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i recently acquired four early 260E locomotives that have the original pendulum e-units. I would like to upgrade to three position e-units so i can have F/N/R. does anyone have a recommended unit. All appear to be good runners and i am going to replace the internal wiring, wheels and pickup roller assembly. plus clean clean clean and some more cleaning, any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

I am also going to save the original pendulum e units just encase any future family member wanted to put back original. All they need is a good cleaning, coils wrapped and polish the contacts.    



Thanks

   

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In later circa 1934 Lionel started using the newer drum design e-units in 260E's. The notable difference I've found on the boiler is the use of black letters on the 260 tag. The red letter cab tags came with pendulum units. The e-units have all been the same in that there is no lever. They are controlled by the lever in the cab which also controls the chugger (if loco has one). I have no reason to suspect the four I've worked on have been modified.

Paper napkin drawings work but if you want to go full blown techno go for it. Keep in mind that approximately 90% of old tinplate has been worked on at least once and your drawing may or not apply in every instance.

In later circa 1934 Lionel started using the newer drum design e-units in 260E's. The notable difference I've found on the boiler is the use of black letters on the 260 tag. The red letter cab tags came with pendulum units. The e-units have all been the same in that there is no lever. They are controlled by the lever in the cab which also controls the chugger (if loco has one). I have no reason to suspect the four I've worked on have been modified.

Paper napkin drawings work but if you want to go full blown techno go for it. Keep in mind that approximately 90% of old tinplate has been worked on at least once and your drawing may or not apply in every instance.

Hey John.... So the 1934 (as well as 1935)  260E with the drum unit did have red letter plates on it And I have seen a few later units with them too, so, as usual there are exception to any rules!  From my understanding the 255s in 1935 had the eunit slot on the top and were the transition point for the eunit itself to have the handles... carried forward by the 263Es

Installed a Dallee 400 reverse unit into a motor of a Lionel prewar 261e. The unit works and switches between nurtural forward nurtural reverse. However in reverse it’s starts out slow and picks up speed at a sluggish pace. When in forward it starts slow but picks up speed at a rapid speed.

additionally the motor makes a little more noise and is hot to the touch than before with the barrel eunit.

any suggestions or explanations would be very helpful in the slow response.  

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  • 9D3C086A-013A-4002-898C-4F6014B9E8CD: Temp wiring to test out unit.

found the answer to my problem in old post:"

With the Dallee E Unit and open frame motors, you have tounground the field from the frame and add a wire. the lionel unit might be drop in. something to consider."

I did this and what a difference it made the unit runs flawlessly . Its a joy now to see it run. No noise and smooth transitions between FNR.  This forum is an unbelievable resource.



Ok so I did it, I ordered four (4) Dallee 400 units. I am taking out the pendulum units in my 260Es and retiring them to a cigar box. The pendulum units are unreliable and I do not like the motor noise resulting from the open gravity connector. The electronic unit seems to be a very reliable answer.  Has anyone a recommendation for other units to try in Lionel prewar locomotives.


Thanks

I completely disassembled the 260E and removed an old barrel eunit.
I am going to install the 400 series Dallee electronic e-unit.

the motor was reassembled incorrectly at some time in its life and drive gear was backwards. The person shimmed the gear with a metal washer. 0E1115D8-F83B-406F-9421-808930A476E8I had to sand the gear face down because friction has melted some of the washer on to the gear.  042D069D-B83D-462D-8963-FE3EC3219F35Additionally the metal frame was also gouged. I sanded and polished the metal. Now it glide smooth. BBA96BDF-1A73-4C80-ABF3-567D194D7AF7AC281940-830B-4EA7-BFAA-3AFFA84D83AB5FF7B832-9430-4B8C-9D9F-359E01E6F309

I will post final test run next weekend.

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  • 5FF7B832-9430-4B8C-9D9F-359E01E6F309

Update

i installed two Dallee 400 in a Lionel prewar 260e and 262. Both run ultra smooth. The only issue I had was disconnecting the field coil ground from the frame. The grounding lug cannot be removed unless you separate the frame. I wasn’t about to try and pry apart so I had to get out the magnifier lamp and tweezer. Really tight spot but I hooked the wire and soldered on an extension.

both frames were built the same see location of ground wire.0CC74F17-CBA6-488A-83BF-82807E2656A2

B10F3EAA-D228-4503-B661-C50DAB7F390E

Wiring job completed just to tighten things up and final mount the E-Unit image

test run

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  • 0CC74F17-CBA6-488A-83BF-82807E2656A2
  • B10F3EAA-D228-4503-B661-C50DAB7F390E
  • image
Videos (1)
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