Yes, these videos have helped with the unfurling of my set which was given to my brother and I in 1960.I finally have a grandson (1 1/2 years old) so getting everything up to par is on my list. I bought your 4 th edition in color and look forward to more useful information.
Tom, bought your Third edition repair guide and your color version. Good stuff and I was able to make a few repairs with my recent collection of AF steam engines. Thanks for the info. Hoping to get years of enjoyment with the grandchildren. The repair guides and videos are a great help.
I read where someone on the Lionel train group on Yahoo talking about a product called CRC 2-26 to clean the pickup rollers and e unit, and it has been reported to plasic safe. I have considered trying it on the 4 step reverse unit on a couple of AF locomotives I have. I've used TV tuner cleaner like you use, but anymore it is a bit pricey and hard to come by in my neck of the woods. I found the CRC brand mentioned at home depot and found it to be more affordable than the other. BTW, I find this clip very helpful too. Thanks for posting it.
Train wheels will turn when I lift the engine off tracks but does not go when i place the engine on tracks, any help trying to fix to gift to my grandson for christmas
mr Baker I bought you wonderful book in color and it is fantastic. I have a problem of a slight bent steam locomotive cab roof. The engine is from the late 40's I assume die cast. If anyone know how to bend it back into shpe it is you, if it can be done
Mr. Barker did you make a vid one wheels not aligned . that banging and locking up thing they do. I have a 290 doing that . popped the wheels off to re align them and still bang and jam up. I am not sure what to do here. the train runs perfectly with no side rails on it. i would love a link to a vid or a suggestion. in the book it shows the 90 degree or 6 and 3 o'clock positioning of left and right from cab. they still go bang bang bang. and stop the motor from running. Thanks . and thanks for making this vid. it was very helpful several times.
No, I have not made any quartering video. I wonder if the spline has been stripped and the alignment pops out. You may need a new axle or wheel. Glad my video has helped.
Dear Mr. Barker, I love your videos. Thank you for doing them. Can you help me with something? I need to replace a broken knuckle coupler on my American Flyer 303 tender and I can't find anything, anywhere on how to do this. Can you help? Thanks.
Thank you for all the helpful knowledge, Tom. It got my A/F Diesel truck going, but I am having trouble with my direction switch. I seem to remember (50 years ago!) that cycling my transformer would change directions. Now it just goes in reverse, and when I switch the direction lever and start the transformer nothing happens. I have to switch direction lever again, then it starts up but still in reverse. Any ideas? Thank you again, Dale Larson
I have an engine similar to the one in the video (mine is reading line's 21160) put does not have a reversing unit or smoke it has a switch under the cab roof it run in revers but makes a buzzing sound when I flip the switch and bad plug from engine to tender. but I have a part a engine coming and can a smoke unit and/or reversing unit be added because nether engine has one?
I have a 629 open slat MoPac car that is warped in the middle above the opening. Does anyone know if/how this can be straightened? Remove from the fram, gently heat and see if I can flatten?
This is a result of the lack of knowledge of plastics in the early days after WWII. The plasticizers cause the warping. The orange Shell tank car is famous for this type of warping. I doubt if the heating you propose can help. but try it and let me know.
Very clear an d interesting. I recently broke off the the tip of the "pall" in the reverse unit of my Atlantic 4-4-2 (303) trying to make adjustment. Do you have some advice or tutorial on how I might repair this. Soldering? Thank you. I live in NE Pennsylvania.
You would have to replace it since soldering in there is almost impossible and solder is not up to stresses. I would suggest getting a new reverse unit from a dealer like Port Lines Hobby (Doug Peck) who I recommend in my book. Portlines.com
Are all the pins missing? The original track has only 1 pin on each end. By joining the track, you place the pins into the open rail and the pin in the next track will go into the opening. I have never seen all the pins missing.
@@donovanwilliams8564 Port Lines (Doug Peck) www.Portlines.com. He has a flat rate sghipping which is more than the cost of the pins. OR send me a stamped, self addressed envelope and I'll send them off to you. My address is: 10 Brickstone Circle, Rochester, NY 14620
I have a great American Express train but it has the problem that it doesn't move ever lights and sound and smoke work i cannot find anyone to help me I would be so happy if you could tell me to do but I'm not a professional so I don't wanna take it apart.🚂
I would need more details like does it seem to make a buzzing sound? What is the model number (on the engine)? I don;t read my UA-cam comments too often, so that's why this reply is delayed. Try my direct email: TBBEQA@MAC.COM
I have a new american flyer/ lionel seaboard coaler. The The round roller that holds the string in the house does not move. The motor hums, but no movement, the other 2 buttons work fine. Any ideas? thank you, regards tom paul
Hey, Tom, Great video! However we have a problem with our AF engine getting power but not moving, then after fiddling with the engine, getting it to run only at full speed (coming off the tracks) and then when we put the engine back on the tracks, it won't run again. The headlight is always on, whether the engine will run or not, and smoke billows out when we get the loco to run (again, at break-neck speed). When it runs, the loco's speed cannot be controlled - it runs at full speed even with the transformer lever at minimum. Can you please advise? Thanks!!
