Moe & Joe operating Lumber Car

Dan Padova posted:

Does anyone here have on of these in "O" gauge ?  #6-36815.  Are you having any issues with it ?

Dan: 

I’ve had the #6-36774 PRR version on my layout since 2004 and have not had any problems with it.

Bill  

Bill, is it any different than the one I mentioned ?

Dan,

FWIW, I have the Lionel 6-28648 version and no issues over 3-4 years, seems to work great.  I also have 14+v on my actuating track too.

I also have about the same voltage on my UCS track.  What happened yesterday was after the first board was ejected, the second push of the button hardly made the actuator move.  So I took the car out to my workbench and placed it on my test track.  Still very little movement.  I removed the upper operating mechanism from the flat car and watched as I pressed the button on the UCS controller.  There is sparking between the silver TEE like plunger and the black "fork" like guide that the plunger slides through.

Ouch,  does not sound good.  I will take a look at mine tonight,  I have not had it apart but will try to determine if I can see any sparking.  Might be worth a spray or two of the miracle elixir Deoxit or whatever similar you have.

Just out of curiosity I looked up miniature solenoids.  They all indicate DC for power.  I doubt I can get replacement parts from Lionel.  So can someone enlighten me about how the Lionel solenoids work on AC ?

You have a wire that is touching the metal piece.  The T should not have any electricity.  You are right, Lionel doesn't show the solenoid available.  If you pull the solenoid out, you'll probably find there is continuity from the T to the coil wires.  If you can pull the T out of the coil you may be able to put some nail polish in the hole to insulate it.

Not all solenoids are DC coils, there are AC coils but they may convert to DC.  I don't have one so I don't know what may be hidden.

Gene Anstine

Gene, thanks so much.  

Well I took the operating mechanism apart....again !   What I did is put heat shrink tubing over the four prongs that guide the silver plungers into the coils.  I had to spread the prongs ever so slightly to allow for the decreased space between them.  Viola !!  It's working like a charm now.  Thanks again Gene.

Great.

I have another question regarding operation.  On my Christmas layout I have a UCS operating track section to activate the Moe & Joe car.  The car's length makes it tricky to get it positioned on the UCS section so that both sliding shoes are resting on the control rails.  I was contemplating some way of extending the control rails but figured someone smarter than I might have another suggestion.