Williams Fa1 Alco and Lionel Operating Track

You have a major delemma on your hands! The Williams engines have some issues with Lionel operating accessories and trip tracks.

Have you tried using a four rail uncoupling track made by Lionel or K-Line for O gauge tubular track? One side has an extra rail instead of both side having two extra rails.

 

I too have had some problems with Lionel track and accessories that hook-up to the track, using a Williams engine. The highway crossing signal contact clip-on piece gave me trouble with an SD-45 by Williams, the wheels didn't make contact with the outside rail and caused the engine to stall at the contact piece. I replaced the plastic wheelset in the center with a metal wheelset and the problem was solved.

Another problem I had with Lionel switches and Williams engines, the Lionel 6-23010 O gauge switch acted crazy but only with a Williams engine on the track.

 

Contact Williams service department as the service tech may give you an answer that I don't know about.

 

Lee Fritz

This is a minor issue - easy to fix.

 

The Williams rollers are shorting on the operating rails due to their width.  All you need to do is to chamfer the ends of the rollers with a Dremel.

This is just me, but I would go with Gargraves track and switches when using Williams trains.

Lionel track and switches with Williams engines have given me too many headaches for me to mention.

 

Lee Fritz

Thanks for the ideas - all very helpful.  If the issue is the rollers, I wonder if I could just retrofit Lionel rollers to the locomotive.

 

At this point, the track is all down and I am financially committed to o gauge tubular track and switches, so while I think gargraves is a fine product, that is not an option.

 

Thanks again.

I have four pairs of WBB scale FA's and have had virtually no issues with running over a Lionel operating track.  Before you start work with the Dremel, check the pick up roller bracket like Nicole suggested.  I have noticed on some of my WBB engines that this will work itself just a tad toward the side and, while barely noticeable, it's just enough to cause a short over a switch or an uncoupling track.

Curt

Two days ago I finished dealing with this same - or nearly identical, at the least - in

my yards.

 

I use GG track, but a million years ago I installed modern era Lionel uncoupling (UC)

section in all my yards. I wouldn't bother again, but they're already there, a real job

to take out, blah blah... 

 

So, recent, hands-on experience here:

 

Many non-Lionel locos, especially modern stuff, have their junk (rollers, etc) hanging

lower than Lionel's MPC and earlier items, and for some reason L decided to let the

"bull's-eye" (as you called it) and magnet rise above the level of the running rails, a bit.

I began to notice it on my TMCC-upgraded Weaver brass USRA 0-6-0 - hump, bump and

short out. I tested a pair of WBB 027 Alcos (not scale, but who doesn't like them?)

in the same area - same problem. High bull's eye, low engine junk.

 

1 - using a Moto-tool and grinding wheel, I simply laid into the high-bull's-eye and ground that sucker down to where it should be, magnet, red plastic, surrounding metal, and all.

 

Still works just fine; I re-painted it camo brown (my track is painted). Did a dozen of them. Bumping gone.

 

2 - the 0-6-0 also has a little flaw of its own, but electrical tape and fiddling fixed it a

while back. The front roller rubs on the gearbox cover over some things, and the front of the cover sometimes hits a high switch part, or the like. Spark and die, occasionally. You may have to fiddle with some of your locos, too. Maybe not.

 

It's all part of the joy of being a model railroader, not a pastime for sissies.

 

 

 

Curt & D500,

Thanks for the advice.  I will check the roller alignment and I will also see if I can grind down the bulls-eye a bit.  

 

D500, if it is not too much trouble, could you show me a photo of what your operating track looks like, post grinding?  I'd like to have a mental image of what I am aiming for.  If not, no big deal.

 

Thanks again.