Post this hoping that the forum may have some advice on this problem.
Several years ago I bought a Rich-Art 256E with five 710-style cars (the light blue/dark blue with cream trim paint scheme) . It's a gorgeous set and has been on display in my train room since I got it.
Last week I was going to run it for some friends who were visiting. Just one slight problem...neither of the two motors will run when track power is applied (the engine headlights do work, so power is reaching the engine).
When I took the engine apart, it turned out that both of the motor brushplates were binding their respective armature shafts so tightly that the motors were frozen. Verified this was the problem (no binding in the gear trains once I lifted the brushplates off their posts enough to slightly turn the shaft/brushplate combination...gears move freely.
The brushplates were obviously pressed over the shafts...have tried lubricating the shaft and incrementally moving the brushplate...no success in getting them off yet.
So, if any of you Rich-Art (or tinplate) experts have suggestions, please let me know.
thanks, John
