Hi folks
My Christmas locomotive, from an LGB set I bought at LEAST 15 years ago, came out of the box this year DOA, or mostly. Last year it ran fine. Now it runs VERY slowly, and then trips the power pack. Im assuming the motor is toast? Anything else I can check? How the *&#$ do I get this thing apart? Worth fixing? Inquiring minds want to know.
My first suggestion is to check the axles and crankpins for hair and carpet fibres. I’ve resuscitated several “dead” Stainz by just doing that.
If it’s the old clamshell brick, the end parts will just snap on and off, then you’ll probably need to remove the wheels on both sides to access all the screws. (taking the wheels off lets you get all that hair out anyway) If you are careful and don’t unmesh the gears, re-lubing and reassembly is really easy. If not, it’s still easy, just not quite as…
Bob, I’ve had my own Stainz cracked open a couple times, its fairly easy. Since the motor is hard “wired” into the entire block via formed brass strips (or brass-like) I’d say crack it open and pull the motor out completely to test it. That isolates the motor and ensures any resistance readings you may take will be accurate to the motor and not reflect external shorts or resistance. Assuming the motor is good, this is a great time to clean and lube the gearbox and get your engine ready for another decade of faithful service.
Bob, if it is 15 yo it will be the old clamshell motor block. Worth fixing. Once you get the block out (two hidden screws holding two plastic hook bits on either side plus a screw under the cab and the smokestack), like Mik said, remove the drive wheels to get at all the screws. Be very careful not to lose the ball bearings in the chassis that holds the motor shaft in position to stop it floating back and forth.
Bob,
not necessarily toast! The later ‘sandwich’ drive block was released around 1993. This was the period when LGB were heavily promoting Christmas starter sets, so if purchased new then the chances are its a later sandwich block. This block is characterised by four mount screws (outer two are normal pan head size and the inner two are very small) on the lower cover. Remove the four screws and remove the lower drive cover. This will give you access to the gears. Quite likely the grease has the consistency of concrete. To access the motor, the whole drive block must be removed and the block top cover (held by two screws) removed. Give the motor a clean and lightly lube the bearings (should actually be ball bearings if later sandwich block) and test the motor out of the block. Note on installation of the motor that the brush end of the motor end cover has a locating dowel that fits into the notch in the block, ensuring correct polarity maintained. Reinstall ensuring when fitting the lower cover the drive wheels are ‘in quarter’.
If the earlier clamshell then as detailed by others.
Edit: on reflection, it is not unknown for Buhler motors to shed carbon brushes. The broken off brush locks the armature, effectively seizing it. This then causes an overload trip. I believe that early motors were repairable, but not the type fitted to your locomotive.
Having trouble getting it apart. The instructions Mike linked to aren’t quite right, mine is different. I have the screw-off smokestack that holds the front bit on. I have all the visible screws off, but there still seems to be something holding the boiler and cab on.
Give Axel or Dan a call
http://www.train-li-usa.com/
Just down the road from you. You might have to leave the house tho!!
Bob,
is there a small screw under the right side rear of the red chassis moulding behind the right side cab entry steps? If the clamshell type then the two vertical valve gear linkages must be unclipped from the red chassis moulding (a small screw each side holds the links captive (screw each side is hidden and visible from underneath). The front coupler also has to be removed once the smokestack is removed. After that the drive block should be able to be withdrawn.
I figured out what I was doing. I was trying to get the cab/boiler off the red base, when, in fact, they all stay together, and the motor block comes out the bottom. Unplugged the 3 wires, and its now sitting on my desk.
I assume the two top screws allow me access to the motor?
OK,yea, the motor is toast. Hooked up to the power pack directly, it sort of whirs, and a bit of magic smoke comes out one of the pair of brushed. Time to order a new one.
Thanks for all the help.
Bob,
I do not know if you purchased the loco new, but if used then overzealous oiling can lead to the motor smoking badly and tripping the power supply. The motor is most likely ‘cooked’ in that oil is baked on the commutator, but you could try washing the brush end of the motor in WD40. Liberally soak the motor in it to try loosen up the burned on deposit. It may take a couple of attempts. I have successfully resurrected a couple of dud motors that initially tripped the power supply. WD40 or equivaklent is not beneficial to the motor but you are in a no loss situation.
Of cause if the carbon brush has disintegrated and seized up the motor then a new motor is required.Bob McCown said:Sorry to hear it's toast.
... it sort of whirs, and a bit of magic smoke comes out one of the pair of brushed. ....
You guys really shoulda seen the “magic smoke” Kim let out of the microwave a few weeks back. Smellt worse than a $2 cigar and thick as chowder… I didn’t know they held THAT much.
Hey Mik - The higher the wattage rating the more smoke it contains 
Jon Radder said:This was a little bitty ancient one (mechanical timer and 3 power settings)....
Hey Mik - The higher the wattage rating the more smoke it contains :)
It still tried it’s best to imitate an Alco
Hey, you have to give them props when they try that hard!
Some electronic components hold a significant amount of magic smoke compared to their size. I remember killing off a walkie-talkie somehow, and the amount of smoke that came out of it, you’d have thought I set a couch on fire. When I opened it up, it was a fried capacitor. Replace it and it STILL works, maybe 15 years later.
Yesterday, I sold a mint 1993 LGB Sandy River Forney with minimal usage. I had not run it for a few years but remember it ran perfectly then. Well as luck would have it, I was showing the new owner the locomotive in operation. He had paid for it several days earlier. It seemed rather slow on a 0.5 amp controller, so I tried a 1.0 amp power supply and it faired hardly any better. Out with the big guns and it immediately tripped the power supply. I reset it
and it tripped again. Fortunately I had a new old stock Forney and substituted this for the dead one. This morning I removed the motor and found it shorted as soon as full power applied.
Having nothing to lose I did the WD40 washout and tried again. The motor still shorted out. I needed to wash it out several times, but it now seems to have come good (fingers crossed). Strange that Bob posted a similar defect only days ago and my loco is a similar age and almost no usage. I think grease has burned on the commutator causing the short circuit.
Bob
I have several old LGB motor blocks that should have a good motor in it should you need it.
Stan
This may not apply, but
I remember that in old Lionel 3 pole universal motors you would have to clean the carbon from between the 3 commutators with a toothpick,
or something else soft enough not to scratch the surface or edges of the commutators. Enough carbon you would effectively short between the poles.
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik