128 News Stand

There are two versions of the newsstand. Which do you have? There is one with the can motor or there is the older model with the vibrator motor.

I have the vibro motor. I didn't know they made one with a can motor, or else I would have looked for one of those...

Vibrotor powered accessories are sensitive to voltage, and you may need to adjust the voltage higher or lower to find optimum performance.

 

The newer (2001), electric motor driven version is 6-14085.

 

Larry

I've tried adjusting the voltage too. It doesn't seem to help.

 

I don't know if it matters, but I tested it on a CW, and then a ZW

Can you take a pic of the inside mechanism with the roof off.  I have one and can compare if you have all the parts. 

 

-Pete

Here is the diagram and notes for the mechanism. Note the dimension of the spring, which is critical to proper performance. Make sure the string and pulleys are clean.

 

Larry

Here is a picture of the inside (I have the retaining clip off for when I was checking things).

 

 

 

The spring measures about 1 1/2 inches if you include the ends to secure it (so the actual spring itself is about 1 1/4 inches, and it's not sprung looking)

 

I have discovered that if I give it full with my CW and I give it a nudge, it will slowly go around, stopping in this position. Could the motor need a cleaning? Would that slow it down? How would I go about that?

I figured it out. The motor runs, but the man outside is not free at certain points (his arm has severe arthritis). I am trying to lube it now, but any advice to help with this?

Glad you got the motor running.  These older accessories often need a bit of tweaking to get them to operate.  You are on the right track by lubricating his arm but as stated above, these vibro motors have to be played with to determine how much voltage needs to be applied to get them to work properly.

 

-Pete

IMO, introducing the vibrating motor was one of Lionel's biggest mistakes. It was a big cost saving measure that greatly lowered the quality of newly introduced accessories. The drive strings can break, and the spring often loosens and disables the accessory motion. The spring tension must later be precisely adjusted ( after a period of time) for any motion to occur. My motorized accessories still work like new, the vibrator motored ones not so much. .

Well, I lubed everything, and it slides fairly free now...but it still won't operate properly unless I give full power to my ZW AND blow the whistle!

 

Should I try adjusting the spring next?

Michael,

          The next step is to apply 12 volts to the unit. While the motor is operating,  at the end where the spring  is attached to the motor, using a tweesers, gently pull on the spring to give the drive line more tension. Experiment w / both the voltage and tension. You may have to remove and re-attach the line to the spring for more tension to get to operate perfectly.  WD40 or a similar lube will do wonders for the man, dog & line shaft pulley.  Try to use a Silicone type lubricant.  "the old man"

 

Okay, I will try that. I have been using silicon grease in places, and graphite in others. Thanks!

I played with the spring, and it definitely seems like a tension problem. How do I open up the other end of the string to adjust this?

Hi Michael,

 

Not sure if this will help, but Olsens has the diagrams for the 128 newstand

 

http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/searchcd31.htm?itm=248

 

And there is a book by the late, Ray Plummer, that is out of print, but you can view a few pictures on a google serarch of the pages that discuss the vibrating motor.

 

http://books.google.com/books?...el%20128&f=false

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The little paper boy's arm just swings from the turning motion of his movement.

I wanted to create a rod, of some sort, to make the boy's arm raise when he turns to the viewer, but I am no mechanical engineer.

I bet, an engineer at Lionel would have incorporated a device, to cause the lad's arm to raise, at the correct position, but it might have cost too much and it would have probably been a problem for an owner to repair it.

Ralph

I believe Lionel accomplished this with the modern-era re-issue done in back in the early 1980s.  I think the catalog # was 6-2308.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks John,

I have to look into. the newer news stand.

Ralph

You are correct, John,

Beautiful, here it is:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dYQptlwGz0

Ralph

Yes The MPC version has the newsman raise his arm, the postwar does not. As far as the vibrator motor, clean the string with some de-greasing solvent on a paper towel rub back and forth the length of the string. Then on the drive pulley the string goes around, take some heavy grit sandpaper and fold and 'sand' the groove in the pulley to roughen it up to give the string more 'bite' in the nylon pulley. The arm the spring attaches to can be bent slightly to increase tension.