Help! I recently was given my family’s old Lionel trains. They have been in storage for at least 15 years and need good cleaning…tracks included. I am new to this and would like to see if I could get them running for my kids like my father did for my family. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you.
Liz
Welcome back! Kalmbach has a couple of how to books on repairing and maintaining Lionel trains. Sorry I cant give you any tips,Im an ho nut,but Im sure youll get some from the Lionel boys out there! But the Kalmbach books are good,you dont have to be a TV repairman to understand the mechanics with proper instruction. Most good hobby shops carry Kalmbach and if they dont have the particular subject,get it online here or walthers.com for any Kalmbach how to books and others. Whew! Hope that helps any. Gerald
Liz, did you notice that Trains.com has a “Toy Train Operating and Collecting” forum as well as this one? You are more likely to find the Lionel experts on that forum as most Lionel trains are toys rather than models, although Lionel has made a few very fine (and very expensive) model trains as well.
Hi Liz,
Unless your trains are showing signs of severe rusting, most Lionel trains usually only require a little lubrication to get them running again. I can give you some specific instuctions if you can provide me with additional details as to the type of pieces you have and their numbers.
If you search this site on “cleaning” you will hit several articles on cleaning such as “Cleaning Plastic Cars”.
As far as lubrication goes, any exposed gears under the locomotive and internally where the motor shaft interfaces with the drive gears should be greased. This will help the engine run smoother. Also, a drop or two of light weight oil at the top of the motor armature will also help. Again, if you can identify the type of engine and number, I can provide specific directions.
Even without lubrication, the locomotive should operate, although it may run a little rough.
You should also check the wiring on the locomotive and especially the transformer. Depending on the storage conditions, the wiring jacketing can become brittle. This can be dangerous especially relative to the power cord on the transformer. If when flexing the power cord, you can see the rubber jacketing cracking, the transformer should be serviced by a specialist prior to attempting to plug it in.
Again, post some additional details on type of components (steam engine, diesel, caboose, etc.), the number on the engine or car and a description of the condtion (dirty, rust on wheels, brittle wiring, etc.) and we can provide additional details and help.
As for the track, a little oxidation and small spots of rust will only tend to reduce the electrical conductivity of the track and thereby reduce the power to an engine compared to new track. Severe rusting can be removed with sandpaper. This will remove the “tin” plating on the track. However, most of the plating is gone anyway due to the rusting. This is a lot of work, but can improve the tracks conductivity somewha
I’m in HO, but clean track/wheels is applicable to all gauges. On the top of this Home page click on
Model trains,then scroll down to Modeling Reference
then click on Layout Maintenance,then click on Back to Basics-clean wheels. When you get to the bottom of the article,click on the link cleantrains.com
All of us should review this link.Another site,go
to http://ttx-dee-com/technews/clean_machine.htm These sites have most of the procedures.
Thank you all for responding. The locomotives do not have rust, found this out after all the dust was off, just some paint chipped off. I don’t know if they are diesel or steam. One has 1001 on the side of it. It is black, has a light and also smoke pellets, which I have quite a few of those. The other is black and has 2026 on the side. It also has a light. The wires on the transformer look questionable. Are they able to be rewired or whatever it is that it needs to run??
Thanks again to those who responded.
Your a brave man Gregg! There are a lot of Lionel experts here on this forum and they get mean when provoked! I`m in ho,but I know there are a lot of competent Lionelboys here at this site. Trains.com is good,but personally,I always check this site first and then on to trains.com. There are experts at both sites. Keep on trainin! Gerald
Sorry brain fade. When I first read Greggs letter about trains.com I was thinking onlinetrains.com. Yeah Yeah, I know Im at trains.com,just a brain fart. You got to hand it to me though,I spoke up for Lionel modelers. Sooo dont hurt me! Gerald
Hi Liz,
If the transformer power cord is starting to show signs of becoming brittle and cracking you should take it to a Lionel Service Station for repair. Since the power cord and some of the internal wiring carry 120V household voltage, there can be an electrical shock hazard. Replacing the power cord is relatively simple and can be done correctly by any Service Starion. The Sercice Station can also show you where to lubricate the locomotives and provide the right type of oil and grease. My guess is that the engines will work fine once the transformer is checked out. I will email you some general information on how to hookup the transformer to the track and some general lubrication and maintenance instructions tonight.
Regards,
Tim Pignatari
Hi Liz,
I found the following article on the Lionel website on cleaning track:
Back to:
Technical Tips
Aesthetic Tips
Maintenance Tips
Cleaning Dirt Build-Up on Wheels and Track
Light oil spray is an excellent solvent for the dirt that builds up on car and engine wheels and track rails. I use Q tips saturated with light oil spray to remove the build up on wheels and a cloth saturated with light oil spray on the rails. If the build up is severe, I first use a utility knife to scrape off the sediment, then finish with light oil spray.
W. J. Zide
Lincroft, N.J.
How To Clean Lionel Track
So you just went to your neighbor’s garage sale and you found a treasure, a box full of Lionel trains and accessories. You’re so excited, you cannot wait to set it up to see that new treasure running down the track. But to your dismay, you look in the bottom of the box and find out that the track is not in very good condition. There is all kinds of dirt, grime and even some rust on the rails. What can you do to get it in a condition that will allow your train to run smoothly without stopping or hesitating?
Rust can be removed with sandpaper. Non-metallic kitchen scouring pads work well too, but never use steel wool on track. Small particles tend to stick to the rails until they are picked up by a locomotive. This can cause damage to your locomotive. Check each section to be sure all three steel pins are in place and tight. If necessary, crimp the track around the pin with needle-nose pliers to ensure a tight fit.
The top running surfaces of the rails are most important surfaces to keep clean for good operation.
They must be free of dirt, oxide and rust. Try to wipe the surfaces to keep clean rails with a soft cloth occasionally after use to clean off any minor dirty spots. A hard eraser will take off any stubborn spots of grime.
Now that your track is clean and electrically soun
Hi Liz,
I have copies of the original operating instructions for both your 2026 “Prairie” steam set and the 1001 “Scout” steam set. They describe how to set everything up, how to lubricate and maintain the engines and other helpful information. Contact me at at my email address “pignat@gateway.net” and I will send you TIF files of them.
Tim Pignatari