Operating Boxcar With Signalman Won't Stop Operating

Sounds like something is wrong as the unit is suppose to be activated by a  Uncoupling/Unloading Track Section (UTS*)track.

As I recall there is a micro switch that can be adjusted to stop the cycle. Look for the switch and I think you can bend the lever to engage when the mechanism reaches the switch. 

I'm going to take the car apart tonight and look for the micro-switch.  Can someone explain how to test this with just a lead from my transformer to see if it's operating correctly?  (Basically how to fake the shoe into thinking it's getting a turn on signal from a piece of operating accessory track.  I have one of those in tubular but I can't find it anywhere.  I've been using RealTrax for years but just never got a RealTrax operating track.  I think this may be the only box car like this I have.)

 I did the same on mine.

I've done more research on my question about bench working/testing without an actual operating track section.  You're supposed to use "unload" to trigger a cycle of the man coming out of the box.  If I understand the wiring correctly, I'd need to apply power (hot) to center pickup AND to one of the shoe pickups while applying common (U) to the other shoe pickup and one of the wheels.  

Can somebody confirm if I'm understanding the wiring correctly?

"Won't stop working"?  Wait until the Chairman of the local hears about this! 

That was too funny.  

Hit it with Hammer?

I find it useful to understand what's going on under the hood.  For ones I've seen, the internal mechanism cycles as long as it gets power.  It gets power from either (1) the shoe or (2) from the "hot" center-rail via the open micro-switch.

When idle, the switch should be closed and the shoe is unpowered.  The mechanism is unpowered.

When you press "unload", it applies center-rail power to the shoe and the mechanism starts rotating.  There is a arm/lever on the mechanism that moves so that the switch opens.  The switch now applies power to the mechanism (from the center roller).  You can now release "unload" (that's why the instructions say to hold "unload" for 2 seconds or whatever).

The mechanism continues to operate until the arm/lever comes around one cycle and hits and closes the switch.  This now removes power to the mechanism and you're back to idle again.

So as noted, it's highly likely the arm/lever is not making contact with the micro-switch and hence never removes power to the mechanism.

If you get it opened up, on a powered normal piece of track, it will cycle as you say.  Find the micro-switch and I think it will be obvious that the moving arm/lever that comes around once per cycle is not hitting the switch.

Separately, once you get it running and stopping, you can simply decide you're done...or that you really want to occasionally operate the mechanism. As you've figured out, you just need to apply "hot" center-rail power to the shoe contact for a couple seconds to start a cycle.  Realtrax activation track is $30 MSRP.  If interested, pose the scenario in the Electrical Forum for ideas on how to emulate a momentary connection from shoe contact to center-rail for a few dollars.

Stan,

Thanks SO much for that reply.  I intend to get a RealTrax accessory track, I just don't have one presently as I'd totally forgotten about this boxcar.  And I can't find the 1950's era accessory track I know I do have somewhere.  I was just looking to understand how to bench test it tonight as I don't have access to a place to buy a RealTrax section on the way home.  And while I think pressing "unload" does apply power to the shoe I think it applies the power from what *could* also be powering the center rail but doesn't have to be the source.  And I think that "common" (or U) is applied to the opposite shoe at the same time.  I don't think BOTH shoes get power - I think one gets power and the other gets common (or U) in order to complete the circuit that causes the micro switch to get moved to "on" and start the separate part that is getting powered by the center roller and the common (or U) of the wheels on the outer rails.  That's the part I'm trying to get confirmation of - that one shoe gets power and the other shoe gets common (or U).

I just looked at a operating track section.  When activated, it applies "hot" center-rail to the 4th/5th rails on one end of the track section...and separately applies "common" outer-rail to the 4th/5th rails on the other end of the track section.  So as you say, one shoe gets "hot" while the other shoe gets "common".  Obviously for testing purposes it doesn't matter which shoe gets which since the car can face either direction which would reverse the connections.

A few years ago I purchased a command control unit from ERR (electric railroad company) to operate this car with my Lionel remote.

You might be able to operate the ERR unit with DCS, I have never tried.

So, you can contact ERR, find out what board is appropriate (they are very helpful, including guidance on the simple installation) and start/stop action anywhere on your layout, without the operating track. I have added ERR boards to my MTH boxcar that delivers crates and smokes, my Lionel operating barrel cars, 2 different boxcars like the one you have, and a Lionel hot box reefer.

Jeff - THANKS!!   I definitely am going to do this.  I just looked at the installation and it looks straight forward enough.  I just wonder if getting out my soldering iron is necessary.  I remember using little plastic "vampire" devices to tap into existing wires while setting up a wiring harness on my car awhile back.  That might be simpler and easier to return to "stock as originally sold" should that be desired at some point.  I just have to remember where I got them from......