Lionel 2026 2-6-2

Have you looked at the Olsen Toy Train Library...link below for the 48-49 version.

http://www.olsenstoy.com/2026-48.htm

Look around it has a lot of great information.

Also, check this thread for when I restored a later 1951 2026. Lots of good advice from the Forum.

https://ogrforum.com/...6-restoration?page=1

Welcome to the forum!

Here are links to the parts breakdown files for the '48-'49 loco and the '51 loco. They will show you the differences in the models.

Here is a page that shows how the smoke unit is attached to the motor frame.

Finally, here is the parts breakdown for the smoke unit itself (bottom of page).

Larry

@Rich Wiemann posted:

Have you looked at the Olsen Toy Train Library...link below for the 48-49 version.

http://www.olsenstoy.com/2026-48.htm

Look around it has a lot of great information.

Yes! This is the only one I have found so far but I know there is more. Eventually I would like to have a printout of everything that originally came with the train set but I cannot even begin where to find this. I believe that has the first page of the service manual but there is 3 other pages I believe to it.

@Richie C. posted:

Also, check this thread for when I restored a later 1951 2026. Lots of good advice from the Forum.

https://ogrforum.com/...6-restoration?page=1

 

Thank you but I already have this one! 

Will absolutely check out your thread.

@TrainLarry posted:

Welcome to the forum!

Here are links to the parts breakdown files for the '48-'49 loco and the '51 loco. They will show you the differences in the models.

Here is a page that shows how the smoke unit is attached to the motor frame.

Finally, here is the parts breakdown for the smoke unit itself (bottom of page).

 

Larry

Thank you I have those files. I couldn't spot much of a difference besides the fact that the 51 loco has rollers and the earlier ones have contact slider shoes? So I will assume I have early variation A (which I heard there was 3 variations) But also no way to tell if it is a 48 or 49? 

Thank you for the 2 docs on the smoke unit as well. I cannot seem to understand them it says 1 screw to get it away from the frame? But there is a lever under it and the piston seems stuck on it so that is where I am lost.

I'm not sure the earlier model smoke units work the same, but if they do, the one screw is near the top of the assembly where the top half of the smoke unit (not the piston and lever assembly) attaches to the frame. 

The piston and lever assembly fits up into the bottom cup of the top smoke unit. The levers on the sides at the bottom are driven by the main side rod assembly and make the piston go up and down in the cup, thereby "pumping" the smoke out. My recollection is that the levers sit in a groove and nothing on that end is physically attached anywhere. With the piston inside the cup and the levers in a groove and being rotated by the rods, it stays in place. The spring provides the resistance. I believe I purchased a new assembly because the old one was bent and corroded or maybe missing entirely.

If everything is not working properly, the levers can get stuck but the whole piston and lever assembly should basically fall out of the cup once you remove the shell and side rods. It may take some careful working of the parts back and forth to get everything loose, if it is jammed. 

The attached pics and video may make it clearer. 

@Richie C. posted:

I'm not sure the earlier model smoke units work the same, but if they do, the one screw is near the top of the assembly where the top half of the smoke unit (not the piston and lever assembly) attaches to the frame. 

The piston and lever assembly fits up into the bottom cup of the top smoke unit. The levers on the sides at the bottom are driven by the main side rod assembly and make the piston go up and down in the cup, thereby "pumping" the smoke out. My recollection is that the levers sit in a groove and nothing on that end is physically attached anywhere. With the piston inside the cup and the levers in a groove and being rotated by the rods, it stays in place. The spring provides the resistance. I believe I purchased a new assembly because the old one was bent and corroded or maybe missing entirely.

If everything is not working properly, the levers can get stuck but the whole piston and lever assembly should basically fall out of the cup once you remove the shell and side rods. It may take some careful working of the parts back and forth to get everything loose, if it is jammed. 

The attached pics and video may make it clearer. 

Please watch my 2 videos

You need to study the lower photo in the post from Trainlarry. There were two different smoke units used on the 2026. Yours is actually driven by the one of the drive wheels though the lever.  Please respond.

thanks, swede

Do you have a multimeter to check continuity? You can verify that the heater assembly 226-29 (identical to 671-225) is good by checking for continuity by setting the meter to "resistance", placing one probe on the wire end and the second probe on the metal tab on the opposite end of the heater resistor.

swede 

It appears that Swede is correct - your smoke unit is different than mine and looks like you need to remove the wheels in order to replace the smoke piston and lever. 

However, from your video it looks like you should be able to remove the top half of the smoke unit by removing the one screw holding it to the frame. Once the screw is removed, you may be able to separate the top of the unit from the bottom by seeing if you can gently try to pry the top part of the cup up and away from the piston by hand or with a small screwdriver.  

If the unit can be separated, you should then be able to manipulate the lever by hand and free it up or at least see what is making it stick.

@Richie C. posted:

It appears that Swede is correct - your smoke unit is different than mine and looks like you need to remove the wheels in order to replace the smoke piston and lever. 

However, from your video it looks like you should be able to remove the top half of the smoke unit by removing the one screw holding it to the frame. Once the screw is removed, you may be able to separate the top of the unit from the bottom by seeing if you can gently try to pry the top part of the cup up and away from the piston by hand or with a small screwdriver.  

If the unit can be separated, you should then be able to manipulate the lever by hand and free it up or at least see what is making it stick.

Yes I would like to see a video of someone else trying that before just doing it and potentially damaging it.

@rrswede posted:

You need to study the lower photo in the post from Trainlarry. There were two different smoke units used on the 2026. Yours is actually driven by the one of the drive wheels though the lever.  Please respond.

thanks, swede

Thank you for the comments swede I do have something I can test it with. Can I get this top part of of the piston though? It seems to be seized up with gunk.... How Can I safely take it apart without destroying anything can I heat it up with a lighther?

Please see attached video

The answer is yes. The gunk is the residue from the previously used smoke pills. I have never used heat to loosen it up but would not be afraid to do so. What I typically do is dribble a little motor oil onto the gunk and it dissolves the gunk enough to allow the plunger to become free.

Let us know if you are successful or not.

swede

It may take a little time for the oil to work and, if very careful not to scratch the plunger or the unit, use a toothpick or something thin like a razor blade to clear the gunk from the lead edge of the jammed unit so more oil has a place to go and soak in.

Again, keep us posted, 

swede

A heat source such as a hair dryer can be used to soften up the pellet material to get the piston apart, after which, let the residue harden again and gently scrape it off.

Larry

Here is a little more information/ history.

http://postwarlionel.com/motiv...rairie/2026-prairie/

@rrswede posted:

It may take a little time for the oil to work and, if very careful not to scratch the plunger or the unit, use a toothpick or something thin like a razor blade to clear the gunk from the lead edge of the jammed unit so more oil has a place to go and soak in.

Again, keep us posted,

swede

@TrainLarry posted:

A heat source such as a hair dryer can be used to soften up the pellet material to get the piston apart, after which, let the residue harden again and gently scrape it off.

Larry

Thank you both. I used a heating gun and wow did that clean it up quick. I will never do it another way. Will give you guys an update when I get a chance to work on it again. Not really sure what to do next, I need liner and pellets to test it.

You can surely trust Jeff Kane at http://www.ttender.com/ or Harry Henning at http://www.henningstrains.com/

If all you need is a couple things, the shipping will exceed your parts cost. I always try to buy parts that I need or think I need to offset shipping.

swede

Sounds good - Charles Ro has old style Lionel pellets, but they are a little pricey.

If you are interested, Jeff Kane sells a conversion kit to liquid smoke.

Tandem Associates will have information on their website about the variations from year to year with may help you identify what you have.