Inherited Bing train

A scotchbrite dish-scrubbing pad is what I use to get the running surfaces of tinplate track clean.  Don't use steel wool.

I don't know enough about Bing to give you any specific background information.  But for any elderly locomotive that hasn't been run for years, the main rule of thumb is "clean and properly lubricate the mechanism before running."

It's a nice set.  Your father (or his parents) chose wisely.

Thank you for the track cleaning suggestion. There is a lot of it so I better get started. Any suggestions on where u can find a transformer?  I’m not sure what I would need and where to even begin. 

I have a mixed set of Bing and Ives. The train runs very well with a Lionel ZW. Definitely massive overkill, but it was all I had available at the time. Pretty much any old school AC transformer should do the trick. If all you are running is the engine and a few cars, you don't need much wattage. Just be sure to clean and lube the cars as well as the engine. Makes a BIG difference!

 

Chris

LVHR

Love it, very good!!

There is a Lionel KW on eBay for $75 with free shipping. You can get an original ZW for under $100. read the descriptions carefully, since these units are very old. Get refurbished, working units with new cords if possible.

George

I think properly identifying the engine would be wise before jumping to power needs

About 6amp+ of 0-12v variable DC is safe to test with, even if an ac motor. More amps are great. Be cautious with more voltage, but it could possibly take more.

How do I go about identifying the engine?  Rumor has it it was given to my dad when he was born in 1913 but I’m not sure. I’ve read the stamp on it means it was produced 1909-26.  I know zero about trains but remember this running around the Christmas tree when I was little. Is there a place to take it to to get it looked at?  I live on the east coast. 

ladd592 posted:

How do I go about identifying the engine?  

Some close-up pictures of the locomotive (including the bottom) might help identifying it. It might even be a high voltage version.

It looks very good; is it 0 gauge? Bing also made trains like this in 1 gauge. Your loco looks like this one: https://www.historytoy.com/bin...ive-gusseisen-spur-1 and the car like this: https://www.historytoy.com/bin...green-chrome-lithogr

Regards

Fred

LADD592

East Coast is a pretty big place--if you could be more specific there are some repair shops some one on here would recommend to you.

Hello nice Bing set   looks to be the 1 gauge model..( also made in O gauge ..both electric and wind up)  ... later version with fixed cow catcher ...embossed lettering under cab window ?...so 1914-16.......importing ceased during WW1 ...but there were plenty in warehouses so listed in catalogs till 1919 + - ....  a few close up photos would help this inquiry ...  any transformer  (AC) should work ...over 6000 listed on ebay today . Bing took on Ives ...for the O gauge market in the USA ..and gave them a big run for the money .   With WW1 ...Lionel knew Bing would not be able to import ..so to fill that void thye entered into the O gauge market in 1915 ... to continue the competition with Ives .  With WW1 that marked the death of 1 gauge in America , Ives continued to make it till 1920 ... but without another major player (Bing) ...the gauge just died (in the US) .   Bing was a major player in the American toy train world prior to WW1 ....  came back in the 20's but never to the strength of prewar .. ...  Cheers Carey 

Here are some closer pictures of the engine.  It looks very similar to the train you sent except the Bing is not embossed, just painted.  I thought it was O gauge but maybe 1 gauge.  I added a picture of the track too since I don't know the difference.

Thank you everyone for all the help.  This has been amazing learning about the train.  Carey Williams,  I love the old ads. The train looks very much like the last train in the catalog ad.  

Scotie, I live near DC now but am moving to Charlotte NC so any repair place in the vicinity or between those?

Yep, that is three rail One Gauge. 1.75" between outer rails. Be very careful with that. I suspect it is worth some money and would be difficult to replace. There are very few train shops who really understand that vintage of trains. They are not incredibly complicated but require some care. Yours looks to be in very nice condition, too. Don't just let anybody work on it. There are some folks who would take the appropriate care with it.

George

Thank you George.  One mystery solved.  I think I may have something very special here.  Sentimental for me. 

On another thread, I learned that the three rail 1 Gauge track can run $12 to $18 per section if you can find it. There is a nice European Bing 1 Gauge set on eBay right now for about $2250. I'm not saying that is what yours is worth, just pointing out that this could be more than a couple of hundred dollars. Also, finding a part or the exact car or engine you have could be a long search, so you want to be careful. Also, extensive tampering with the engine could greatly reduce its value. With the right power and a little lubrication (very little), it may just run as is. Clean the tops of the track rails with a scotch bright and wipe them clean with a cotton cloth. You can lubricate gears and wheels at the axels with a little 30 weight motor oil applied with a toothpick. 

Enjoy!

George

 

The train is much more valuable than I thought.  I think I'll leave the train as is and use your lubrication guidelines.  I would still like to find a transformer in case I decide to sit and clean a box of track before Christmas.  Now I need to identify the power needs.

As Carey noted the engine makes your set a later version - below is the catalog cut for clockwork 1 gauge version of the same set. This is from the 1914 Bing catalog.

