What are the two little wires for between the cab of a Lionel 1656 and it’s tender? I can run the loco with or without them and it doesn’t seem to make a difference.
-Thanks in advance
-B in B
One wire connects the coil coupler on the loco to the sliding pickup shoe on the tender. The other goes to the tender frame to provide some additional grounding (to the outside rails) for the motor. (Based on Lionel Service Manual info.)
BTW, if it’s actually an 0-2-0, you have a really rare factory variation which would be worth a lot of money!
Martin