+Michael D. Ross What transformer do you have? Is the track connected to the variable output (7-15 volt post) or to the constant voltage (this mazy be the problem)? Do you have the Gilbert pamphlet of operating instructions? I can send you a pdf copy. TBBEQA@MAC.COM
I have worked out a circuit for this controller and it is in Volume 2 of my Repair Guide. The originals sometimes show up on ebay. But they don't work well because the rectifier is not a full wave and the train slows when you activate the whistle.
hi im in a bit of a dead stop my dad gave me my grandpas american flyer silver bullet and im working on restoring it since my grandpa hasn't seen it run since he was 10 and my dad never got to see it run .. i cant get the thing to move no matter what i try i will still have to try to take the resistance reads but i think im missing the springs because there is nothing in the cylinders when i remove the connections can you plz email me at bgregory8512@gmail to give me some help and tips ive never done anthing like this befor and all the help i can get would be amazing i really want thing thing runing for my grandpa and dad
Yes, these videos have helped with the unfurling of my set which was given to my brother and I in 1960.I finally have a grandson (1 1/2 years old) so getting everything up to par is on my list. I bought your 4 th edition in color and look forward to more useful information.
Tom, bought your Third edition repair guide and your color version. Good stuff and I was able to make a few repairs with my recent collection of AF steam engines. Thanks for the info. Hoping to get years of enjoyment with the grandchildren. The repair guides and videos are a great help.
Glad to be of help!
That's real nice of you Thomas to do this ... you must be a very nice person...Don't think I could do the repair.
Very Good Info !! I only wish I still had my American Flyer !!! Had the layout with all the panels of landscaping in the mid 60’s !!! 👍
I read where someone on the Lionel train group on Yahoo talking about a product called CRC 2-26 to clean the pickup rollers and e unit, and it has been reported to plasic safe. I have considered trying it on the 4 step reverse unit on a couple of AF locomotives I have. I've used TV tuner cleaner like you use, but anymore it is a bit pricey and hard to come by in my neck of the woods. I found the CRC brand mentioned at home depot and found it to be more affordable than the other.
BTW, I find this clip very helpful too. Thanks for posting it.
Train wheels will turn when I lift the engine off tracks but does not go when i place the engine on tracks, any help trying to fix to gift to my grandson for christmas
Very informative thank you so much for the video. 😊
mr Baker I bought you wonderful book in color and it is fantastic.
I have a problem of a slight bent steam locomotive cab roof. The engine is from the late 40's I assume die cast. If anyone know how to bend it back into shpe it is you, if it can be done
Mr. Barker did you make a vid one wheels not aligned . that banging and locking up thing they do. I have a 290 doing that . popped the wheels off to re align them and still bang and jam up. I am not sure what to do here. the train runs perfectly with no side rails on it. i would love a link to a vid or a suggestion. in the book it shows the 90 degree or 6 and 3 o'clock positioning of left and right from cab. they still go bang bang bang. and stop the motor from running. Thanks . and thanks for making this vid. it was very helpful several times.
No, I have not made any quartering video. I wonder if the spline has been stripped and the alignment pops out. You may need a new axle or wheel. Glad my video has helped.
To get the best alignment, you need the quartering tool. Post Lines has them. They are not inexpensive.
Phil rewinding a A F armiture is not as hard as i thought.
Dear Mr. Barker,
I love your videos. Thank you for doing them. Can you help me with something? I need to replace a broken knuckle coupler on my American Flyer 303 tender and I can't find anything, anywhere on how to do this. Can you help? Thanks.
Thank you for all the helpful knowledge, Tom. It got my A/F Diesel truck going, but I am having trouble with my direction switch. I seem to remember (50 years ago!) that cycling my transformer would change directions. Now it just goes in reverse, and when I switch the direction lever and start the transformer nothing happens. I have to switch direction lever again, then it starts up but still in reverse. Any ideas? Thank you again, Dale Larson
Have a #583 electromagnet crane which the motor gearbox doesn't work, do you have a repair video on this. was working on and off.
No I do not gave such a video.
I can get my 760 Crossing signal to light up. I have checked everything I can think of. Any ideas for me ??
