I clicked on the Link above Trainz article on the Lionel Generals locomotives , and there were no pictures where the pictures should be.
Steve
Here is the Trainz article on the Lionel Generals locomotives.
Click 'Back to Articles' on top for other interesting articles.
Larry
Been out of town lately - finally getting caught up.
Thanks for the reply on the smoke stack temperature, Kev. Mine puffs fine, so I will 'run and monitor'.
I have converted double wound 200 series Alco motors to 3 position e-units, but only by using one of the windings. Might be interesting to try what Lionelsony has suggested. It will be a while before I get to it, though.
fifedog See you have the Lionel mail pouch accessory. How has it worked for ya?
See you have the Lionel mail pouch accessory. How has it worked for ya?
Fife, that was a gift from submmbob about a month ago. I painted the bag but have not yet tried to make it work. I will let you know how it goes when I get there. It is all there but I have to figure out how I want to use it and with what car. My guess is making it work will be a PITA. Hope not! Hey it looks good,,,Right???
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
lionelsoni "...you will only use one of the two field windings." You can do it that way, or use both windings in series for slower operation. Leave connected together the ends of the two field windings that are already connected together and treat the other, free ends of the two windings as the ends of the new, longer winding.
"...you will only use one of the two field windings."
You can do it that way, or use both windings in series for slower operation. Leave connected together the ends of the two field windings that are already connected together and treat the other, free ends of the two windings as the ends of the new, longer winding.
Bob that sounds like a great idea. It will slow it down some and add more power to the smoke unit at the same time.
I don't plan on doing anything right away but when I do I will be asking for a wiring diagram from you. Maybe 8N can try it out first, he already has an extra e-unit.
Thanks!!
Bob Nelson
The 1892 General from 2008 or so also had a light bleed issue with the headlight. Seems to have been fixed with later releases. I did find a vendor on eBay that sells replacement headlight housings. Tried one that was black with a gold stripe around the non-existent lens. No bleed through and I like the way it looks on this model. Maybe not keeping it pure, but it solved the problem for me.
KRM - enjoyed watching your video (several times now). Looks like you got a good one (kinda balances out the headaches you head with your Rio Grande...), at a very good price.
Sorry...a little late to this party...lol
I'm NOT an MTH guy by any stretch.
I acquired a 4-4-0 "The Wanderer" from my train store when it closed (from the Wild Wild West movie). It smokes like crazy and when the battery is charged, it performs very well. It has a pre-programmed thing where it will do sounds and voices from the movie and start and stop by itself. I'm pleased with it, especially since it was free as no one wanted it. I use it for Christmas for the firehouse display and I have 3 or 4 cars (from the Lincoln Log set as well as some Christmas themed cars) and it has no trouble navagating the layout. For anyone thinking of a 4-4-0 "General" type, this one is pretty good.
I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.I am the venom in your skin --- Breaking Benjamin
8ntruck I would have thought that Mr. Tesla was involved in lighting those cars. KRM - how hot do your smoke stacks get? I was running mine for maybe 15 minutes last night. I thought that mine was uncomfortably warm , but I have not run across any reports of the smoke unit damaging the smoke stack.
I would have thought that Mr. Tesla was involved in lighting those cars.
KRM - how hot do your smoke stacks get? I was running mine for maybe 15 minutes last night. I thought that mine was uncomfortably warm , but I have not run across any reports of the smoke unit damaging the smoke stack.
Not sure 8N. I will run it today and tell you what I find. Mine requires very little power to go faster than I like even pulling 7 cars. Because of that there is not that much power going to the heat element and smoke output is what I consider low.
Yes,,,, Mr. Tesla. It runs on AC.
Update:
Well I just ran it for ½ hour 8N and the stack was warm but not too hot. I got readings of 99 degrees on the outside plastic when I first stopped it and if I left it powered up just enough it would not move the temps would go up to 110. Also inside the stack I got a 185 closer to the element. It seems to have good smoke output and plenty of air movement over the element. I would think if you have an obstruction in the air flow through the pump the temps could go up. Do you get a good puffing?
Hope this helps.
Firelock76 Man, you fixed the problem alright! Still, I kinda liked the glow in the dark effect, but then they ain't my cars. You do what you like, I won't say you're wrong. I guess Artemus Gordon and Jim West have left town for another assignment.
Man, you fixed the problem alright!
Still, I kinda liked the glow in the dark effect, but then they ain't my cars. You do what you like, I won't say you're wrong.
I guess Artemus Gordon and Jim West have left town for another assignment.
