Electrical Short on Lionel Loco.


Smudge617

Well-Known Member
Hi Guys, Good Afternoon from Sunny (not) England.
Though I'd ask as you guys, as you have far more experience than me regarding this type of motor.
I've got this Lionel GP9/7 which was a cheapo from everyone's favourite auction site. Cheap as it don't run.

I managed to get the bodyshell off, applied power to the motor and surprisingly the motor and bulb work fine, but when I apply power to the truck wheels, I was getting a short, but only when I applied power to the front and rear truck, not when I applied power to either side of the front truck.

I was also surprised that there was only one pick up to the motor from the front truck on one side, so the other pickup obviously comes via the wheels to the chassis.
After several hours (literally) I managed to get the bottoms off the trucks (lots of glue) thinking that a wire had broken and the pickup or wire was against the chassis causing the short and found that there is no indication the rear truck ever had a pick up wire attached, as you can see one side has metal wheels the other plastic, I've tried switching the wheel front to back and also turning them180 degrees, without success.
I have no idea how to solve this, so any suggestions would be welcome.

lionel.jpg
lionel2.jpg


The yellow bands are cable ties to prevent the wheels falling out as I handle it, need some truck bottoms too. 🙂
lionel3.jpg
 
OK third attempt.
The problem is with the truck on the right (front truck). Look a bit closer at the wheels. while there aren't plastic wheels there are insulated bushings the axle sits in. Both those insulated wheels should be on the same side of the truck. I just can't figure out which. My guess is the wheel on the left. That would give power from the one rail to the chassis with the top set, and power to the other rail to that metal pick up spring with the bottom set.
Wheel Sets.jpg
 
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OK third attempt.
The problem is with the truck on the right (front truck). Look a bit closer at the wheels. while there aren't plastic wheels there are insulated bushings the axle sits in. Both those insulated wheels should be on the same side of the truck. I just can't figure out which. My guess is the wheel on the left. That would give power from the one rail to the chassis with the top set, and power to the other rail to that metal pick up spring with the bottom set.
View attachment 138821
Thanks' but that doesn't work, I get a short there if I do that, when I apply power to the left and right wheel on the front truck, as in the photo the motor runs, but when I apply power to the one metal set on the rear truck, and power to the opposite side on the front truck, it shorts out, it doesn't matter which way round the rear set are placed, when I place power to the opposite side on the front I get a short. If I do it to the same side, it doesn't short out, but the motor doesn't run either.
 
Thanks' but that doesn't work, I get a short there if I do that, when I apply power to the left and right wheel on the front truck, as in the photo the motor runs, but when I apply power to the one metal set on the rear truck, and power to the opposite side on the front truck, it shorts out, it doesn't matter which way round the rear set are placed, when I place power to the opposite side on the front I get a short. If I do it to the same side, it doesn't short out, but the motor doesn't run either.
Iron Horseman please ignore my last, found it, last night while I was checking it over, and have a quick look see, after I tried to get it to run (it shorted my controller) when I picked it up, the front truck bottom fell off, what I didn't see was there was a copper strip, same as on the rear truck which had fallen below my work board, I fixed the motor, (broken wire) and got it running, only when I tried to run power from the wheels did I still get a short, hence I thought I still had a problem, not realising I had a piece missing till 1/2hour ago, found it, fitted it, now working.
Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.
 
Iron Horseman please ignore my last, found it, last night while I was checking it over, and have a quick look see, after I tried to get it to run (it shorted my controller) when I picked it up, the front truck bottom fell off, what I didn't see was there was a copper strip, same as on the rear truck which had fallen below my work board, I fixed the motor, (broken wire) and got it running, only when I tried to run power from the wheels did I still get a short, hence I thought I still had a problem, not realising I had a piece missing till 1/2hour ago, found it, fitted it, now working.
Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.
Well how cool is that. Some times something falling off is a good thing.
 



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