Hello. This is my first post here. I am fairly new to O scale, being in HO for more than a decade, and have to say it was a good change. I am still sort of dumb to some things and wanted to ask before I possibly damage something. I purchased a 646 Lionel Hudson at a local train show this past Saturday. I took it home and tested it, and it ran ok. Just to be on the safe side, I took it apart and cleaned it as best I could. I greased the gears and lightly applied oil to the rods and running gear. I put it back together and have been enjoying this beauty ever since. My only concern is after running it for about 10-15 minutes, the boiler at the middle feels very warm. It is not hot, but very warm. I put my finger as far into the gap between the drivers and the boiler shell as it would go to try and feel how hot the motor is and it was fairly hot.
My other steamer, a MTH baby turbine, doesn’t seem to even get warm. The engine is not climbing any grades, is pulling about six MPC era plastic bodied freight cars, and I have been running it about 3/4 throttle with my MRC Tech 2 027 (which definately is not overpowering it)
I didn’t know if this might be common for a fifty year old engine, and I am fairly sure I lubricated it properly. If this is normal for postwar steam, that’s fine, but I thought I might ask some folks that have a tad more experience before flames start coming out of the stack.
Could be nothing as the 646 has an ac/dc type motor that produces heat,while the Mth engine uses a dc can motor with electronics for control and run much cooler. since you oiled and lubed your engine is probably fine, however it is always good to put new brushes in an old engine,they tend to absorb grease and moisture over the years.
Thank you very much for the advice, I will see about finding some brushes for the motor. I am kind of new to these trains, and just don’t want to mess anything up. Thanks again. [:)]
A warm welcome to the forum and “O” gauge. Feel free to ask any question, the guys and gals here are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Post war Lionel stock is generally pretty hard to kill. I also recommend that you replace the brushes and clean the faceplate that contacts the brushes. When I “overhaul” one of my steamers I always spray they gears and such with CRC QD Electronic Cleaner to get rid of any caked on oil and grease. Take a q-tip to get into those hard to reach places, a toothpick to clean the gooves on the faceplate. Once everything is clean I re-assemble with new brushes, lube the gears with Labelle grease and oil all the necessary places. Be careful here, lubing everything in site will spread an unnecessary amount of oil/grease on your track. The Greenberg Manual suggested below will help you. I have a 2046, which is the O27 sister to the 646 and she runs great, smokes up a storm and can pull a ton.
You’ll need to find a post war parts dealer if you’re going to persue post war stock, I suggest Jeff Kane at The Train Tender, http://www.ttender.com/, great guy and helpful, although there are others out there, I use Jeff. I also suggest you get a copy of Greenberg’s Repair and Operating Manual for Lionel Trains, 1945-1969. I find it pretty helpful.
Good luck and have fun. I’m sure if I’ve left anything out or mis-spoken one of the others will jump right in.
Nothing dumb about what you asked, better safe than sorry. Dumb is frying the 646 Hudson first, then asking questions later. Caution with a 56 year old acquisition sounds pretty smart to me. [tup] Guys on this Forum are very much into helping others avoid their mistakes.
Lots of great info and very helpful experts on this Forum, who never tire of the questions (do a search or 10) re cleaning, lubing, oiling (locations), brushes, commutator cleaning, wire replacement, smoke units, eunit repair, the works on the postwar steamers. You’ve come to the right place.
Thanks everyone for the advice. I am definately going to invest in that Greenburg manual, because barring $10.00 a gallon gas I see myself buying some more postwar. I like my MTH engine, but that 646 Hudson is awesome. I am going to order some brushes, and once they come in I will go over the engine again as per the instructions here. I might as well learn all I can because I think I am in O gauge to stay! Thanks again!
Welcome from a fellow new guy! The folks here are really knowledgeable and kind. I run postwar engines as well. The Greenburg Manual is worth it’s weight in gold. Highly recommend it. Good luck.
