Help with operating barrel car and rotating beacon.

If you have an MTH parts source near you, try one of their drive washers, they have six nubs and work well. Our club layout has an MTH version of the 494, hasn't been touched for many years and still works well. (now the jinx will kick in). These also work well on the operating radar tower.

The washer I bought came from a Lionel/mth parts dealer at a local train show that had a repair stand.  I checked this morning as to which washer I bought and it is in fact the six nib washer you recommend.  

The barrel car most likely has sliding shoes on it as power pickups. My guess would be it's making contact with a power source on the switch which is setting it off.  

The rotating Beacon sounds like it's getting too much voltage. Resulting in the heat which in turn bogs it down.

If the coil is getting hot, which it seems, some wires shorted together.  If you can pinpoint a spot getting hot and see the wires you may be able to put some nail polish on them to insulate them.  If you can't then you need to find a new coil.  I don't know if the MTH coil would be the same size or if someone like Train Tender would have a replacement.

Gene Anstine

I have two or three cars that get actuated momentarily over switches, it is the combination of fate, a millimeter here and there, and perhaps a little wear.  as they say XXX happens.  You can look on the car and see if the shoes have any strange looking twists that you might correct. failing there, roll the car slowly over the switch and note where it actuates.  Borrow clear nail polish or some sort of varnish and coat the switch part that is making contact. You might have to do this every few months depending on the amount of running you do.

grfd59 posted:

If the coil is getting hot, which it seems, some wires shorted together.  If you can pinpoint a spot getting hot and see the wires you may be able to put some nail polish on them to insulate them.  If you can't then you need to find a new coil.  I don't know if the MTH coil would be the same size or if someone like Train Tender would have a replacement.

 

Gene Anstine

I'm wondering if this isn't the case.  I bought this along with some other things before I knew a whole lot about what to look for.  Looking back it had been stored in a garage for many years.  The tower itself has a decent amount of rust on it.  I'm guessing maybe the coil windings have suffered damage as well.  I hadn't thought about this until your post but it makes sense.  Increased resistance = heat. 

My Lionel barrel car activates when it passes over a Gargraves manual switch on my layout.  So be it.

trumptrain posted:

My Lionel barrel car activates when it passes over a Gargraves manual switch on my layout.  So be it.

Good to know it's a known issue.  I repaired this car and just wanted to make sure it wasn't something I'd done wrong.