Although I have seen a lot of trouble.....
right now I am enjoying the fruits of my labor. Everything running properly. Rotating Lionel engines, running some that haven't been run in quite a while. I have decided that I like the Look of the '47 2025, but like the muscle of the 2035. Rotated cars also. Off with the operating dump and log cars, out with the bright colorful cars.It's a nice change.
I still have more repairs: pick up wires on an N gauge diesel. A broken wire on a Marx searchlight car. Cracked pick up wires on the 2055's tender.
But I have enough stuff running properly to keep me busy...
Paul
Gosh, that's awful generous of you! I'd happily take you up on the offer. I'll be sure to send a video after all's said and done so you can see it at work I should really buy a few, but I have a lot of locomotives and I have a hard time deciding what to buy first and when. I wish it was possible to buy pellet smokers as "roll your own", but I haven't seen anyone selling just the mica and ceramic parts so I will have to buy kits. For me the appeal of not buying assemblies, but just the parts, is that it saves me a few bucks, and I get to enjoy the challenge of putting more stuff together! It's a big win-win for me (Though I will admit that currently, E-Units are still some of my least favorite things to put back together)-Ellie
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
Ellie, I can't tell you what kind of nichrome wire to use, I'm at a loss.
However, I've got a spare pellet smoke unit rebuild kit from Henning's, if you'd like it you can have it. My e-mail's in my profile, just give me an address to send it to.
I've used the Henning's rebuild kits in the past and they work just fine. No instructions come with them but they're easy to figure out.
Wayne, using the 40 AWG Nichrome 80 wire I just wasn't getting more than a very meager output of smoke. This was even outside the housing, just connecting leads to either end of the wire and putting a drop of smoke fluid on the element. It just wasn't getting hot enough.I'm wondering if it's a case of the wire being too small to carry enough current? What's the "correct" stuff anyway... the issue with using the wire from the 6110 was that I couldn't straighten it out enough that it wouldn't present issues, I couldn't get tight, precise turns on it so it was impossible to avoid some of the turns touching eachother. It smoked way too well. Paul, it was too much smoke for me too. I love my flyer locomotives that puff smoke, but they smoke very well so I can't overdo it. Most of my Lionel locomotives with pellet units don't smoke, or smoke poorly. Eventually I'll attend to all of them.-Ellie
pennytrainsBut if you want to get technical it's not SUPPOSED to smoke...
Hmmmm, yeah. Kind of like when my 736 started smoking out of places it wasn't supposed to!
A wacky e-unit problem I was able to fix. Whew.
About the only time I don't want smoke is under the Christmas tree. The engines pulling the trains are smoke off, sound off. I only want the visual dynamics.
Swiss-Colorado-Lines Ellie, great news about the 681! That turned out well! Be careful what you wish for: I had to give it a break. Had all my best smokers running in the train room. It was too much! Put the non smokers out for a while.Sometimes it is good to have a few engines around that Don't smoke.... Paul
Ellie,
great news about the 681! That turned out well! Be careful what you wish for:
I had to give it a break. Had all my best smokers running in the train room. It was too much! Put the non smokers out for a while.Sometimes it is good to have a few engines around that Don't smoke....
I've got the opposite problem since I moved. I had 10 and now I only have 3 that are so equipped. Unless you count my American Flyer 3195. But if you want to get technical it's not SUPPOSED to smoke...
Same me, different spelling!
Swiss-Colorado-Lines Becky, people that know me sometimes don't believe me when I'm playing it straight. Although my daughter can always sus it out when I'm joking by the mischievous twinkle in my eye.... I can't make it stop.... Paul
Becky,
people that know me sometimes don't believe me when I'm playing it straight. Although my daughter can always sus it out when I'm joking by the mischievous twinkle in my eye....
I can't make it stop....
Me neither! I've stuck my foot in it more times than I can remember!
LeverettrailfanI'm still working out the smoker, I need some different wire I think, the wire I have doesn't seem to want to heat up in the pellet unit,
Just a couple of quick checks Ellie. First off, make sure the lead wire to the smoke units heating element is connected to where the wire from the pick-up rollers connects to the e-unit. If it's on the wrong side it won't get enough voltage to heat up properly. I made that mistake myself, and you don't know who's been inside your 681 in the past and what they might have done in there.
