Getting an old model train set to work

I have a number of older locomotives and rolling stock that I have retrieved from 20 year storage and trash dumpsters and have gotten them gotten running again. The following are a few rules of thumb I always follow:

  1. Lubricants always dry up or evaporate over 20 years unless sealed in a climate-controlled environment, and they often often break down to varnish or goo even then. Before even attempting to run one of these elderly locomotives, put the locomotive in a warm, dry place for at least a week. Condensation from moist storage can collect in motor windings and cause a short, ruining the motor when power is applied to it. After drying, carefully remove the body from the frame so the motor and gears can be inspected and cleaned and lubricated. When trying to solve the puzzle of getting the body off the frame, take note that some older diesel locomotives used a steel plate with bent fingers to hold the body on, and the fingers must be gently bent out straight on one side and the plate removed to free the body. Steam locomotives have fairly consistently used screws to attach the body to the frame.
  2. In the process of doing (1) above, if a steam locomotive, look for a way to disconnect and remove the tender from the locomotive, since many of these models used the locomotive to pick up one side of the power and the tender to pick up the other. If you see a wire between them, this is the case and the tender will need cleaning also. In this case, you must not break the insulating drawbar or the interconnecting wire. You also must make sure you do not replace the drawbar with one made from any conductive substance.
  3. When the locomotive is open, isopropyl or denatured alcohol will clean most residue. This is done by soaking a Q-tip or a relatively stiff paint brush with the solvent, and brushing thoroughly over, under, around, and through all parts. Take care to retrieve and remove any bristles detached from the brush.
  4. Inspect the brushes and pickups in the motor. They typically collect a little green copper dioxide corrosion in storage, and will likely have carbon deposits from the last time they were run. They should have been cleaned pretty well in step (3) above, but they can also be burnished a little using a very small ink eraser, rotating the motor with a finger while holding the eraser against the contacts. After making the contacts relatively shiny, use the alcohol to clean eraser particles out. This is best done with a Q-tip, but remember to clean any floss from the Q-tip out of the area when finished.
  5. Let the whole assembly dry for at least 6 hours in a warm, dry area. When dry, apply a really thin lubricant to the outsides of motor bearings, and around gears and axles. Take care to make sure none gets on the wheels. A note on driving wheels: Some locomotives have traction tires that sit recessed in the wheel flanges and might be black or clear. Older tires are very brittle, will slip, and will break if you attempt to remove them. Replacement tires and the tool to install them are available from hobby shops, but if the tires look healthy, don't try to replace them just yet.
  6. If applicable, clean the wheels on the tender and make sure both trucks are making good electrical contact with electrical pickups. This is a good time to apply a little lightweight lubricant (one generous drop each) to axle ends where they meet the trucks. Do not lubricate axles where they make contact with pickups.
  7. Reassemble steam locomotives. Where rods and steam gear actuate in slides attached to the body, apply a drop of lubricant on each set of slides once assembled. Do not force rods or spin wheels to get things lined up during reassembly. Also, reconnect the tender to a steam locomotive if it is part of the electrical pickup circuit.
  8. Make a cradle that stays free of the wheels of the locomotive when the locomotive is on its back. For steam locomotives, it should also support the tender but not foul the rods and slides on the sides of the locomotive. Lay the locomotive on its back in the cradle.
  9. Get the power pack or a 12-volt power supply and wires connected to alligator clips. With power applied to the power supply, connect one clip to the one set of pickup wheels, and then touch the other clip to to the other set of pickup wheels. If the motor runs and the wheels turn, the old locomotive has a good prognosis. Look for ways of connecting the wires without fouling the wheels so that the locomotive can be allowed to run a few minutes to distribute the lubricant and further burnish the motor contacts. With some locomotives that have brush-type power pickups, leave the locomotive connected and let it run for a half-hour or so. You'll be able to tell from the sounds of things that it's getting healthier by the minute.
  10. On a clean, flat surface such as a small train table, carefully lay an oval of freshly cleaned or new track, connected with new track joiners and secured to the surface with track nails or staples. This is your test track; it can be rerouted later to become your layout, but when restoring and running for the first time, a simple oval is best. Used track joiners are no good - unless you plan to solder all your track joints, they are not reliable connections. Connect a model train power pack to the rails following manufacturer's directions, making sure all connections are clean and free of corrosion and oil.
  11. Place you locomotive on the track. Make sure it is properly railed, so that its first run will not be endangered by wheels dragging on ties or fouling other wheels.
  12. Run the train at 1/4 to 1/2 throttle until it speeds up. This can take 5 to 45 minutes. You can take it up to 3/4 power when warmed up. Most power packs will supply too much power at full throttle, so this is definitely not recommended, especially for older locomotives.

And then you're done. While doing the mechanical and electrical cleaning, with the body removed, you can wash the body in a weak solution of liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. Beware of some dry-transfer lettering that may wash off in the process. If you see it starting to run, get the body out of the water immediately and blot it dry.

Regarding track: All track, whether 20 or 2 years old, needs cleaning. Almost all the time, rail joiners become stretched after the first use and are rarely reliable after squeezing them back into shape. They are very inexpensive at most hobby shops and are well worth replacing. Also, always secure the track to the surface it's laid on. Only very large gauge track , such as O and G, will stay connected while unsecured. Track nails are also very inexpensive.

Hope this helps!

Bob Austin, <baus@mail.tqci.net>

Content of document last modified 1999 Jan 07

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