My lionel diesel engine just quit, it just buzzes. how do i repair it?

Question

My lionel diesel engine just quit, it just buzzes. how do i repair it?

Answer 1

It's hard to say without actually seeing/listening to the engine operate, as well as specifically which model you have and how old it is.

Offhand, I'd guess that you have an older locomotive with a mechanical reverse unit. The reverse unit normally makes a buzzing sound, however the noise of the motor covers it up.

If this is the case, more than likely one of the three wires that goes from the reverse unit to the motor has come loose. The locomotive needs to be opened up, and the loose wire resoldered.

The other possibility along those same lines is that the reverse unit has gotten dirty, or one of the small contact fingers has been bent or burnt off. If this is the problem, sometimes cycling the power(and thus the reverse unit) will at least get some movement out. The proper fix, however, is disassembly of the reverse unit along with cleaning and replacement of worn or broken parts. This is not a job for someone who doesn't know what they're doing, as everything is under spring tension and requires about five hands to get back together correctly.

The other main possibility is that you have something jammed in the gear train, and the buzzing you're hearing is of the motor attempting to turn. This may require major disassembly, depending on the specific circumstances.

The best thing you can probably do is get in touch with a local authorized Lionel service center, or a local Lionel repair technician.