I embarrassed to say that after 55 years of ownership I discovered my #246 has a traction tire! I was cleaning the wheels yesterday and I noticed a definite line, could it be, yes.
Well after all these years it was just spinning on the wheel, popped it off and it's darn near petrified!
I measured the wheel with a pair of calipers and it's about 1.167. Anyone know what the tire it would take?
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All postwar Lionel steam engines use the same traction tire, #242-206.
Sorry to report that your 246 probably had its motor assembly replaced somewhere along the line. According to the Lionel service manual, it should have one low powered magnet, not a traction tire.
CW - Thank You. That makes sense. I inherited a #242 some years ago and must have swapped motors as my 246 didn't run. Still have the original and still does nothing more that a couple feet forward, then reverses itself and a couple feet backwards!!
Still have the original and still does nothing more that a couple feet forward, then reverses itself and a couple feet backwards!!
Some of those motors are more sensitive to power interruptions than others.
A good cleaning of the motor assembly and the track would resolve that issue.
Both pickup rollers and all four drive wheels need to be carefully cleaned.
In addition, some scout style motors have a contact to get an extra ground through the trailing wheels, and/or a wire leading to the front truck bracket for extra ground.
Contact problems between the armature and brushes can be issue too.
Interesting, I was always told they were sealed units and couldn't be worked on. I'll certainly dive in and see what I can do!
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