TMCC loco sluggish to move out.

How about a loco description and an item#?  If this loco has a "pullmor motor" in it thats typical.

It's a pullmor so that has to be it. Thanks Rick.

Pullmor motors are Lionels "old fashioned" postwar type power. They're sluggish, noisy,demand a ton of juice, slow down at every curve or incline, run hot, and are pretty much useless for any kind of switching or realistic slow speed operation. They are designed for racing around a layout.

 

Folks that grew up with postwar Lionel love them. Thats were the phrase "smell the ozone" comes from, thats the odor that a pullmor motor emits.

 

With respect to those that "love em." I avoid anything with a pullmor motor like the plague.

 

It may help to oil your pullmor engine, you have to open it up and there is a hole on the top of the motor, and all the suggested points on the engine and then break it in.  Run it at different speeds, slowly increasing how many cars you pull.  Run it in reverse same way.  Set your stall correctly.  A good pullmor will start at one speed step.  Lionel made some poor performing ones around your time period though.  Oil the motor.  It may be dry after fifteen years if you haven't done so.  Try to break it in.  I think it helps.

Might as well do a thorough lube job.  Grease and oil all the areas outlined in the owners manual. 

 

I've found that infrequent use is even worse than no use at all.  High friction causes heat which will allow what lubricants there are to easily drain off critical parts.  Often it takes a few cycles of running-lubing-running before bearings are oil quenched properly.  Remove any hardened grease and replace it with white lythium, red n tacky or whatever. 

 

I was ready to part out an old Lionel GS4 that pretty much completely froze under TMCC.  2 or 3 cycles as above and it was back to running well....or at least as good as can be expected from a Pullmor motored engine.

 

Bruce

Most have a very tiny set screw on the top also I have personally gotten an engine new old stock the it was to tight. and would take about all I had to get it running.Pul-mor motor's where the back bone for lionel diesels for many many years and some still come with them. Can motors are also great you get a lot better slow speed capability with them. Bottom line do a complete cleaning and relube/oiling and she should run a little better