392E - Got everthing working perfectly. Final post! Very excited!

This is a 392E, which has a two-wheel trailing truck, not a four wheel like a 400E. There is no springs.

The pilot truck is the same as a 400E truck and it's fine though.

The cross head issue is puzzling!  

- Be sure the steamchest is fully seated in the frame.  I believe there are two pegs in addition to the screw that secures the steamchest to the frame.  If Ok, there is a difference between the 384/392 valve gear.  If the wrong one was installed, it may not be long enough to engage the crosshead.

- If the trailing wheels are climbing the rails, either the wheels/axle are bent (wobble when spun) or the gauge is too wide.

Sounds like you don't have the correct valve gear.

Well, I took the main rods/crossheads off and bent the top tab that engages the valve gear upwards. Maybe 20 degrees. They're holding fine now. 

I feel silly posting this, but before I was running on carpet. I've since moved the track upstairs to the hardwood and haven't had the trailing truck (or anything else for that matter) derail even once. I think the heavier standard gauge trains just may cause the track to flex too much when laid on carpet. The trailing truck DOES still bounce around on curves, but it doesn't ever derail now. I couldn't adjust the gauge any tighter, because the play between the wheels and the trailing truck frame is almost imperceptible. They don't wobble either. I bet they wouldn't do it at all on wider curves. I'm running on 42" curves.

By the way, the train sounds amazing on hardwood. The rattle, clatter, gear noise is all amplified on the wood floors, it sounds like there is a real freight train rolling through the living room. I love it. 

Some new questions:

The E-unit is picky. Can I drop the motor via the two screws on the bottom of the chassis and service the E-unit without having to take apart the boiler/frame?

Where is the best source for parts? I need one of the green lenses for the marker lights, and one of the handrails on the tender is missing.

Lastly, what about the chugger? If I put the switch in the cab about in the halfway position, it buzzes loudly and constantly. The switch either all the way up or down, it does nothing. Is is supposed to buzz or make more of a "shhhh" sound?

GLAD your 392 is running better! 392 and 400 locos run much smoother on 072 curves. I am glad I deal with repro Lionel Classics and Tinplate Traditions locos and rolling stock - new BAL motors, air whistles and e-units and everything bright and shiny. In another life had original Lionel standard gauge with its attendant problems: missing or damaged parts and wheels, bad wiring, etc. Too old (74) to deal with those things now! To each his/her own!  :-)

Yes, you can unscrew the main rod screw, undo the two screws or tabs holding the motor in and drop it down. Disconnect the headlight and firebox light lead and you can service the motor assembly.

For parts use Jeff Kane at The Train Tender.

The chugger when properly working should buzz (chugg) intermittently as the loco runs. The switch in the cab turns it off or on. There is a small cam on the driver axle on the front set of drivers. This runs a crude two strip contact switch mounted on the motor frame. These contacts can be dirty, bent, or broken. Once adjusted properly each revolution of the drive wheels should make the came close the contacts twice..

As for the trail truck. If you have the original wheels they may be expanding slightly. If they are pressed on so the inner part is just touching the truck frame with no side to side play then you will need to remove the wheels, and grind a little metal off the inside of the hub where the axle goes. Press all the way on again, and test. When sat on a section of track you should have 1/16" of side to side play of the wheels between the rails.

On the valve gear. Was this replaced? If so it may be you have the 385/1835 Valve gear instead of the 392/400. If not, be absolutely sure when sitting on a level surface the crosshead guide is perfectly level and not drooping down.

Tin

Final update:

Dropped the motor on my lunch break (this whole process took maybe 15 minutes!) cleaned the E-unit plunger with some Birchwood Casey Gunscrubber, and tweaked the contacts for the chugger a bit.

The E-unit now cycles flawlessly (some goofball in the past apparently oiled the E-unit plunger) and the chugger works great too! I love it! Very excited about standard gauge.

I would really like to find a nice 400E, but I'd like it have all the features of my 392E (chugger and whistle)!