motor Laugh

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, April 20, 2012 6:12 PM

Sure RT,

Why not any replace parts I get from Lionel are junk out of the box. Can't throw good money after bad. When it smokes I will add it to the Lionel modern era junk yard. Laugh

 Kev

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Friday, April 20, 2012 6:47 PM

Oh no! I wonder why it burnt out so fast?

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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