3656 cattle car won't operate

[Dobson]

Perplexed on this one. The platform works but my car won't operate when lined up with the gate. Both of the correct cleaned blades are in place for the car yet nothing happens. Checked the wiring and it is all good to operate the platform. I have 2 cattle cars and they both won't operate.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[cwburfle]

To help diagnose the problem, I suggest trying your cattle cars on a standard UCS track. Since you have two cars that won't operate, I suspect they will work fine on the UCS. The doors should open, and the ramp should vibrate.
If that is the case, then the problem lies in your corral (platform)

[Dobson]

I tested them both by activating the blades with leads. They work. In the platform there is a copper contact touching the top of the base and a gray bar that leads to one of the power blades that isn't flush to the copper. Could this be the issue. The copper could be polished and the power blade strap isn't sitting flat?

[cwburfle]

Below, you find a link to one of the service manual pages on the corral. I am not clear on what you are asking. If you have a continuity checker, check for continuity between the binding posts and the two blades. One post should show continuity to each blade.
The contact strip (lower right corner of page) should have a path to one of the terminals.

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/opcar/oc3656p8.pdf

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=545

[BigJim]

cwburfle

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=545

Looking at the first page, I'm curious as to why the adhesive washer needs to be dipped in carbon-tetrachoride?

[cwburfle]

Carbon Tet activated the glue they were using at the time. References to the chemical show up from time to time in the Lionel factory service manual. I don't think you can purchase it any longer. I wouldn't want to use it anyway. It is nasty stuff that causes all sorts of health problems. I assume the dangers of carbon tet wasn't well understood then. Here is the wikipedia article on it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tetrachloride