it looks good from here although I can’t really see the brushes. I would rewire it since you already have it open or atleast check the wires to make sure they aren’t too brittle. The motor brushes are very inexpensive and one of the first things to go so changing them is recommended.
Fixed the 1st pic’s link above not that it will be much more help. lionelsoni is that washer a grey or a light black color? If it was then it didn’t get lost just so saturated till it didn’t work anymore. It looked like there was somthing in the residue but wasn’t sure. Thought about adding another Lockon and the other end just have to get to the spool of speaker wire i have the basement is being cleaned and gota move the stuff in my work area to get to it so i can make one long enough to reach. Yeah thinking about changing the brushes never done that before would have to read up on what to do. I’ve got some experience in electronics and wiring but when it comes to motors and generators not much experience but a quick learner if i find the right info. The wiring isn’t brittle at all and really in good shape for being braided cord wire it’s hard to tell in the pics but the wires aren’t really dirty that darkness is because the insulation is saturated with oil. Gota check them closer to see if there’s any gaps in the insulation where it might be shorting against the body. If i replace them what guage should i replace them with? Checked the worm gear and drive stuff certain areas there’s almost too much oil but in others there doesn’t look like too much to me. Going to try and oil those few places and check the wiring better today since not much is going to get done Sat and most of Sunday. Let you know if i find anything else.
Got real busy after i last wrote finally was able to do what i said above late last week. Cleaned the engine and checked over and am fixing a few of the other cars with minor maintance like replacing dead light bulbs, cleaning and even got the lanterns working for the switches on the track. For the most part it looked like everything was running better with the only problem i knew of being was after running the train at any voltage after about 10 mins or so the train would act as if someone turned up the voltage and the train went noticibly faster usually to almost the point of derailing. Usually all you had to do was dial down the voltage a little so it was going at it’s original speed and everything was ok then. Monday was running it and 20 mins into running it don’t know if that speed up happened or not but it was going into the turn and derailed. Put it all back on the track and tried to start the train up again and it did that buzz and the light on the transformer dimmed thing again. Usually when that happens you pull the power plug and walk away for about a half hour and it runs again. This time walked away till the next day and tried it and nothing changed still was doing it. Started checking cars and the tender had a wire broke so i fixed it and reconnected everything and tried again with the same results. Next took everything but the engine off the track and tried and it started moving around the track like it should. Stopped it and reconnected everything that was connected originally and also worked then. The only cars that were drawing power on the whole train were the engine and tender the caboose and searchlight car were still being worked on so weren’t attatched. Between the speed up and the not working at all and then working is it more likely it’s still the train or should i be looking in the direction of the transformer now?
Been working a few more days on the train and now i think i’ve gotten this problem with it down to something in the tender. The only time it really starts going haywire is when it goes over the uncoupling unit and and uncouple the cars behind it and then it dies on the same spot every time on the track too which is about 7-9 feet away from the uncoupler and gives that look at the transformer like it’s shorting. Everything is on the track right and only way to fix it is remove the tender and at that point the engine starts up no problem. Is there a site or book that has blueprints for these older trains so i can get info like what size bolts go into where or what gauge wiring to use for rewiring?
Cool thanks for the help.