I have the gold GG-1 from the mid 80's and I was running it today then it started to run poorly. I took of one of the trucks and the worm wheel looks shredded. The are pieces it on the motor shaft. My questions are this, I have never worked on a G as it looks tough. How do I fix this? is it a gonner? And should the other truck be looked at or left alone? Thanks in advance!!! Steve
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Your GG1 truck is almost certainly repairable. If the gear is ruined, it can be replaced. The truck should be inspected to see if there are any other issues that caused the failure, or if it was a lack of lubrication.
Certainly the second truck should be checked and lubricated.
Unfortunately, replacing the gear is going to require that two pairs of wheels be removed from the truck. This is best done with a wheel puller, and the remounting is best done with a press set up with the proper cups. (There are specific cups for GG-1 wheels).
You could get the job done without the tools, but I will let somebody else describe their techniques. It's been a long time since I did work that way.
You could also purchase an entire replacement truck. I just searched Ebay using the term "Lionel GG1 truck" and saw several.
See the MPC service manual pages below, they should be correct for your engine:
Steve...if the gear is nylon,it's a common problem,if the gear is brass i advise you to try to find the cause, it should not happen....all the best...joe
joe krasko posted:Steve...if the gear is nylon,it's a common problem,if the gear is brass i advise you to try to find the cause, it should not happen....all the best...joe
Joe, it is a brass gear! I have has this engine since bought in 86. I have run it for years and never a issue until this. Could it have happened due to lack of lubrication?
Cincytrains posted:joe krasko posted:Steve...if the gear is nylon,it's a common problem,if the gear is brass i advise you to try to find the cause, it should not happen....all the best...joe
Joe, it is a brass gear! I have has this engine since bought in 86. I have run it for years and never a issue until this. Could it have happened due to lack of lubrication?
When was the last time the engine was serviced? Typically it's a good idea to lubricate the worm(s) and gears every year or so depending on use. If the worm is run "dry" with no lube it can wear down quickly and parts may fail prematurely.
You may be wise to take your locomotive to a Lionel Service Center.
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