Lionel #50 Gang Car Runs In Same Direction

Here is the operational diagram showing the wiring:

The field coil and the armature wiring has to be reversed in relation the field coil that is how you reverse a AC motor!  that is what an e unit does inside the old Lionel engines. the gang car uses a bumper switch which hits the bumper and reverses the field  switch coil in  relation to the armature. check your wiring on the bumper switch it should be a double pole double throw switch .

I reversed the wires on the contact wire assembly- it still runs the same direction.

Should I rewind both field windings? I only rewound the top one.

sounds like you lost the common on the field coil it will only run one direction unless you have the common center tap field coil. yes may rewind the whole field coil there should be 3 wires one common to  center of coil an 2 other wires for each end of the coil. I have seen a crane that had the same issue broken wire on one half of coil lost its common on one end of coil!

I didn't know the were 3 wires in the Field Assembly.

I thought there were 2 wires in the Field assembly (50-42) with one end of each going to one side of the brush plate (50-59) and the other end of each wire going to separate terminals on the Contact plate assembly (50-38). The other side of the brush plate  (50-59) was then connected via a wire to the grounding spring below the Reversing Slide Assembly (50-27).  

Before I start rewinding the entire Field Assembly, is there anything else I should be aware of? Thanks.

623, you crossed the wires. Take the two field wires off the brush plate and separate them. Take one of those wires  and put back on the brushplate . Test it , it should run in one direction. Take the wire off the contact plate that is not making contact when it runs and put that on the brush plate with the wire that is already there. Then put the other end of the wire on the contact plate. If you do it right it should work in both directions.

John

There are two wires, but maybe only three ends exposed; two of four ends becoming one for connection = three. One wire is wound clockwise, one is counter clockwise. The switch chooses which of two is active, the brushes do not change orientation. (The other way to reverse a motor is to have one field wire and change the brush positions instead)

If you cannot make it change direction it is possible there is a short between the two fields (usually youd just have one side fight the other, but how much would depend on the points along lengths of the short.)

Sorry so late and an echo, I didn't refresh an old tab and it had never even loaded the photos.

I finally had some time to get back to work on my gang car. I unwound the top coil wire (#1) and found that there were 4 spots on the wire where the insulation had worn off, exposing the bare wire. So I used a small shrink tube on each spot to re-insulate the wire. Then I unwound the bottom coil wire (#2) and found that the insulation on this wire was in good condition.

I re-wound the bottom coil wire (#2) on the Field Assembly and then re-wound the top coil wire (#1) in the opposite direction. I soldered one end of the bottom coil wire (#2) to a terminal on the Contact Plate Assembly (50-38). Then soldered one end of the top coil wire (#1) to the other terminal on the Contact Plate Assembly. The remaining ends of the bottom coil wire (#2) and the top coil wire (#1) were soldered to one side of the brush plate (50-59). The other side of the brush plate was still connected to the grounding spring below the Reversing Slide Assembly (50-27).

The Gang Car works great - reversing as it should!

Thanks to everyone for your responses!!!

@Anich posted:

I finally had some time to get back to work on my gang car. I unwound the top coil wire (#1) and found that there were 4 spots on the wire where the insulation had worn off, exposing the bare wire. So I used a small shrink tube on each spot to re-insulate the wire. Then I unwound the bottom coil wire (#2) and found that the insulation on this wire was in good condition.

I re-wound the bottom coil wire (#2) on the Field Assembly and then re-wound the top coil wire (#1) in the opposite direction. I soldered one end of the bottom coil wire (#2) to a terminal on the Contact Plate Assembly (50-38). Then soldered one end of the top coil wire (#1) to the other terminal on the Contact Plate Assembly. The remaining ends of the bottom coil wire (#2) and the top coil wire (#1) were soldered to one side of the brush plate (50-59). The other side of the brush plate was still connected to the grounding spring below the Reversing Slide Assembly (50-27).

The Gang Car works great - reversing as it should!

Thanks to everyone for your responses!!!

Congrats on the success.  Hoping you would share a final photo (top view) coil and contact plate connectioins.  I really need to know where the two (2) wires that are from the same armature lug go to. 1 wire comes from the coil itself , unsure if the other connects to same side on contact plate???

thanks in advance for any help.

Here are 3 pictures. Hope they help. By the way, my gang car is still running great.

@Anich posted:

Here are 3 pictures. Hope they help. By the way, my gang car is still running great.

Glad to hear that yours is running GREAT....  hope I can get mine to do the same.

thanks for the pictures  they should help. It turns out the middle wire of the field core is broken.  I found a used one on ebay so I ordered it and due in on 12/21.

if the center wire in the middle of the coil is broken it will only run in one direction ,it is not really that hard to rewind the entire coil just count the turns as you unwind it and wind it all back up in the opposite direction and all will work well!

Alan

@Alan Mancus posted:

if the center wire in the middle of the coil is broken it will only run in one direction ,it is not really that hard to rewind the entire coil just count the turns as you unwind it and wind it all back up in the opposite direction and all will work well!

Alan

maybe i'll give it a try...