Model Train Journal

I've been working at a LHS on Saturdays doing basic repairs, BCRs, traction tires, and other basic maintenance items. While I understand not everyone has the ability to do some of the repairs it does surprise me some of the most basic repairs I end up doing. Don't get me wrong I understand not everyone has the solder iron and such but the train hobby usually breeds these items for layout building.

How far are you willing to dig into a repair. Since I haven't been to either service class fro MTH or Lionel, I keep the repairs to the basics without any board replacements. I have though repair broken wires, reseated boards, and smoke unit motor failures as well as tether repairs. These might be a little more advanced for some folks.

Broken wires from a pickup rollers seem to be one of my bigger repairs. Again I certainly don't mind but it made me think that part of the reason I know how to do this is because of trains.

I've done basic repairs as you describe, but I prefer to hot rod my own trains. One example is the General bash I did, and posted on this board. I've been following with great interest Chuck's project of building interiors for his Hogwart's Express cars, which is also on this board.

Three-rail......even two-rail. All I can.

Lionel axle bearings, no, as I don't have the press to flare the bearings out.

Armatures (including driver removal), brushes, springs, rebuild e-units, .

Just shipped off an LTI 400E, totalled commutator, non-existant brushes, one 1/2 length brush spring, all rollers shot, main buss solder broken, couldn't even SEE the field for the filth.

Went from wide-open throttle on the bench requiring thumb assistance to get the drivers to creep for a bit to on the track decent speed 1/2 throttle.

Diagrams, parts, necessary tools. The diagrams are getting harder to come by. I really miss the old "tech bulletins/service documents Lionel used to publish.

Lack of parts is the next most common problem. We were spoiled by the insane levels of parts left over from PW over production and never took into account what would happen with demanding new designs and low production runs.

Specialty tools has always been a limiting issue. Not many of us have the need/space/pocketbook for arbor presses, pullers, winding jigs, etc. When you see some of the diagnostic rigs and computer hook ups for the current electronic trains to test boards and components it gets to be a bit disconcerting.

While being somewhere between a novice and an expert, my abilities outweigh my available time, hence the pile of "someday" projects.

Time is an important factor and when you are doing the work yourself and you have to find a balance between good enough and "right" and all of the other things that compete for our attention. I've started using cheap Ikea plastic containers as project boxes to keep whatever I need for that project together.

Other slimy trick is to convince yourself you are actually doing work for someone else. I was both surprised and appalled at how fast I could assemble and paint an AMT car kit or an Estes model rocket kit for one of the nephews if I was baby sitting while the rest of the adults went someplace else. This has to be used judiciously or it backfires. You can start to loose the focus needed to pull theses stunts off. Instead of a hobby it becomes a chore.

Prewar/postwar I'll mess with, but in the era of printed circuit boards, I find that best left to someone who conceptually understands what they are doing. My competency with a solder-iron has greatly diminished over the years...hard to believe I built a Heathkit stereo amp and a tuner from a big box of components when I was a kid.

HealthKit, Lafayette, Archer (pre Tandy). Sure there were other regional ones. Heath may have been the only early national brand. Brings back a lot of nostalgia. You actually learned by hands on "doing" and picked up advanced skills like soldering and use of more sophisticated tools. Cest le vie.

It was a great experience. The Old Man thought I was crazy. Built a set of speakers as well. Worked the first time I fired it up. I can still remember the glow of the tubes.

I'm pretty good at the whole "learn by doing" thing and do many repairs myself. Modern electronics tend to end up out of my abilities, but mechanical repairs, simple electrical repairs (especially postwar) and basic maintenance I don't have a problem doing. I spent today taking apart the lead truck of a 1:1 scale locomotive as well as rebuilding some brake control valves for 1:1 scale equipment... 1:48 is easy after that

Healy36 said:

I can still remember the glow of the tubes

Along with the hum, the smell of warm rosin and a whiff of ozone

I certainly don't mind diving into board repairs when I've had the training or at minimal some paperwork. I don't mind soldering that wire that folks can't or don't want to either. After all it keeps me busy.

Board repairs that Don't involve micro surface mount components are not that bad. It's more a case that those type of boards are becoming a thing of the past. I can't do surface mount. Too small, too much precision.

I remember when Lionel introduced the first Fast Track switches with the retro design throws. People wanted to use them with other switches and didn't realize these were nothing like the old o22's. The "lights" were surface mount bi-color less and the control circuit was actually split between the boards in the switch and the controller.

I keep my repairs to anything that doesn't have a board in it. Anything pw or MPC, I could usually fix myself, as long as I can get the parts. Anything with boards in them - TMCC, PS2, etc I don't touch. Don't know what I'm doing in there & don't want to damage anything further.

I am at least similar to how most of you are describing yourselves.
I also think I am the old man here. I am 84 and find that my biggest problem is sight.
Sometimes my fingers are too big to handle those little bitty pieces.
When I was able to get back into model railroading in 2005 after being away since 1952
I made several trips to the hobby shop and sort of felt things out. N scale looked interesting
but my eyes and fingers didn't like them. Same with HO.
My best friend, now dead, gave me a Lionel starter set in2003 and that was it.