Postwar Lionel 3361 log dump car

I have attached 2 photos of the solder lug and connection

Olsen's kindly hosts the service documents for your 3361 which includes a wiring diagram (Click to expand):

http://www.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=500

Thank you bmoran4.

is that a parts list from days gone by or are you suggesting I can order some replacement parts?

Bmoran4.  I looked at your parts list and there seem to be some parts I can buy.  I just hope I can take it apart.

The parts list there is from the original Lionel Service documents so pricing and availability do not apply. However, your usual suspects such as Jeff Kane, @Harry Henning, @S AND W and more may be able to supply what you need.

PatK,

Yes, the Unload switch operates the car.

The service document posted by bmoran shows that there should be a wire connection from each sliding shoe to one of the solder lugs shown at the lower right of the document.  One shoe connects to one lug, and the other shoe connects to the other lug.  A quick search on ebay shows how the wiring should look.  You can see it here if it is still there on ebay:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONE...2:g:ue8AAOSwPeReGKY~   .

From what the two photos show, I am guessing that someone connected one wire from one sliding shoe correctly, and the other wire connects track ground to the other solder lug, which is not correct.  However, if my guess holds up, I think that as you car is wired, the unload function will work when the car is facing in one direction, but not when it's facing the other direction (assuming there are no other problems).  When facing in the "wrong" direction, pressing Unload would connect track power to track ground, which could create an arc as you mentioned.

Hope this helps.

Barry—— thank you so much for the advice.  I will double check the wiring and the methodology.

the frustrating thing is that for the cost of repair, I could probably buy a new car like the one you illustrated in your link.

the funny thing is that at the Lionel factory, these things were put together by some semi skilled laborers.  They look so simple but the parts are small.

When Lionel made the car they soldered the lugs on the wire then riveted it together. The rivet is insulated with a light coat of plastic. My guess is the wire needed to be replaced so someone soldered new wires on the lugs.  When doing this they melted the plastic on the insulated rivet causing a short.  Maybe the connections could be made without using the lugs, insulated the connections with shrink tubing, and epoxy the shrink tubing to the lugs to hold the wires in place. 

To Barry and David

so I checked out your suggestion Barry

When I flipped the car around, the dump arm worked.  I also looked at the sliding shoe wiring.  Both wires on the lug go to a shoe.  But I noticed that the wire to the furthest away shoe has a bare spot and is highly likely to be grounding itself to a part of the truck.   Most likely, I would say.  I pushed the wire to that shoe to get a bit more slack and the dump arm worked somewhat as I flipped it around again. I figure that is what is shorting it out.

Any further advice as it looks like I may be spending a lot of time working out the bugs due to the stay at home policy?

i really appreciate your wisdom, collectively