Test Vibrator/Vibrotor

A more logical safe way of testing it:

Use a common permanet magnet of any size or shape. Apply AC power to the coil (after the wires are connected, only then apply power and do not touch it or the wires). Hold the permanent magnet near the pole of the coil, it should vibrate at 60HZ safely in your fingers as you bring it near the AC field.

How definitely not to test it:

Since you are using alligator leads from your transformer, make sure the leads are unclipped from the coil wires, but powered. Also make sure your fingers are touching the metal of both of the leads. Now clip them to the coil and make and then break the contact on one side a few times. The goal is to get the biggest spark.

When you pick yourself up off the floor after getting hit with a couple hundred volt inductive spike- you know the coil is good or else you would not get the spike.

I am saying this as a warning as attaching a fixed voltage power source turned on is one good way to shock the ever living heck out of yourself with anything of postwar nature with typically large inductive coils. Worse so, many are frame ground, and so one hand on the lead wire, on the frame, and you will get quite a jolt as you make and then break the contact.

Also, there is always a basic continuity test for the coil using a meter, but that might not catch a short circuit failure of a coil. It would hopefully catch the open circuit condition though of a broken wire.

Again, while I typed it in humor, it is a very real thing in testing many postwar items. Be careful. Many of them do use frame for one side of the connection meaning oftentimes- you might be holding it and thus at least one hand electrically connected. Your other hand might be on the wire or again just touching the alligator clip or wire when you make or break the power connection could result in good jolt- enough to really hurt in some cases. If you had a condition (example heart) and it goes in one hand, across your trunk and out the other hand- thus right across your heart.

As an example, say you are holding a typical postwar steam engine in your hand above the workbench. You have one lead clipped to the frame. You touch the other lead to the pickup while holding the engine to test it and see it run. If your finger slips and touches that lead or pickup while you are holding the train with your other hand results in a very good jolt as the circuit opens up after being powered.

Apply your clip leads first with power off, then slowly raise voltage if possible- all while ensuring you are not touching the engine or part under test.

@Vernon Barry posted:

Also, there is always a basic continuity test for the coil using a meter, but that might not catch a short circuit failure of a coil. It would hopefully catch the open circuit condition though of a broken wire.

Duh, thank you very much for tip.  Those tiny solid wires break off frequently when they're moved.  After fiddling a little more I finally checked for continuity and there was none.  "It was working before I pried the assembly off my culvert unloader."

My testing transformer is a Lionel Type 1015, 45 watts.  I probably picked it up at a TCA train meet.

Here is setup for testing the Culvert Unloader vibrotor assembly.