what parts should i have on hand

Uh, just what do you intend to build? Or repair? Or modify?

That's like asking: How long is a road?

There's no way to even suggest what you might want without knowing a lot more about what you have as well as how you run it.  Generally, I accumulate parts when I find that I'm using them.  I do have a large quantity of stuff like LED's, I tend to go through those.

As has already been posted, the recommended on-hand parts is going to vary based on what you'd like to be able to repair without placing an order.

If you are looking at repairing postwar up through 1993 (Modern era) locomotives with e-units, I would suggest starting with the following:

Brushes

622 style brushes

1661E-29 brushes with ws-147 springs 

2020m-33 brushes with 2020m-34 springs 

E-unit parts

259e-1 e-unit drums

100-46 single contact (two finger)

100-45 multiple contact (four finger)

Wire

22 gauge superflex wire

24 gauge superflex wire

Misc

671M-23 motor washers - good for use as spacers in many situations

horse shoe washers

c-clips

C W Burfle that is what i am looking for.  i am going to be fixing my milk cars, usual maintenance on my pre ware and post war engines and cars.  i have a few dump cars, i would like to get a Z or a zw transformer what are the parts that is helpful to have on hand for that.  also which transformer would you guys say is better?  i am also want to maintain my lionel rock island northern form 1987.  just the normal stuff the most of you guys keep on hand for fixing what ever breaks most often on our trains.  

New Tires for your drive wheels,

Extra Track pins,

Smoke fluid,

oil, grease,

lamps for rolling stock and accessories,

Track screws,

I'm sure other things will pop into your head as you walk through the show.

Have fun.

The most common problem with milk cars is dirt and grime, followed by missing doors.

As an aside, carefully cleaning away dirt, grime, and old lubricant is often all that is needed to fix a milk car. I like to use odorless mineral spirits, rags and q-tips. I am of the opinion that milk car mechanisms should not be lubricated at all, unless you have a clear, dry lubricant. Wet lubricants attract dust and dirt. I still have a very limited supply of clear dri-slide, which goes on wet and dries clear. It is no longer made.

Back to parts on hand:

If you have more money to invest:

some replacement slide shoe sets for your operating cars:

slide shoe, rivet, and backing plate.

Its been a long time since I've set one of these rivets without special tools. I think you can use a center punch and a pin punch to clinch the rivet. Don't over-clinch, you can split the shoe (the original ones were bakelite) , or the backing plate.

Personally, I'd go with a postwar ZW over a Z because the ZW has two built-in whistle controllers. Unless you are experienced working inside transformers, or at least very comfortable working with electricity, I would suggest getting one that has already been serviced.

Many people like to replace the whistle rectifiers when they get a new (old) transformer. In my experience, the rectifier disks are rarely bad. Some folks on this board have experientmented with using zenier diodes. Maybe they will post about these diodes. I may try installing a set one of these days.

Common transformer parts are:

replacement cord

Carbon rollers (larger models)

Carbon roller rivets

Binding post nuts

Lionel used a few different sizes / styles of binding post nuts:

small for accessories and controllers

medium for transformers like a 1033

large for "V", "Z", KW, VW, and ZW.

In addition, they used a few special shape binding post nuts on transformers like 0100 and #91 electromagnetic circuit breakers, but one of the three listed above will fit.

I suggest you limit your initial outlay. As you need parts, make a list, and order from one of the big parts guys. Jeff Kane sells a selection of parts at a heavy discount when you buy reasonably small quantities.

After a while, you'll develop a sense for what you are likely to need again, and when ordering you can buy extras.

Don't forget the lightbulbs. Liquid smoke units to replace the old pill style.

One thing that I'm stunned hadn't been mentioned is couplers springs and rivets!  I buy both the plastic and diecast knuckles, springs for the diecast couplers, and rivets in black and silver.  Those are some of the most frequently used repair parts for PW cars around here.   I normally buy them 50 at a shot, and I've made several buys of all of those staples.

+1. Don't forget the coil springs used in the PW coil couplers as well as the hairsprings used in all of the PW couplers. There used to be at least two big vendors selling parts plus a few table holders who have a few parts. Shop around. Check your cars for lightbulb types. You could have a use for both 6V and 12/14v bulbs running conventional in screw and bayonet base.

Pete

The "hairsprings" are the springs for the diecast couplers.  I didn't think of the coil coupler springs, I actually have very few of those cars with the coil couplers.  OTOH, the regular coupler springs are on everything, either in the cheap plastic knuckle form or the hairspring and diecast knuckle. 

I do have parts to repair the pickup shoes, but it's somewhat of a PITA to work on them, you have to remove the plate from the axle to rivet them, and occasionally the tabs break.

