Repair a Series 1 Grade Crossing

The parts list doesn't provide a look at the gear. If you have some calipers, measure the gear dimensions and look on eBay. You usually need shaft hole size, number of teeth and spacing between the gear ends. measure it in millimeters.

I assume the worm gear comes up from the bottom and drives the arm gear.

Have you looked at it thinking of how to possibly shim or adjust the position of one of the gear shafts? I haven't seen the insides of one in person. Is the housing worn that holds the shaft ends?

What positions the vertical worm gear shaft? Something worn there or any way to raise it or move it laterally for better contact?

It is not a regular gear, is is a sort of 1/4 circle thing with some bumps on it to activate the position sensors.  I don't think I will be able to find anything else that will fit.  It is very difficult to get a good look at becasue it is white and the teeth are tiny (and I don't own a microscope yet) but under a magnifying glass there appears to be a worn tooth.  I tried sliding the gear on the shaft. a little off center to get to a better spot on the gear.  I even thought I had it fixed, but it worked for a day or two and is now worse than ever.

There is no apparent wear in the housing where the worm gear rides.  There is no more play in the worm gear than I would expect.

Pictures would help, but I have not been able to get a picture that is useful.

it doesn't sound hopeful.

I was thinking of perhaps a dab of epoxy on the tooth and then reshape it with a small triangle file to rebuild the point. But, a lot of times, stuff doesn't adhere to nylon.

Without the gear point it won't grab. Replacing the unit with a series 2 unit and pinion gear is almost half of the cost of new unit.

Hail Mary - call Lionel customer service - perhaps one of the techs has a repair solution that is reasonable.

The Hail mary is an interesting idea.  My luck there with other issues that have required thinking out of the box has not been all that good. 

I was going down the same sort of path.  Maybe fixing it with epoxy or glue then molding a new one from the repaired one.  At some point I guess it gets sort of silly, time vs money and all.  Alternately I was thinking of removing the gates and just using the flashing lights.  It might look OK.  I am not confident about my skill level there however.

I am hoping maybe someone has NOS some where, or a second broken one.

Do you think you can replace the gate assembly and motor from a series 2 and have it fit and work?

Lionel is having a 50% sale on direct online order during the open house /warehouse sale weekend in November. Looks like it would be $56.50 for the two complete assembles Arm and motor in Series 2 at half off plus $10 shipping. $48.25 to fix it.

We are thinking the same things, I had wondered about this myself.
I am not sure about the control or if it would even fit.  Hard to be sure with out the parts in hand.

I would say yes. The housings and mounts look the same in the parts photos. Lionel cust. service could confirm that. Ask them to check with a tech.  There's one on eBay for $50 no sound and one gate doesn't work, so same money for a parts donor that may have bad parts.

Edit: The series 2 lifts the gate via a cam versus a worm gear drive that's on your series 1.

Question: Is there a motor for each gate?

The mounting base of the gate and the motor housing look to be same.

Ahh, the motor driver boards are different. Another $18.

This is getting too expensive to repair this, even at 50% off.

It may be time to offer it for sale for parts and get a new one.

My thinking exactly.  As I said I was hoping that some one would know of a place that would have old stock.
Or they had a busted one them selves

All good.  It helps alot to have other eyes look at it.  I am finding that I often lack the courage of my convictions on this stuff.

BWRR,

Save yourself and email me at mreagan@lionel.com! (you can keep your hair in your head as well!)

Thanks,

Mike

I see Mr. Reagan has already posted to help you, but I was going to post that I have a brand new 610-4098-109 gate arm assembly in stock.

Mr. Reagan able to help find what I needed to get it working again.
Simply outstanding customer service.

The good news! When I saw Mike's post, I figured he had a fix for you.

Was it parts, a retro-fit of new or something clever?  it may help others with this accessory.

Does anyone have more information on this repair?  My crossing gate now does the same thing.  I did send Lionel an email asking for help, but not sure they will be able to.

Thanks, DGG

My crossing gate has the same issue. I checked with my LHS and was told that the parts needed are hard to find.

Thanks

Any chance for "after market" parts being made by anyone?