Lionel 18005 Trouble

It is a conventional E-Unit, pullmor motor system.  Similar to the 783-5 you listed.   If headlight is not on, then clean wheels and pickups.  Is the transformer circuit breaker tripping?   A short somewhere?   One engine I had that worked like this had a short in the smoke unit.

Other than that, step by step checking of the wiring, motor, E-unit, lights  and smoke unit.

Most of the elecrical, motor and drive train parts are still available. 

Sounds like pick-up problems. Spread the pick-up arms and remove the rollers and clean the pick-up axle rivet with some light sandpaper and clean in inside of the roller with some solvent and a pipe cleaner.

This is brand new and my other powered units never needed that. My 783, 784 and 785 and others. Thanks for the suggestion.

I contacted Lionel by e-mail and got an automated response. 6 to 8 week wait time before they even look at it. Anybody know of a good train repair man close to Indiana that can get it done quicker? The one I used before Darl Hall with Train Express pasted away couple years ago.

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

I contacted Lionel by e-mail and got an automated response. 6 to 8 week wait time before they even look at it. Anybody know of a good train repair man close to Indiana that can get it done quicker? The one I used before Darl Hall with Train Express pasted away couple years ago.

Actually, Lionel isn't doing non-warranty repairs, so it'll be a lot more than 6-8 weeks before they look at it!

Nice to know. Spend thousands in the day and find out years later things are not like it use to be for repairs. Thanks for the repair shop suggestion. Bought some things from him (Hennings) in years past.

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

This is brand new and my other powered units never needed that. My 783, 784 and 785 and others. Thanks for the suggestion.

It ain’t brand new, it’s far from it, …..it’s 32 years old, ….it might be new to you, but that’s where the newness ends …..Chuck’s suggestion is spot on, you’re just having a pick up problem,……only thing I’d add to Chuck’s suggestion is a tiny drop of conductive oil on those rollers after cleaning them,….if Chuck didn’t suggest it already …..

Pat

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

Nice to know. Spend thousands in the day and find out years later things are not like it use to be for repairs.

Repairs are still done by Authorized Service Centers, just like they always have been.

Mike

Not in my area. Lots sell Lionel trains very few work on them. None close to me not like in the old days. Times change.

@harmonyards posted:

It ain’t brand new, it’s far from it, …..it’s 32 years old, ….it might be new to you, but that’s where the newness ends …..Chuck’s suggestion is spot on, you’re just having a pick up problem,……only thing I’d add to Chuck’s suggestion is a tiny drop of conductive oil on those rollers after cleaning them,….if Chuck didn’t suggest it already …..

Pat

Thanks for reminding me and my trains are getting old.