The underside of the engine looks very good, so I expect it is in running condition. The knob/handle in the cab is used to change direction and should be pushed or pulled in a correct position. When set somewhere in the middle it will not run. I assume it will also run on DC, but best try with AC first.

Regards

Fred

For a large train, I like to use a power supply with a little more power. I still think the Lionel ZW would work nicely. You connect the wires to the track lock-on you show in the pictures. The lock-on connects one wire to the center rail and one to the outside rail. Don't apply more power than needed to get it moving until you know it is working. It may take a lap or two around the oval to loosen up.

If you see any smoke or smell anything burning, kill power immediately. It doesn't mean the engine is ruined, but the old wiring could have a short. One of my old trains has an armature that got hot on me because my reverse unit wasn't working right. It smoked a little, but once I adjusted it, it ran and there was no permanent damage. You want the motor to stay relatively cool. If it gets hot, you need to stop running it and let it cool down.

Again, enjoy.

George

I'd go no less than 100w, and it would likely need more than that. Another note (I have no idea on Bing's) is prewar transformers usually give a 25v max, and later ones give a 20v max (5v whistle circuit "boosts" to 25v). The early power didn't have the whistle control in the transformer, it was an add-on that instantly eats 5v... leaving 20v to run trains. A DC motor should not be run on AC It will burn most out, stuttering between going fwd and rev. at 50-60 times a second An AC motor should run on DC just fine most of the time. I'd check for heat build up though (DC will make a whistle tender blow non-stop as most use a DC relay that ignores AC, but triggers on one AC wave being a few volts stronger... Effectively the difference between the waves is seen as DC + or DC-, depending on which AC wave half is stronger (DC offset). Motor oil is great for cleaning metal and removing light rust. It just doesn't do it quickly, needs to soak, and needs some agitation too, usually with a wire brush. Over time a crusty finish can be rust free again. Flushing bearings till the oil comes out clean is "ideal" for a grubby one. Just set on a rag to drip dry overnight, wipe off the excess, repeat...epscecially wipe excess from the wheel treads and track tops. Wahl hair clipper oil is great for treating and protecting lightly rusted track. It is thin, not very slick at all, cleans up easy. Obviously oil can mean trouble for traction. The clipper oil is hardly a concern I can wipe with a dampned corner of a rag to treat, again lightly with a dry corner, and run imediatly. Cleaning oil off track most folks use alcohol. Just make sure it evaporates full before you run your sparking train and start a fire. The warnings on steel wool are because once powered up, the motor is a big magnet that will gather tiny steel wool debris causing fast wear at least. If the track is too bad for plastic wool (Scotchbrite) there is a heavy stainless steel wool (chore-boy) that is much safer than the fine "S.O.S" pads. For one thing you can usually see any debris and snags even easier than a wire from a wire brush. Being stainless it may not even be magnetic (untested, some stainless can be magnetic). Fine sandpaper would be another option, but one to be cleaned well after useing it. That debris would be worse than steel wool. Mostly, just don't do heavy metal cleaning where you run your trains. Searching for debris with a magnet is a great way safegaurd against magnetic debris. Some folks even mount a magnet on a train car to hunt for unseen debris.

Either way,it’s an open frame motor. I have run my standard gauge Lionel 390e on DC. It works , but not worth it. Everything else makes sense.

George

George S posted:

Either way,it’s an open frame motor. I have run my standard gauge Lionel 390e on DC. It works , but not worth it. Everything else makes sense.

George

I wouldn't buy DC power, but if I had it already, I'd run it.

  I've tested trains on my car battery before buying, and run them during power failures, camping (it was raining, but not in the van) and at outdoor car shows with an extra battery before too  

After seeing it (nice! The site has been acting up for me today), and having some second thoughts on older pre war paint qualities and though I'd expect Bing to be top notch, I'd be careful with oils around the paint. It could work it's way under some paints, lifting it.

  Start small on the underside and wait a few months to inspect for lift/creep. Penetrating and detergent oils would be worse for that too.(non detergent motor oil is still around, mostly found in lawn care sections at average stores though) If it creeps, wash it off with Dawn, and dry it fast and well. Short term wetness is not a big deal, even on raw metal. Drying it fast and fully is the key.

Adriatic posted:

George S posted:

 

 

After seeing it (nice! The site has been acting up for me today), and having some second thoughts on older pre war paint qualities and though I'd expect Bing to be top notch, I'd be careful with oils around the paint. It could work it's way under some paints, lifting it.

  Start small on the underside and wait a few months to inspect for lift/creep. Penetrating and detergent oils would be worse for that too.(non detergent motor oil is still around, mostly found in lawn care sections at average stores though) If it creeps, wash it off with Dawn, and dry it fast and well. Short term wetness is not a big deal, even on raw metal. Drying it fast and fully is the key.

I think this train is in a condition that one should not be tried to clean it at all; it is a good as it gets and it should not be ruined by using anything else than a very soft cloth or brush to remove some dust.

Regards

Fred