# Lionel collector roller help



## Jim C (Jul 7, 2009)

I would appreciate some advice on the replacement of Lionel collector rollers. 

Do rollers worn as much as the examples below of my 6466W whistle tender and 6357 caboose need replacement? I see sparks under each for the whistle activation and light respectively. (And other cars have some but less spark issues.)

Are rollers easily changed without the replacement of the entire pick up mechanism or is it better to replace the whole assembly? 

There appears to be different designs, with the pin being a rivet or maybe pressed? Are there any instructions to help me with the replacements? 

Do I need to look up and order the part numbers for each one or are there really just a couple interchangable parts available? (I plan to either get them at a local train show in a couple weeks or order from one of the parts vendors online)

Thanks


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

You must be a super O guy. You can reduce the sparks. I use a tungsten cabide bit( my favorite) and bevel the rough edge out. You should be able to pry out the roller if the ends aren't peened over( mine are not) and replace it. Just confer with a good parts guy for replacement. Or replace the roller attachment or the entire truck it's up to you.

At the Stan Orr Parts site.

Roller 0-0481-011

Conversion coupler with roller 0-048-010 This attaches to the axles

Bottom plate with roller 0-0488-004 This has no coupler ioke a caboose.

I searched truck roller


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## Jim C (Jul 7, 2009)

Thank you T-Man. I'm trying to learn enough to repair my trains. 

I've had my 2035 steam engine-pulled freight set since Santa brought it in 1951 and the 2023 Diesel with 2500 series passenger cars since 1953. It's been fun restoring them. 

Beyond the degunking, lubing, motor cleaning, new coupler springs and pickups, and replacing several brittle and broken old wires, I've done some repairs and additions that have really helped the sets.

As a kid I always struggled with the tight turns and unusable switches for the 2500 series cars. Once I discovered recently that I could get some 42" 027 track, it became an enjoyable train.

The KW transformer horn control worked terrible. I found that a new rectifier disk and washer/spacers did wonders. When I opened it up I also discovered that when it was sent out for repair some 40-50 years ago the "repair" was bypassing the breaker instead of replacing it. DOH! Of course I fixed that debacle.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Maybe you can help me sometime. I have a KW it runs fine now but I gotta get the end knobs. I have 027 but I prefer the O it is a 31inch radius. My roller problem is that the spring needs replacement on my tender. I 'll have to get it as a replacement part. Stick around if you find something ask.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Jim C said:


> I would appreciate some advice on the replacement of Lionel collector rollers.
> 
> Do rollers worn as much as the examples below of my 6466W whistle tender and 6357 caboose need replacement? I see sparks under each for the whistle activation and light respectively. (And other cars have some but less spark issues.)
> 
> ...



A question from a non-O guy....is there a reason you can't just remove the roller and turn it? If you can get it off the locomotive and put it into the chuck on an electric drill to spin it, a minute or two of dressing it on a file should give you a pretty smooth roller.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

This is a well used roller. With super O track the center is a thin bar and you get the divit. Those rollers are tough,they don't need to be straight just smooth.


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