515 katz issues

first of all, congratulations on having a working 515 ltd.  i have two examples and neither do.  if the motor has never been pulled from this locomotive, the bad news is that is wasn't particularly made to be easily serviced.  there are two pins that go straight through the shell and motor body.  one side has a button-type rivet top and the other, will be crimped.  one of mine had been taken apart and some home-made pins hold it together so i can see inside that one.

i've got to say the motor is about as low tech as you can get.  the geared shaft you can probably see poking through the half-can motor shell is the rotor extension itself.  there are no brushes, just wipers pressing on the rotor shaft and the two external gears you see.

the original transformer for this train is a simple center-tap to give it only two speeds.  despite the fact that i've had it apart, i've yet to test it out under load but as just a guess, i would think it might be a 12V-CT filament transformer.  a very popular transformer for the time (tube radios).

at first i thought mine was missing the pickup roller, but after seeing a second one, i now assume it just has a very very tiny spool-looking roller.  if this does pickup power, i can see where the sparking comes from.  it's not the best design i've ever seen, but it was $1 for the entire train in 1929!

could you post a picture?  i'd be curious to see which version/ color you have.

cheers...gary

Gary

Glad to hear yours as wipers, I was wondering if the brushes on mine had come unsoldered and dropped off. I have two varieties. I will try and post some pictures tonight.

As to madmax's heating issues, track and wheel cleanliness is the first place I'd sart, if he has not already.

Steve

i got the set all together transformer and original cord(looks okay but 80 yrs old not sure i want to plug it in for very long. but doe's hum ),track,engine, and 2 green passenger cars. sorry about the dark pics. the katz track has pressed wood for ties as you can see by underside of track. Track curve if i remember is about O19 real tight radius but marx small tin plate dump car will still make the curve. Ran it on realtrax powered by Zw. There is some oxidation on wheels. But the same spool pick up is pitted. And it does still have the factory pins holding in motor.