Getting Old LGB engines running again

The gearboxes are sealed and the grease is probably OK if they were stored in a climate controlled environment. Otherwise, they might require disassembly to re-grease. Try running them, and if you hear any squeaking, oil around with a good quality oil first and see if that helps.

Those older gearbox halves are tricky to get to and take apart, and you will need some metric nutdrivers. It depends on the type of engines you have. Steam types are usually more difficult.

BTW, LGB exploded parts diagrams are available online.

Tinplate Art pretty much covered it all.  If you have to lubricate the internal gears on any motor blocks that are of the older "Clamshell" design, just take note of any small parts that are inside.  Some of those older clamshell motor blocks have a tiny thrust ball bearing at one or both ends of the motor shaft.  Those little buggers seem to look for any escape route, the moment they know someone is opening the gearbox.  

Diesels, with the clamshell motor block are much simpler to open up than steamers, simply because the steamers require removing all of the side rods in the process.

I've been running LGB for almost thirty years.  Like Lionel post-war locos, they are hard to kill.  So as Tinplate Art said, try running them before you do any dismantling.   

Tinplate Art and Dan,

Thank you for the great advice. They have been kept in climate control conditions. I will try them out first.

I appreciate your help.

-Tom

If they have been stored in a climate controlled environment they will likely just run with no need to grease.  If they squeak just add some oil to the axels    

Glenn thanks !  Yes they have been "protected" while not in service. All were made in Germany from late 70's - 90's They have been used periodically but none have seen any service in last 15 years.

-Tom

The trick with the ball thrust bearings is to be aware that they are located at each end of the 2200  motor shaft, and when replacing them, simply use a bit of grease to hold them in place upon reassembly. LGB are pretty robust models and do not normally require a lot of maintenance.

When I worked at St. Aubin we had plenty of LGB stuff come in for warranty & service work. On engines stored as long as yours I'd open them up and inspect if there is any grease and clean out any old and add new. I've seen plenty a gearbox grease harden over the years. 

C. Jones,  Thanks for the advice. I will check them out carefully before I run them.

I understand I just need set of metric tools for them?

-Tom

LGB grease, and presumably also the factory grease, is a high quality lubricant. I have used this lubricant exclusively on all my O gauge and standard gauge engines over several decades, and have never seen it harden. I worked for 20 years as an LGB serviceman, and did work on many engines, including those on a couple of restaurant layouts, where they ran almost continuously, and the motors would occasionally need replacement, but the grease in the gearbox had never hardened. I am NOT saying it could not happen, but that it has never been MY experience. Perhaps someone used an inferior lubricant or improperly stored them in a non-climate controlled environment where the hardening occurred? Oh, and a WiHa 6mm hex socket will usually suffice for the removal of the steam loco drive rods. 

TOM: Let us know how your trains run BEFORE you open up those gearboxes!  

Feel free to e-mail me for more help if needed!

Tinplate Art,

I will let you know how trains run Before opening anything up. Thanks for the offer of help.

-Tom

TOM: I have had a love affair with these wonderful, detailed and robust toy trains since my first encounter with them in 1978 at a TCA show. I especially prefer the European narrow gauge locos and cars. The German craftsmanship and quality materials is evident in every model. I hope you enjoy yours as I have mine for four decades now!

Yeah...German grease doesn't harden...far superior to Lucas red & tacky!!  

At St Aubin we sold lots of LGB parts...commercial displays that ran daily would burn up Buehler motors constantly...that is until we had them start using Bridgewerks power supplies. If you don't believe me then call Bridgewerks and ask Dave Saureman about it.

LGB Mikados...the engine that helped break LGB. We had pallets of those first production run things that went back to LGBoA to be "updated." Took 6 months and when they came back customers complained that they didn't run any better...guess that German grease couldn't fix the problems.

I got my first set in 1977. The engines and cars I have are all the European narrow gage. Mainly the German the later the RhB. Had an early garden railroad, but got flooded out eventually. They have been stored with very little running for many years and soon I want to start running them again.

Thank you to all for the great advice.

- Tom

The Bridgewerks fine line of G gauge power supplies as mentioned above by Mr. Jones are an excellent choice for powering LGB locos. They come in a variety of amperage ratings and are made in the USA.

LGB operators should avoid any power supplies that employ any type of pulse modulation. LGB transformers and controls are made for use with their locomotives. PIKO power supplies and controls are also very similar to LGB's and employ regulated, switching mode units. The various Bridgewerks units mentioned previously are also excellent. I should mention the old MRC Controlmaster 20 had a regulated, low ripple output, and I personally had no problems running LGB digital sound locos with this 5 amp unit!

Thanks for the power pack information. I currently have LGB power packs that I have used on small layouts. I will use them for now. I did not know about PIKO might look at one of those for the small layouts.  Planning on a garden layout and have been told that Bridgewerks will be my best choice.

I appreciate all of your advice and help. Thank you all.