Hi John, good to see someone else from my neck of the woods. Mostly all Postwar here,too. I’ve got my own “backshop” and couldn’t do without the Greenberg manual.
I was also at the Charlotte show and probably saw your new engine. I picked up a pretty nice 2035 w/tender and some other odds & ends.
Welcome to the forum and don’t be afraid to ask questions, lots of friendly and knowledgable folks here.
If and when you place an order for those brushes, I’d suggest buying more than the two you need. Most postwar engines use the same brushes, so having them on hand will save time later perhaps. I’d also order new brush springs (in the same quantity as brushes) while I was at it. If I recall, each of these items are about a quarter each, but the shipping fees would eat you alive if you bought them one at a time.
Also, look around at the rest of your stuff, and see what else you need. Try to combine as many parts into one order as you can to save on shipping.
All this assumes that you don’t have a local dealer that stocks a lot of spare parts.
By the way, my second postwar steamer was a 2046 (same as your 646). It’s probably run more than any other engine I own, with the possible exceptions of Thomas or Percy. It’s a great looking engine, pulls well, and smokes well.
I can’t wait for EXCELSIORSS to get a 671/681/682/2020 and ask his next questions cause if he likes steamers wait till he see’s one of those or a berk lol
Hello everyone! Sorry I haven’t responeded, I have been at the beach for a few days.
Jwse30, Thanks for the tip. I will try to pick up several parts I need at the same time. I found that out when I ordered a washer for my banjo signal, a one dollar part with five dollar shipping. I think I can find a few more parts to order at the same time, at least spend as much as my shipping.
To rtraincollector, I have the MTH turbine, but would like a Lionel turbine. Call me crazy, but I want an 8404 turbine from the Pennsy FARR #5 set. I already have the single door boxcar, tank car, hopper from that set, and a mint double door boxcar is en route, and trust me, the stock car and caboose will not be far behind. The engine will have to be a Christmas present, they are a little pricey.
Rickoshay, that was a good train show, wasn’t it. I looked at a couple of your style engine, because the engine you bought was what I was really looking for, I just couldn’t find one in my price range. I guess my 646 was cheap because the guy hadn’t tested it, and couldn’t guarantee that it would work. I took a chance and got lucky I guess. It is funny, I used to gripe when I was in HO about all the “Lionel” stuff at the NC area train shows, [(-D] Now that I have switched, I am in hog heaven! I guess I just saw the light!
If you’re weather was anything like ours, the beach was a great place to be.
Most people on this forum can find a part or two they need or will need to justify the shipping. About 10 or 12 years ago, I belonged to a club that would place a parts order quarterly. You’d write down what you need and the total price, and they would add it to the list. Your dues would cover the shipping.
OK Crazy, it’s you’re turbine, get the one you want. I’d guess that it is superior to my 2020 smoke bulb 1
Even crazier still, not one, not two but three post war Lionel turbines, 671, 681 and a 2020 not to mention a 736 Berkshire and 2344 NYC F3 AA and assorted other steamers. Once bitten by the post war bug its all over!
Can’t say anything else in a long time besides my wife and kids has made me as happy as my post war trains.
You guys have gotten me curious. I confess to being somewhat ‘maintenance lazy’ or perhaps it’s ‘maintenance cautious’.
I also have a 646 (great engine, has pulled 23 postwar cars), as well as its cousin, the 2056 (nice, but only half the pulling power without Magnatraction), and numerous other postwar steam and diesel engines. I’ve never touched the brushes on any of them, and they all seem to run fine (I do clean, oil and lube the gears and axles, and clean the wheels).
What, if anything, am I risking by not replacing, or cleaning, the brushes and commutator if the seem to run fine?
If the engine runs ok then you are fine. The topic started as a PW engine running warm and old brushes could be one cause. However as noted above all of these engines get warm and if run awhile can get very warm to hot.in most cases thats normal, if the engine runs ok no need to change the brushes, but if I have one apart for some reason, new brushes are installed.