Barrel Car question

[trainsfan]

I have a 3652 barrel car.  In the instructions, it states to have only one pick-up shoe on the remote track section or it will short out.  My barrel car only works when the car is centered on the remote track and both shoes are on the remote track.  Is the remote track wired wrong?  Also, the barrels don't seem to move unless the power is all the way up.  Is this normal?  Thanks!

[brianel027]

As far as the slide shoes, they should be one side of the car - due to the car length. They are connected together, with the ground coming from the wheels to the metal frame of the car.

I've modified mine with a roller pick up and a mini off-on switch on the under side of the car body toward the edge, so I can operate the car anywhere on the layout. And yes, it does require the power to be up higher. Though I'm using a 1033 with the B-U voltage setting of a top 11 volt voltage and that works fine.

You can tinker with the operation of the car for voltage efficiency by loosening the screw that holds the coil and then with power on and some barrels on the car, try sliding the coil a little bit in each direction until you find it operates best, then tighten the screw again.

If that doesn't work, it's possible the ramp has been bent downward too much at some point if this is a used item. Remove the shell and you can slightly adjust the metal ramp or conveyor assembly as Lionel calls the part. You'll see the angled posts that hold the ramp. Also make sure the screws that hold the ramp are tightly screwed down. Over the years, the normal vibration of the car can loosen these.

The barrel ramp car is another real cool operating car, and like the operating milk car, is reliable and pretty trouble free.

Making sure the metal slide is clean will also help a little. Use something like Lemon Pledge to wipe it down good. One more little tip: I use smaller barrels that I got at a craft shop - smaller than the Lionel ones that come with the car. The smaller ones work better for me.

[trainsfan]

Thanks for the help.  I moved the slider and it works great now.  It still only works when centered on the operating track section though.  Does this mean my operating track is wired so all the control rails are powered?  The only other car I have that is operating is a milk car and that works fine.  Thanks again!

[phillyreading]

I have the 3659 operating dump car from pre-war time and it does take some extra power to work the old electrical solenoid in it. Far as being centered on the uncoupling track, I am not sure on that. One thing that I have seen is that the electric uncoupler(box or knuckle coupler) feature is wired to the closest pick-up shoe and the operating feature works off of one of the two pick-up shoes that make contact with the uncoupling track's rails.

Most of the stuff in pre war used a 'solenoid', it was the high tech item of the day back then.

The 3652 is listed as an operating gondola car(pre war, 1939 to 1942)by Greenberg's price guide.

Lee F.

[lionelsoni]

André-Marie Ampère invented the solenoid in 1820.

[trainsopray1]

 

The barrel car works with two sliders on the unloading track. Perhaps some one changed

the wiring hook up in you  barrel car. The lonel dwgs indicate the two slider shoes working

at once with the car centered on the uncoupeling track.  Get the car wired up correctly and

it will function well. Tom O'Pray Rockville,MD

[phillyreading]

lionelsoni

André-Marie Ampère invented the solenoid in 1820.

Thank you Bob!

And Lionel put the solenoid to good use in a lot of their products, that is what I am referring to, not to who made it. 022 switch motors and electric uncoupling devices for both pre war and post war.

Lee F.