For PW truck repair, I have a large box of assorted trucks, many times I just grab a replacement from the box.

thanks guys you have reminded me of many parts i need to pick up.  my last list was about 6 pages.  lost that one and i am doing a new one.  so if you can think of anymore please post it. thanks. 

No one mentioned spare pickup rollers for your engines and lighted cars. The spare light bulbs for all your stuff is a must.

Rob

I would be remiss in not mentioning that it's not really necessary to buy all this stuff just to run trains.  I'd buy the most commonly used parts and then wait until you need some of the less used parts.  It's not like the loss of the use of one locomotive or car will be a catastrophe, you can accumulate a few parts you need and then place an order for all of them.  

You can go broke trying to anticipate every part you might need and stocking it.  At the least, you'll have many parts that will languish in your parts bins for years.  All that parts money could have bought you more trains.

I have a lot of parts that I've accumulated over time, but pretty regularly I'm still ordering something that I don't have.  It's really not necessary to have a replacement part for every possible failure.

most of the parts i need to get i really need to get.  i have to many broken cars that are from when i was younger and never understood how to maintain them.  and other parts are for repairs if i find what i am looking for at the train show.  and i am planing on just getting what i need at the show.  then the next month order more parts as i need them.  i am just one of those people who loves lists i can check off as i go.  it helps me keep in my right and left mind 

Maybe its just me, but I find the most parts i use are screws, brushes for motors , brush springs for same, super flex wire, bulbs ,oils, c clips.

All other parts I can get from ttender.com, or toy train parts.

or some of the fine people on here. I find I don't need a lot of money tied up in parts I might never use.

Its surprizing how many screws i lose till I clean the layout and find some of them.

Rod

ok thanks C.W. Burfle very much.  and thanks to everyone else who posted  you guys/ gals really helped me finish my list.  thanks so much once more.  

You might want to get the LED lights from Town and Country.  They came in the "yellow" post war type of clear light.  They produce less heat, and have a brighter light at fewer volts.  The reduced heat will prevent problems in inclosed spaces like switch lanters and the 60 trolley.

There will be two parts dealers at the Great New York State Model Train Fair in Syracuse this weekend.

East Coast Train Parts

J&K Trains & Parts Inc.

I will have a complete inventory of Mega Steam smoke fluid there, along with box after box of old trains and used parts that I will be dumping at practically give-away prices.  I am cleaning out the back room to make room for new stuff shipping in!  Stop by my booth, it will be the one with the traveling Train Trailer display featuring four operating "O" scale train sets.

phil i will come by and take a look around and see if you have anything i am looking for.  

quote:

I've never worked on a coupler, even though I've had one or two that needed fixing.

In the 1960's Lionel started using a knuckle with pivot pins cast in place. These knuckles are extremely fragile and are often broken on otherwise nice cars. To the best of my knowledge these knuckles are not available as a replacement part. I have a very smalll quantity that I picked up from Madison Hardware when they were still in NYC. I only use them on cars that I want to add to my collection. Otherwise, I use a common plastic knuckle.

Otherwise, the only problem I commonly see that involves knuckles are bad springs.  The knuckles still close and can open when an adjoining car pulls them open. However, they will not open by themselves.  Normally I don't bother to repair bad springs. I just don't find it to be worth the effort.

On occasion, I will remove the knuckle and the armature plate to run a cruddy coupler assembly through my ultrasonic cleaners and vibratory polisher. 

In alll the years I've repaired trains, I think I've only used a couple of the TC-112 plunger springs that go inside an electromagnetic coupler.
I guess I'll mention that the knuckle for an electromagnetic coupler differs from the ones used for magnetic couplers. It is part #TC-21

Finally, I'll also mention that I find the blackened knuckle rivets much easier to clinch than the nickle ones.

With the exception of the coil couplers, most PW and later stuff has either the plastic knuckle with the build-in spring or the cast knuckle with the separate little real spring.  Either type is readily available from most parts vendors.  The rivets in black and silver are also readily available.  There are also aluminum rivets, but I got them once off eBay, but haven't found them again. 

I'm not an early PW or pre-war collector, so I only have a couple of the old cars with coil couplers, and I have a number of old trucks with the coil couplers, so I've not seen the need to stock parts for those.

It's actually pretty easy to fix most couplers, but it helps to have three hands for the separate springs.   I use the Brakeman's Riveter for fixing these, very handy kit.  I'm different from C.W., I hate things that don't work properly, so any couplers that are failing get fixed on anything I'm using.

TAS?  AFAIK, they're gone, so where do you get the parts diagrams?