Second, make sure the heating element's grounded properly. If there's corrosion or gunk build-up in the smoke unit pot where the copper grounding tab meets the pot that'll cause the heating element to fail to heat up, I've seen that too.
My dad has been doing well, teaching me the ropes of being silly. I can't turn it off either...I couldn't post last time I wanted, but the 681 is up and running, and she runs beautifully! I'm still working out the smoker, I need some different wire I think, the wire I have doesn't seem to want to heat up in the pellet unit, even with barely any turns, I think I need a heavier gauge wire. Anyone know what it should be? I think I can probably find and measure some original wire, in theory... I tried to patch the unit up by pulling apart the element of a trashed 6110 but that hasn't panned out. Still, smoker aside she's in great shape. I put her through some paces entertaining my little cousins earlier tonight and everything seemed to go well. I have a feeling that I may have just found myself my new favorite engine to run At least my favorite steamer. I really love my 2321 FM, that thing's a real pleasure for the sheer pulling power it has, combined with the cool, quiet ease with which it just walks away with anything I put behind it. But the 681? It's got the same wow-factor for me. It doesn't growl like a monster, and yet it doesn't mess around, it really can pull. No slouch for a single-motor loco. The rumors were true!-Ellie
Flint,
I have 2 2025's('47 version), and 2 2035's. They are all great pullers! The '35's have more bite on steel tubular track, but stainless I imagine they would be identical. These engines are so similar,I imagine someone just swapped out the entire motor, doesn't seem like it would be any trouble at all.
You're very lucky: you've got a 2035 with a nice set of custom rims.....
Swiss-Colorado-Lines Many times people have trouble discerning when I'm joking, and when I'm serious.... I could never be a Serious train collector but seriously folks....
Many times people have trouble discerning when I'm joking, and when I'm serious....
I could never be a Serious train collector
but seriously folks....
I know what you mean. When I referred to knowledge being dangerous I was referring to myself.
OK, more on the continuing saga of my Blockbuster 2035.
No Magne-Traction on this one. So, I'm wondering if I've got a rare variation (unlikely) OR if someone in the past did a motor and driver assembly swap, which is more likely.
Doesn't matter to me at any rate, it's a good runner and puller and I'm more than happy with it! And that's all that matters, right?
pennytrains OK. I'm even more confused now! I pulled out Doyle's Standard Catalog and both the 675 and 2025 were 2-6-2's when they had Baldwin drivers. Both got sintered iron wheels in 52 when they became 2-6-4's. So, now I think someone did exactly what I would like to do. They switched the drivers for the better looking wheels! Is anything magnetized? That should cinch it.
OK. I'm even more confused now! I pulled out Doyle's Standard Catalog and both the 675 and 2025 were 2-6-2's when they had Baldwin drivers. Both got sintered iron wheels in 52 when they became 2-6-4's. So, now I think someone did exactly what I would like to do. They switched the drivers for the better looking wheels! Is anything magnetized? That should cinch it.
That's a good question! But I won't be checking for magnetized wheels anytime soon, as of this time (11:55 AM) it's deluging outside and I can't get to the Chugger Barn without getting drownded!
Swapping the drivers seems to me like it'd be more trouble than it's worth but you never know, do you?
"I don't know who said 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing'" said Red Green! But I'm sure they were a toy train collector!
When superheating was a new feature on steam engines, over a hundred years ago, Pennsylvania railroad used an "S" suffix to indicate a locomotive was superheater equipped. Hence: K-4s, E-6s, etc. Of course, later on superheating was a standard feature, and the s was dropped.
In that vein, perhaps you have a 2035b ! ( b for Baldwin drivers)
The Baldwins are pretty, though...
pennytrains Ummm....I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But, in looking at the pics you sent me of the Chugger Barn, your 2035 has Baldwin Disc drivers with nickel rims. The 2035's all had sintered iron rimless drivers for the Magnetraction. So it has to be a 2035 shell on a 2025 or 675 chassis. Personally I like the look of the Baldwin wheels better! But I thought you might want to know.
Ummm....I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But, in looking at the pics you sent me of the Chugger Barn, your 2035 has Baldwin Disc drivers with nickel rims. The 2035's all had sintered iron rimless drivers for the Magnetraction. So it has to be a 2035 shell on a 2025 or 675 chassis.