-Tom

TOM: Keep us posted with your progress, when it is convenient for you!

I will. Hope to work on those engines later this week. Thanks for the advice and help.

- Tom

You are very welcome!  ☺

TOM: Just curious: Which RhB models do you own? Do you have a "baby" Kroc by any chance? My two favorite engines are my brown 414 Kroc with analog-activated digital sound and the #2085 SGE, which is modeled after a German narrow gauge steam mallet, now on display at a museum in Switzerland. I recently also acquired a KPEV 2015D tender dampf lok with dual motors, which is currently pulling a bier wagon consist with a lighted postal van bringing up the rear. Lots of fun!

Tinplate Art:  yes the LGB trains are lots of fun. In fact once I get them going again they might just pull me away from my 3 rail layout   Of course nothing wrong with that !  I have my old 2040 Croc. Also have the 2045 box engine,2044 switcher, 20413 tractor, 22430 GE 4/4 II and Allegra set. Also have mix of RhB passenger and freight cars along with all my LGB German engines and cars. Enough to make some interesting trains up.

-Tom

TOM: You have a VERY impressive collection of RhB engines and cars! I have the two coaches that came with the 414 in the Alpine Classic set plus two of the Marklin LGB 2nd Class RhB green/beige full-length lighted coaches with ball bearing wheelsets, plus a blue/silver roof Gourmino dining car. Was the Allegra set produced in the 1990's? You could, indeed, make up some interesting consists! 

Tinplate Art: Initially I just had the Croc and few passenger cars. The Allegra I got a couple of years ago. The others I have picked up the last few years at the local monthly train show ( Great Midwest Train Show) I was able to get the engines at a fraction of their original cost either new or like new condition. Also got additional passenger and freight cars at same low prices. All of these are the original LGB made in Germany, except the new Allegra made by the new LGB/ Marklin.  I have plenty to run a nice Swiss themed garden railroad.

- Tom

I also prefer, and have acquired like-new/new from private collections, original LGB produced at Saganar Strasse in Nuremburg. Those two Marklin LGB coaches (MSRP: $350 each!!) are the only new LGB I own. The new LGB is very pricey, though those two RhB coaches are very high quality with excellent detailing, both inside and out, and have the heft of the Alpine Classic cars! They even have a mid-car restroom with a wash basin and a commode with a lid that raises up or down!

Tom Q Fan posted:

Tinplate Art:  yes the LGB trains are lots of fun. In fact once I get them going again they might just pull me away from my 3 rail layout   Of course nothing wrong with that !  I have my old 2040 Croc. Also have the 2045 box engine,2044 switcher, 20413 tractor, 22430 GE 4/4 II and Allegra set. Also have mix of RhB passenger and freight cars along with all my LGB German engines and cars. Enough to make some interesting trains up.

-Tom

LGB lured me away from Lionel in the early '90s.  I had and still do have great fun with them, but I have returned to Lionel "O" gauge as of a few years ago.  I missed all of the new stuff and improvements that occurred in the '90s and early 2000s.  But that's okay.  I like things simple anyway.  I run conventional and have just entered the LC+ realm.

I have previously been into postwar O, MPC, and then the scale Lionel JLC engines with TMCC, plus MTH scale DCS locos. Later the Vision Line 700E Hudson with Legacy. Finally got bored with digital control systems and either gave them to my grandson or sold off the rest. Currently run only traditional MTH and Lionel Classics standard gauge plus my newly acquired original LGB locos (6) and cars (14). At 76, I have been in every gauge except Z - always wanted, but never got, one of those Marklin Briefcase layouts - so I have been around the proverbial "block" more than a few times! I had AF S gauge as a youth in NYC - 5 engines and 28 cars! Even dabbled in gauge one live steam with four engines, including two Aster's and a Roundhouse Engineering SR&RL #24 with full RC control! In fact. If I had kept all of the many trains I acquired over the last six decades, I would have needed a small warehouse to have stored them!  LOL!

Tinplate Art and Dan, I have similar story. Started out with Lionel and LGB lured me away in the early 70's. I had an extensive indoor G scale layout with several Preiser Cartfix cardboard buildings. Marshall Fields sold them then, along with Lindberg Plastic buildings. Would get them after Christmas when they ran their sales. Later I ended up having an outdoor layout.  Eventually I wanted to get back to my "Roots." I bought a Lionel GP 30 TMCC and a few pieces of track to see how the new trains were. I was sold. So from late 90's on I have been building my O scale layout. The climate change had caused my yard to start flooding and had to abandon the garden railroad. Now I am able to build a new garden layout and get those LGB trains running again. That is why I asked the topic question of this thread.

I really appreciate all the help and advice I have received.  It will be fun to build the outdoor layout and still have the indoor O scale layout too!

- Tom 

TOM: Build that layout and get those trains running again!  

Tinplate Art,  I will come this spring. Thank you for all your advice and help.

-Tom