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       #Post#: 1843--------------------------------------------------
       Rear pickup roller gets hot on my prewar 259
       By: 70gtvert Date: December 31, 2017, 3:47 pm
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       I restored a prewar 259. Kept all the wire but put shrink wrap
       on it to replace the junk insulation that was there. tore it
       down and and cleaned everything, armature face, brushes, fixed a
       bushing (anyone know what material Lionel used and if you can
       buy anything like it as I had to use a different material. It
       worksgreat but would like the look of the original stuff if
       possible). Two roller pickups on this engine have just one lead
       coming off of them. When running I can see light sparking coming
       off the rear roller. Once it has run a while it gets hot to the
       touch, but not the front one. I've checked clearance and it does
       not hit anything I can see and if I adjust it so it is not
       touching the third rail the train tends to cycle the e-unit
       easily to neutral on some spots on my track (same ones over and
       over-need to address that too) that it doesn't do with both
       pickups on the rail. It is not shorting the transformer and the
       engine runs fine, it is just that one roller. Anyone experience
       this before? Any ideas? Thanks.
       #Post#: 1844--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Rear pickup roller gets hot on my prewar 259
       By: TrainLarry Date: December 31, 2017, 7:34 pm
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       It sounds like the roller may be dirty and dirt acts as an
       insulator. Scrape off any dirt you can see on the roller. Get an
       old pump bottle and spray some Naphtha on the roller and also
       inside the roller on the pin it revolves on.
       Clean both rollers this way, then clean the wheels and track
       with the Naphtha also.
       Larry
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