I have an engine similar to the one in the video (mine is reading line's 21160) put does not have a reversing unit or smoke it has a switch under the cab roof it run in revers but makes a buzzing sound when I flip the switch and bad plug from engine to tender. but I have a part a engine coming and can a smoke unit and/or reversing unit be added because nether engine has one?
I have a 629 open slat MoPac car that is warped in the middle above the opening. Does anyone know if/how this can be straightened? Remove from the fram, gently heat and see if I can flatten?
This is a result of the lack of knowledge of plastics in the early days after WWII. The plasticizers cause the warping. The orange Shell tank car is famous for this type of warping. I doubt if the heating you propose can help. but try it and let me know.
Very clear an d interesting. I recently broke off the the tip of the "pall" in the reverse unit of my Atlantic 4-4-2 (303) trying to make adjustment. Do you have some advice or tutorial on how I might repair this. Soldering? Thank you. I live in NE Pennsylvania.
You would have to replace it since soldering in there is almost impossible and solder is not up to stresses. I would suggest getting a new reverse unit from a dealer like Port Lines Hobby (Doug Peck) who I recommend in my book. Portlines.com
My track is missing the original connecting pins is there a optimal way to connect the rails without them?
Are all the pins missing? The original track has only 1 pin on each end. By joining the track, you place the pins into the open rail and the pin in the next track will go into the opening. I have never seen all the pins missing.
Missing 3 pins do you know where I can get replacements?
@@donovanwilliams8564 Port Lines (Doug Peck) www.Portlines.com. He has a flat rate sghipping which is more than the cost of the pins. OR send me a stamped, self addressed envelope and I'll send them off to you. My address is: 10 Brickstone Circle, Rochester, NY 14620
My Friend has one. He likes it.
I have a great American Express train but it has the problem that it doesn't move ever lights and sound and smoke work i cannot find anyone to help me I would be so happy if you could tell me to do but I'm not a professional so I don't wanna take it apart.🚂
I would need more details like does it seem to make a buzzing sound? What is the model number (on the engine)? I don;t read my UA-cam comments too often, so that's why this reply is delayed. Try my direct email: TBBEQA@MAC.COM
I have a new american flyer/ lionel seaboard coaler. The The round roller that holds the string in the house does not move. The motor hums, but no movement, the other 2 buttons work fine. Any ideas? thank you, regards
tom paul
Hey, Tom, Great video! However we have a problem with our AF engine getting power but not moving, then after fiddling with the engine, getting it to run only at full speed (coming off the tracks) and then when we put the engine back on the tracks, it won't run again. The headlight is always on, whether the engine will run or not, and smoke billows out when we get the loco to run (again, at break-neck speed). When it runs, the loco's speed cannot be controlled - it runs at full speed even with the transformer lever at minimum. Can you please advise? Thanks!!
+Michael D. Ross What transformer do you have? Is the track connected to the variable output (7-15 volt post) or to the constant voltage (this mazy be the problem)? Do you have the Gilbert pamphlet of operating instructions? I can send you a pdf copy. TBBEQA@MAC.COM
Is the nichrome wire gauge 40 for AF smoke units?
Yes, #40 Nichrome. I can supply a 3 foot length for free if you mail me a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. 1223 Lake Point Dr, Webster, NY 14580
I have a 314AW, and I am in need of a control box for it to make the whistle work, are they still available? thank you for your time.
I have a circuit I designed to make the 314AW whistle work better than the original controller. It' in Volume 2 of my AF Repair Guide.
I have worked out a circuit for this controller and it is in Volume 2 of my Repair Guide. The originals sometimes show up on ebay. But they don't work well because the rectifier is not a full wave and the train slows when you activate the whistle.
Does anyone repair American Flyers in the South Jersey area?
Richard P Bradford I live in Upstate New York so I don't know about New Jersey. Sorry.
Thanks for getting back to me.
need a layout to repair wiring from tender to engine
+John Short Do you mean you need a wiring diagram? It's in the book (Volume 1). Book costs $19.95 from Amazon.
I have a 771 Amer. Flyer Cattle station. Needs work, I am a Lionel collector, not Flyer.
Thank you Thomas for your reply. I will consider contacting Portlines.com.
hi im in a bit of a dead stop my dad gave me my grandpas american flyer silver bullet and im working on restoring it since my grandpa hasn't seen it run since he was 10 and my dad never got to see it run .. i cant get the thing to move no matter what i try i will still have to try to take the resistance reads but i think im missing the springs because there is nothing in the cylinders when i remove the connections can you plz email me at bgregory8512@gmail to give me some help and tips ive never done anthing like this befor and all the help i can get would be amazing i really want thing thing runing for my grandpa and dad