Help with balky pantograph - Lionel GG-1

Thought I would try again to see if any pantograph specialists were on this weekend !

Thanks

Unfortunately, there are some questions which are asked on the forum which go unanswered.  I had the same problem several years ago and asked the same question.  I never received any responses.  The result is I still have a balky pantograph on my GG1

I am not a pantograph expert but I have fixed defective MTH motorized pantographs and I believe that the mechanical workings of Lionel's JLC GG1 is similar. Mine has never had a problem but as a result of having to deal with the MTH version I have studied how it's meant to work.

You don't say exactly where the pantograph balks in operation but I assume it won't go all the way up or down. I think that movement is produced by the two arms you can see in the Lionel part photo for item 610-8354-020. The arms are pulled together or spread apart by a gear mechanism that is part 86 in the Lionel exploded on the replacement parts page for this model. As a previous poster has said, it's quite possible that this is binding on something or just needs lubrication.

Beware because these parts are extremely fiddly to deal with and I would not try disassembling the whole unit unless you have a day or so to spend trying to put it back together. If you take the body shell off and watch the pantograph operation you can probably tell if there is a binding or obstruction issue.