how to tell if a loco is to far gone to save?

If you bought that thing you might have well wadded up those bills and threw them in the river.

You have to consider the Repros in the marketplace too! Those repros cut into your collector's value. Unless you have some deep sentimental reason for resto, I would let it go.

I'd have to see some photos.
In the world of Lionel, decayed wheels are no big deal. Replacements are available. Not certain about Ives.
Sometimes, when the original wheels swell, they bind up the mechanism to the point where it will not move. That could be the problem with that Ives loco.

I may be in the minority, I'll take "played with" over restored or reproduction any day.

The wheels were cracked and straight not hitting the frame.  Had the motor spun and I could have gotten him down it would have more than likely to have found a home.

There is no loco too far gone to save. Its just about the money.  a 3235R with an intact R unit is worth a hundred.  You could part it out and make it back and then some.

I think that is a good price for a standard gauge engine. You can't tell what is wrong with a motor by trying to spin it by hand. A lot of times, it just means taking it apart, cleaning and lubing it. Burnt commutators can be rewound. There is a source mentioned frequently on the forum.  Parts like a pantograph and wheels are fairly easy to find. Was the whole light socket missing or just the bulb? I would have bought it, if it was something I liked.

George

In the 1984 Greenberg's Guide to Ives Trains, that engine was listed at $90 restored.  That was 32 years ago. A working red one sold on ebay recently for $99. A non-working green one sold with two cars for $85. 

the whole socket was gone. that's what I was thinking it might just need to be cleaned and lubed due to no wheel movement.

old trains are like old cars. you almost never get back what you put into them. It's a matter of desire, rarity. I've built up several Pre/Postwar steamers from bare shells. No doubt I could buy complete locomotives cheaper. But I have more than enough that are ready to run. I enjoy bringing back the dead, the hunt for parts.

Steamer posted:

old trains are like old cars. you almost never get back what you put into them. It's a matter of desire, rarity. I've built up several Pre/Postwar steamers from bare shells. No doubt I could buy complete locomotives cheaper. But I have more than enough that are ready to run. I enjoy bringing back the dead, the hunt for parts.

I agree with Dave, I to have brought back loco's from the jun pie. I also do put more in the Loco's then they are worth. To me the rebuilding is my hobby.

The price is kind of steep and I would of used the replacing the wheels/pick-up/condition to bring the price down. Just remember there are may out there and they do pop-up, nothing is rare.

A locomotive that is too far gone to save?  Never heard of such a thing... 

Before:

After:

Wicked cool James!    How long did it take?

Anybody know where to get an armature rewound?

I've heard most repair shops won't even look at a 33 motor like this.

MADMAX, A great and timely topic as far as I am concerned. I had started a thread in the Summer about my battered Lionel prewar steam switcher...I'll be starting it back up again soon.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...team-switcher?page=1

Just got word from the great Harry Henning that repairs are done on my locomotive. I bought it knowing it was not in good shape, but that turned out to be an understatement. The e-unit was shot, problems with the motor and the drivers and idler gears needed replacement. The brushes were missing along with the fairly rare (that I would find out later) brush "caps". Luckily, Harry Henning came to the rescue on those, too. Cosmetically, I'm going to work with my friend tomorrow to restore the boiler shell. 

I agree with what Dave said that "I enjoy bringing back the dead..." I rarely have trouble with these locomotives which are pretty sturdy. For the 1% that I have trouble with, my friend usually bails me out, but it this case the locomotive had so many multiple issues, I needed Harry and his crew to work their magic. The fact that the headlight was sheared off should have been a clue as to what I was in for. 

Having said all of that, would I buy it again knowing what I know now? Gov. Cuomo of NY used to say, "You grow too soon old and too late schmart..." So, I would probably do the same thing. Being an optimist, here I have a locomotive that is 77-ish years old, now brought back to life, it can now run at least for another 77+ years. Always have someone like Harry Henning as back-up though, just in case! 

Tom

Ives and Lionel may share some parts given Lionel Corporation purchased them. Is it worth fixing, depends do you have the money? It is not a car you drive wit ha bent frame.

pennytrains posted:

Wicked cool James!    How long did it take?

Anybody know where to get an armature rewound?

I've heard most repair shops won't even look at a 33 motor like this.

Try http://themotordoctor.com/

I have rewound field coils by hand using magnet wire from Radio Shack.  I am not capable of doing armatures that way though.

George

Thanks for the link George!    I'm definitely going to look into that!

pennytrains posted:

Wicked cool James!    How long did it take?

I bought the locomotive as seen in the first picture in 2004, but didn't get seriously started on the rebuild until 2006.  The "after" picture was taken when I set the finished locomotive on the track for a test run in 2011.  It was originally built by Ottaway in 1946.  It has been a good locomotive - I just put it up for the winter last week...

Not long at all in my book considering how little you started with and how spectacular the finished product looks! 

Anything is rebuildable if you have enough parts. My family Marx 495 was in the garage for 30+ years. Pulled it out, the stationary field had been cut in several places, reverse had melted, axle was bent, and the brush plate and shoes were gone. The exact same engine, armature rewind, Lionel rollers and brush plate later, now runs on my layout pulling Ives 70 series passenger cars. Most people would have never repaired it, but I had a few parts laying around that I was willing to mutilate in order to make her functional. Cost to me was exactly $0.00 in parts or repairs.

In all the years I've been buying basket cases and restoring them I've only come across one loco that was too far gone. It was a little 248 electric. When I bead blasted the body it was so full of holes I could have used it as a spaghetti strainer. You cannot restore what isn't there. I even restored a 203 Semi Scale switcher that had been run over by a car.

Tin