Hi All. I just bought this car because I thought it was cool. It's in what I assume is very good shape. The light doesn't work when I set it on the energized track but I'm sure I will eventually figure it out with your help... can any one tell me what that "shoe" is at the centerline of the car and what position it is supposed to be in? How about trouble shooting ideas such as where to measure continuity, etc? Thanks!
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It's a great car. The shoe is the switch, put it over an electromagnet track and the track, when energised, will trigger the operation of the lamp and the vibrator. The vibrator makes the lamp spin.
The shoe as you call it, is an On/Off switch for the light. Operates via the uncoupling track.
Wow, I didn't realize it was so sophisticated. I have an uncoupler track but was told via this forum that it looked shot. I'll give it a shot anyway....thank you very much for your feedback
At one time that car was highly collectible, ( it still may be) Lionel made some really interesting rolling stock, that's nice. Good find and I hope you can get the light to work. Happy Railroading.
I didn't think that the 6520 vibrates. It rotates by hand manually.
correct, I picked this one out of a junk box last month for $2, alrady have trucks for it, and it'll get a regular searchlight.
http://www.tandem-associates.c...20_operating_car.htm
Here's a link to the instructions; as has been pointed out it does not vibrate....
Thanks David 66. Great link!
What is the part number for the rotary switch housed inside the generator? What is its availability? Thanks, Pat B.
Got plenty of brand new switch assemblies.....drop me a line.
Chuck
Überstationmeister and Chuck, Thanks for the quick responses.
Chuck, I will e-mail you tomorrow. I have a short list of other parts I need. Thanks, Pat B.
Don't mean to sound foolish But have you checked the bulb, the wiring from the pickup roller to the switch or from the switch to the bulb socket , If all that checks out and no one has tampered with the switch ( remove the 2 screws holding the plastic generator to the car ) clean the contacts on the switch . Good Luck- Let us know what happens. Jim53
Here's some photo's of the switch in question. I bought this at Madison hardware Detroit many years ago, never needed to replace one they are very dependable.
I've had to clean the contacts on a fair number of those switch assemblies.
There are some variations.
The color of the motor-generator set is significant (watch out for repros).
There is a rotating one with a black rotating searchlight bracket.
There is a variation on the number of vent holes around the bottom part of the searchlight bracket.
And there are lettering variations.
That is all that comes to mind. Check your guide or tandem associates website for details.
Great cars!!
No vibration (as said above) ... but that on/off switch is clever.
Without looking, and as I remember, there are (at least) three generator colors: orange, maroon, green. I believe green is the toughest. There are repros. Unfortunately.
Without looking, and as I remember, there are (at least) three generator colors: orange, maroon, green. I believe green is the toughest. There are repros. Unfortunately.
I've seen mention of a tan generator too.
Orange is the most common color, followed by maroon.
Then green and finally orange.
But certain model cars only came with generators one color, once again, check your guide or Tandem Associates for details.
Funny thing, even the green reproductions generators are somewhat hard to find. They certainly don't draw the bucks that a car with a genuine green generator would, but folks do ask a premium for the repro green ones.
I haven't seen a tan generator, original or repro.
I actually have the car in question (Lionel Lines 6520) which was part of an ATSF switcher set that I received for Christmas in 1950. Over the decades the searchlight part was lost. Can this be replaced?
John
I actually have the car in question (Lionel Lines 6520) which was part of an ATSF switcher set that I received for Christmas in 1950. Over the decades the searchlight part was lost. Can this be replaced?
Yes, the part is easily replaced if you can find one.
There are lots of cars out there minus their searchlight, so it is not an easy part to find.
IMHO, your best bet is to find another car in lesser condition that still has it's searchlight.
The searchlight bracket and mounting eyelet is commonly available.
The car in my hands is the version shown by steamer with the orange generator. It belongs to my brother-in-law, but it is of unknown provenance. It appears to be all original but missing the lens (6520-11). The wiring has has at least 4 breaks in the insulation. The switch needs cleaning but appears to be good. I believe that 4 or 5 inches of super flex wire and a lens will fix this 65+ year old car up nicely. Thanks for the responses. Pat B.
C W Burfle posted:Without looking, and as I remember, there are (at least) three generator colors: orange, maroon, green. I believe green is the toughest. There are repros. Unfortunately.
I've seen mention of a tan generator too.
Orange is the most common color, followed by maroon.
Then green and finally orange.
But certain model cars only came with generators one color, once again, check your guide or Tandem Associates for details.
Funny thing, even the green reproductions generators are somewhat hard to find. They certainly don't draw the bucks that a car with a genuine green generator would, but folks do ask a premium for the repro green ones.
I haven't seen a tan generator, original or repro.
I've seen cars carrying the three different colors ... but never a tan generator.
I might have to do research on that one. 
I did a search on Ebay for "Lionel searchlight housing" and found quite a few housings for sale.
Rthomps, If you find a TAN generator, you hit the Jackpot, for Rarity. They are mentioned, but have Never seen any.
I did a search on Ebay for "Lionel searchlight housing" and found quite a few housings for sale.
I tried your search and got 12.
None of them were correct for the non-rotating type of searchlight car, shown by steamer above.
They could not be used.
One wasn't even Lionel.
The rest were probably reproductions.
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