Lionel problem

[Jimmyp4]

Hello,
I own a Lionel 4-4-2 with railsounds in the tender. Last year I put it in storage, but after I took it out of storage this year to run for chrismas. I noticed as I sent it around the tree that there where no sounds from the engine at all, just the strange grinding sound from the motor. I made shure railsounds was on, yep it was on. The next time around I watched it, There where sparks coming from every direction shooting out and around the drawbar inbetween the engine and tender. I later deduced that the tender and engine share electronics through the drawbar and that something was not isolated right. I held the engine in place and fired it up, suprise, all those sparks where coming from the circut board in the cab and the drawbar inbetween the engine and tender. I also found that the tender is reliant on the engine to be hooked to it to make sound. It worked fine a year ago, what happened and is there a way to fix it?

 

[Spawn_of_Chaos97]

If you don't run it once in a while the battery will die. I don't think that could cause sparks to fly, but then again I don't have anything O-scale.

 

[GP_38-2]

Hmmm haven't worked with O scale in a while.
The Sparks: After a full year the wheels and track have probably oxidized quite a bit, get one of those Bright Boy track cleaners and give the track a good rub down. You can also hook the loco up and with it running run the pad over the drivers to clean them. For non-powered wheels hold the cleaner against one wheel and spin the other with your available hand.
Since you say the sparks are comming from the tender drawbar, check it for oxidation as well. On most steam locos the tender would pick up on one rail while the loco would pick up off the other, the drawbar would then conduct electricity between the two. Most I've seen they don't oxidize but I'm not up-to-date on Lionel O scale. Also, and this is specific to O scale 3-rail. On the underside of the loco should be a flat bar in the middle of the loco/tender don't forget to clean this one as well.

As for the sound: I can't say for sure. If the sound runs off a battery (I would guess a 9V) that's simple fix, just replace it. On the other hand I would assume it runs off of track power. In which case I would take it to a hobby shop that specializes in O scale repairs.

The grinding noise: Again it's been a year. It probably needs the gears re-lubed as well as the motor bushings.

 

[Jimmyp4]

I just got it to work, somewhat. I cleaned up the engine and tender and there is no longer sparks from the circut board. There is occasionaly a spark when the drawbar moves, but no bigge.

[QOUTE]On most steam locos the tender would pick up on one rail while the loco would pick up off the other, the drawbar would then conduct electricity between the two.[QOUTE]
Not in this case, the engine can run by it's self, and a quick check to my manual says that the draw bar only conectes electricly to get the chuff in sync with the drivers.

The problem turned out to be, oxidization, and the tender trucks where out of gauge (they where fine last year) which was shorting out the tender and killing the sound (as well as causeing the sparks).

 

[GP_38-2]

now there's an interesting one, never heard of something knocking itself out of gauge sitting in a box, oh well.

heh yeah I'm an HO'r myself apparently I was thinking like one with that comment as well.

Good to hear ya got it running again.