Personally I like the look of the Baldwin wheels better! But I thought you might want to know.
What? Don't go away, stay right here, I'm running out to the Chugger Barn for a look.
Thumpity-thumpity-thumpity-thump.
OK, I'm back. You're right, it does have nickel rims! Ah, no big deal, I got it cheap, those nickel rims look good, and it's a good puller. And of course, it's got "The Look." Everything I want!
No Magne-Traction's no big deal, it wouldn't do me any good since I run on nickel-silver track anyway.
Now, I wonder if I should call it a 675A or a 2025A? Hmm, it's a quandary.
Swiss-Colorado-LinesCool !!! You have the 2035 now? Nice engine,eh?
Oh yeah, I've had it since the Greenberg Fredericksburg show late last year. I'd wanted one ever since I saw Becky's on one of her videos. Big, chunky and heavy, that's why I call it the Blockbuster. Really a caricature of a Pennsy K4, but it's oh so cool!
Cool !!! You have the 2035 now? Nice engine,eh?
What is fun about both of these engines is that they are somewhat of a caricature of the real ones! The turbine is shrunken done and compressed, the 2035 is seriously shortened , and lead and trailing truck reversed!
But, that's why I like 'em! A bit of whimsy never hurt anybody......
You know, all this talk about 681's n'such made me run out to the Chugger Barn and set my Mighty Pennsy Turbine up with some MPC steamliner cars, AND set up my 2035 Blockbuster with a train of "Ham, Bacon, and Lard" cars plus "Ham and Bacon" cars AND the Heinz pickle reefers. I let 'em run free for 45 minutes and now I'm back inside the Fortress Flintlock smelling of JT's Mega Steam.
Life is good!
Paul: first you have to upload it to YouTube then just copy the share link and paste it here. I have been doing the same thing for photos from my Shutterfly account since now I do more with my smarty phone rather than the PC.
I've never actually tried to post a video here. I used to be able to post pictures, but can't seem to get it to work these days.... no idea why....
So, you get to listen to me blab! Got a lot of stories, though....
What a thrill, congrats!!! I'm hoping that I can get my 681 to smoke good once I rebiild the smoke unit... it's dead right now. I should have all I need to make it work again, in theory... nichrome wire, & some fiberglass material. Wish me luck, at this rate I may well be tackling it this week.-ElliePS: any chance you could post a vid of that whistle in action? Just for funsies
coming along great! You'll have it running before too long.
I borrowed a 'round tuit from Becky and serviced my ( new?) 2026's tender. Turns out it just needed a basic servicing: clean comm, replace pick up wires. Great tone. This engine turns out to be one of my best smokers!
Tested the tender again by itself, it seems pretty peppy. Now I need the loco working. I spent a while taking my time, working on taking it all apart, and beginning to clean things up. As of this update, I've finished cleaning the frame, wheels, drive rods and drive rod screws, the motor has been cleaned and lubed- I soldered in a small piece of brass to replace the broken piece on one of the brush holders, which one end of the brush spring is held against. It doesn't look especially elegant but it's not so bad, and it allows me to do away with the far more unsightly bodged solution that it had when I got it. I replaced the brushes too. It seems to run well.As usual, I spent quite a while making sure I got every single scrap of old lube I could out of the gearing. I like to make sure that there's nothing left before I apply new lube. I dsicovered during this, that a chunk of the brass worm gear was missing- one side of 2 of the teeth. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to have any affect on the meshing of the gears, they turn smoothly and freely without any nasty noises or odd behavior. I also tweaked the cab steps to try and undo some of the deformation it had. It looks much better to me now. Next on the agenda is to get the collector assembly and E-Unit in tip-top shape so I can test run it. Of course, I may opt to put some other things first. I need to figure out a temporary truck screw for the front truck, to replace the incorrect screw it had (wrong thread and everything, it was just forced in there). We'll see how I do. Eventually it should probably get a proper reproduction screw. I also need to figure out how to bring back some life to the rear truck spring, without removing the truck rivet. It was much easier to do for the front truck, again we'll see how I make out. I'm so excited! I can barely wait to get to run it. Hopefully next post I think to snap some pictures.-Ellie
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