A picture of the bottom of the car would be helpful. There should be some sort of contact for the center rail. Either a slider or a roller. The wire will have to be contacted to that.I have a model 0880 maintenance car that is off it’s flatcar and the wire for the light is flappin in the breeze. Can anyone tell me where this wire attaches? (I’m not a railroader)
Missed that point. Yes, then what you said. One truck will pick up from one rail and the other from rail 2. I usually assume one truck is grounded to the frame which is used for one wire.Like the box says, it's HO by Lionel. Which is simply plain old HO scale 2-rail DC, and not 3-rail AC.
I know nothing about Lionel's 2-rail stuff, but best guess is that the wire goes to an electrical pickup on one of the flatcar trucks. The other truck should also have an electrical pickup as well, and between the two electrical pickups, that is how the light bulb gets its electricity to light up. I dunno, there could even be some sort of on/off switch in the system too. But without having more pictures or a physical sample in my hands to look at, hard to say on that point.
Thank you for the vote of confidence, Willie, but I'll defer to Paul, Aka Mixed Freight. He has much more hands on experience than I do.Our Lionel expert Bruette, should be along in a little while. Hopefully he can assist.
I belive Paul is correct, but I can't be sure.Like the box says, it's HO by Lionel. Which is simply plain old HO scale 2-rail DC, and not 3-rail AC.
I know nothing about Lionel's 2-rail stuff, but best guess is that the wire goes to an electrical pickup on one of the flatcar trucks. The other truck should also have an electrical pickup as well, and between the two electrical pickups, that is how the light bulb gets its electricity to light up. I dunno, there could even be some sort of on/off switch in the system too. But without having more pictures or a physical sample in my hands to look at, hard to say on that point.
Now you have a consensus from two reliable experts!Missed that point. Yes, then what you said. One truck will pick up from one rail and the other from rail 2. I usually assume one truck is grounded to the frame which is used for one wire.
Lionel? HO scale? Easy to miss - I almost missed it myself.Missed that point. Yes, then what you said. One truck will pick up from one rail and the other from rail 2. I usually assume one truck is grounded to the frame which is used for one wire.
Expert? Me? Just enough to be dangerous, if the truth is known.Now you have a consensus from two reliable experts!
You sir are humble, I've seen your work and I know more than enough to know when I have seen expert work!Expert? Me? Just enough to be dangerous, if the truth is known.
But thanks anyway!