How to Repair Old Lionel Trains

Getting those old Lionel trains back on the tracks requires a bit of perseverance and a lot of elbow grease. But once accomplished, you have what may have been a piece of your childhood to share with your children, or even grandchildren.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Oil
• Lint-free towel
• Rust remover
• Pliers
• Oxidation remover
• Spare wires
• Wire stripper
• Extra plug
• Solder
• Soldering gun
• Tweezers
• Screwdriver
• Oil
• Toothpick
• Lint-free white towel
• Pliers
• Tweezers
• Mini-screwdriver
• Magnifying goggles (or glass)
• Emery board
• Degreaser
• Cotton swabs

Tracks

1. Look through each piece of track and check for rust or oxidation (pieces that have oxidized will appear greenish or a kind of crusty white).
2. Mix your oxidation remover and dip any oxidized tracks into it, allowing it to set for several minutes before removing it. Once removed, wipe off the tracks with a towel.
3. Apply rust remover to any rusted track, and follow the instructions on the product for proper usage.
4. Put all your tracks together and look for pieces that aren't fitting tightly. The connection points may be bent. Using pliers, carefully bend the connectors toward the center of the track and refit the pieces. Continue until you have a snug fit.
5. Place a small amount of oil on a towel, and rub your track pieces down with it. Replenish the oil on the towel as needed.
6. Use a clean portion of the towel to gently buff the track. This creates a slicker surface for your train to ride on.

Transformer

7. Plug your transformer into an outlet and turn it on. Listen to it closely. If it's making a sound and the train isn't moving, then there's a problem with the connection to the track.
8. Disconnect the transformer from the outlet and the track. Wait several hours until the charge built up in the transformer dissipates and be sure to ground yourself prior to working on it.
9. Use a screwdriver to dismantle the transformer, placing the screws in a place where you won't lose them.
10. Check for frayed, broken, disconnected, oxidized or corroded wires or solder that is no longer securing the wires in place.
11. Replace frayed wires with new ones and solder them into place.
12. Clean oxidized wires using the oxidation remover, and then solder them back into place. Prior to cleaning, use the soldering gun to remove any excess solder from the wires. You may need to rotate the wires' contact points to get at the excess solder.
13. Plug in the transformer, attach it to the tracks and see if it works. If it still does not work, then replace the plug. If this doesn't solve the problem, the transformer needs to be replaced.

Train Cars

14. Find a work area with ample light, and gather all your tools so they are within reach. Place a towel on your work surface.
15. Remove the body of the train car to expose its inner workings, and set it aside.
16. Using magnifying goggles or a magnifying glass, check the inside of the car for bent or disconnected parts, rust and clumping oil.
17. Replace any bent parts inside the car. If you're tempted to repair the bend, then do so with very minor movements using a pair of pliers.
18. Reset any disconnected parts using tweezers to hold items in place while using a screwdriver to secure them.
19. Dip a cotton swab into the degreaser and gently remove any oil build-up, occasionally using a towel to wipe as needed until the build-up is gone.
20. Dip a cotton swab into oxidation remover and gently clean any oxidized parts while using a towel to wipe as you go.
21. Use a toothpick to grab a small amount of oil and place it on joined parts and mechanisms. Don't overdo it.
22. Replace the train body and affix it in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind the transformer is an electrical device, so be very careful when working on it.