You know what Firelock. My wife loved the light bleed through to, on both the headlight and the cars. But then she likes it on those ceramic buildings she made me put on the layout. . For me, something MPC, well,, I don’t have much respect for their originality when Lionel was in, to me the darkest days, as was all of the manufacturing in the USA those days. So I will play with it and not feel to bad. JMHO.
It has been a fun project!!!! On to the Girder bridge project next.
Firelock76 Hmm, 19th Century railcars that glow in the dark. You can always say young Tom Edison's on board doing some experiments. Or maybe Artemus Gordon?
Hmm, 19th Century railcars that glow in the dark. You can always say young Tom Edison's on board doing some experiments.
Or maybe Artemus Gordon?
Firelock76, Is this better?8N, and Rob,
Three coats of flat black in the headlight bucket and three coats of flat black in the inside of the cars took care of the light seepage problems.
Before:
After:
ADCX RobLionel MPC/Fundimesions/LTI used cardboard "masks" for light control at some point, I thought it was these cars.
Nope not on these cars. The cars from the 2011 Rio Grand set are good. These will need some work.
Here is a link I hope works guys. Running too fast but you get the idea. I have the MPC general hauling the tender and load from the Rio Grand set on the mail loop and the Rio Grand General hauling the MPC's load + a postwar milk car on the kids loop. Also you can see the mail pick-up set from Bob and the station from Ryan in the end of the video.
Rob
My initial thought was aluminum foil and contact cenent to light proof the headlight box. A couple of coats of black or silver paint would probably do the same job - would be a bunch easier to do too. Will have to see what I have laying around.
8N and Fife,
Wow the 6-8701 General # 3 set came today and it is absolutely un-run NIB. I Lubed it up and it runs great! It is much faster than the 2011 Denver & Rio Grand General Set but has nicer rod action and very good detail. Smoke output is about the same. The cars are also NIB never run. Glad you guys talked me into it.
Only thing on the down side is the light shining through the plactic on the headlight and cars. That can be fixed.
That is good to know Rob. Thanks.
Sounds like a 3 position e-unit would be a nice up-grade.
KRMI wonder if that motor is wound right for the 3 position e-unit???
It is, but you will only use one of the two field windings.
My 8701 set will arive today 8N. I wonder if that motor is wound right for the 3 position e-unit???
My test track was a small loop of 027 track - basically a circle with two 1/2 striagnts to make it kind of an oval.
With three P.E. heavyweights in tow, there seemed to be a little wheel slip. No problem getting them moving, though. I think the wheel slip was due to most of the train being in an 027 turn.
My research indicates that a 3 position e-unit will bolt right in place of the 2 position unit that is there. Looks like the correct e-unit will be the 100-12 that was used in the 1872 General only. The lever is up over the wire side of the e-unit and has an offset to match the slot in the shell.
I've got a spare e-unit in my parts box that came out of a 200 series Alco. I think I can turn the coil to get the lever in the right place and replace the lever with a longer one to allow the bends to line up with the shell.
8N how does it pull?? And yes the answers to those questions will be nice to know. Mine should be here on Monday.
BTW, Guys, I am glad to be here, Even wit the software issues. “And there are plenty of them” . I have been on other forums that are "self moderated" (not good) and there is no real train chat on them and no meat on the hobby. I did not always think that way but I am still able to learn. Glad we can discuss the hobby here without moderated perspective intervention. We all have the same hobby and we can all help each other in it. The things I learn here help me a lot in working on the layout. That is what it is all about to me!
My General arrived today. A quick test run out of the box tells me that it is in pretty good shape - the two position e-unit works, the smoker smokes, and the head light lights. The next step is to do a cleaning and lube job on it.
As I was running it, the hot rodder in me kicked in. Will a 3 position e-unit fit? Can I add some modern General wheels with traction tires? Would post war magnetraction parts fit? Shield the headlight so the whole headlight box does not glow?
KRM has already provided a partial answer for the wheel replacement. On another thread he points out that modern traction tire wheels are only available in a chassis assembly from Lionel parts.
Has anybody tried machining traction tire groves into wheels? Should be possible with a good fixture to hold the wheel and maybe a custom cutting tool.
Thanks Fife!
6-8701. The only add-on would be a brown W&ARR 7312 livestock car, which was actually included with the 8630 set.
fifedog Yep Kev, it's a set. It's basically a reissue of the 1872 set by MPC. But this time, with correct colors for the original "General". Very good price, btw.
Yep Kev, it's a set. It's basically a reissue of the 1872 set by MPC. But this time, with correct colors for the original "General". Very good price, btw.
Thanks guys, Do you know what the set number was for this MPC set?
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