# 145 Automated Gateman Question



## fireman00 (Dec 8, 2011)

I picked up a mid-50s 145 Gateman, painted with maroon roofs. The motor works but the plunger that pushes the gateman out appears to be sticking. 

Anyone have an idea on how to clean it up? 

Thanks in advance.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

GooGone? I've never fiddled with a Gateman, but GooGone has certainly worked wonders for me on other stuff. Safe on electronics, as far as I've seen.

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I use contact cleaner on stuff like that. I leaves behind nothing but a fine silicon lubricant. It's worked well for me to free up stuff like E-units, etc.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

A slight corrosion builds up on sliding parts when not used. A Scotchbrite rub down helps. The part should work fine after use. Make sure you have enough voltage. It should come off the accessories terminal.

I have one around here, maybe I will take a look.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*045 and 45n Gateman*

As you can see I take great care of my accessories. 


This is the first version 1935, aluminum girder post with a sign with no "the" in watch for the locomotive.



























This is a latter version a 45n. 1945 I believe but I have no signpost.











Now for the secrets

1 is the swivel pin. This whole thing moves very easy. It should not bind at all. Both of mind move slick. This pin needs oil. 

2 the spring must not be too tight. The arm should move freely or you will need to clean in the coil.

3 is the door pin. The door swivels open and should not bind.

4 The last pin with a flat bar needs to turn, oil that.

The picture will update with my arrows give it a chance.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.*

OK my 45n has no sign but it has a base plate that matches two other towers I have. Both are green girders prewar. The postwar era has solid girders, well most do after 45.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The plunger is under the shed. To get at it you need to pry the tabs underneath. The spring at a certain angle also gives the impression of a bind up. It may just need adjusting. If the door drags, bend the flat bar underneath to move it up.


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## fireman00 (Dec 8, 2011)

T-Man, that is a nice piece! 

Gunrunner and tj, thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to give the googone a try and see what happens. 

Since I needed a replacement lantern and return spring I also ordered a new plunger from "The Train Tender" ... Jeff is a great guy to do business with.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I tried Goo Gone and got some good results but the polishing compound took the crown.



















And after


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looks new!


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I got confused, and placed the gateman in another thread. Now that is corrected. Here is the newer gateman all cleaned up.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*As a whole*

The same pictures posted.

I updated the leaky bucket with attachments.


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## Jhayowyk (Dec 20, 2019)

Should The plunger on my gateman move easily through the coil? I’ve removed it from the coil and cleaned the inside of the coil and the plunger itself. Upon reinsertion of the plunger into the coil, the plunger sticks half way through the coil. Is this normal? Should it slide through easily without any resistance?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Hello, It should slide. Perhaps the linkage is catching.

Read the secrets in post 5. Look carefully for the numbers in the picture.

I revived all the lost pictures I originally posted.


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## Jhayowyk (Dec 20, 2019)

I assume the center of the coil became slightly deformed due to heat buildup. My solution was to use a very fine rat tail round file and slowly file the center of the coil until the plunger slid freely. Lubed the center with dry graphite and reassembled. It worked. The little man comes out of the house like a champion. No hesitation on the way out or on the way in. Thanks to T Man for helping with his posts and answering my question about the sliding plunger.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

T-Man said:


> ...Here is the newer gateman all cleaned up.


Got a 45N Gateman for Christmas. Works fine and everything is intact. Tandem Associates points to the 1945 model (high cross bucks, plain toolbox cover, red bulb).

The base has spots that have been painted over - brush marks, odd colors. I'd like to sandblast and repaint the base. I'd use the closest color Rustoleum or Krylon has to offer.

I don't replace rivets. I have #4, 3 mm, maybe 2mm screws, nylon insert lock nuts, nylon screws and nuts, etc, that I use in place of replace rivets (e.g., on Marx couplers and Marx O-27 switch base plates).

Are there any show stoppers to disassembling the mechanism from the base?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Mike, I can check what I have. Anything tricky would be rivets attached to the base that support moving parts or can swivel through the base.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

One rivet has to be removed near number one in the picture. Number 3 is just a soldered joint. The rod from the coil is riveted but it may be possible to remove the rod at the other end.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

I need remove everything from the top of the base. The shack has tabs, the electrical posts I can work out. 

But how do you remove the "man" from the bottom mechanism? Is that a nut I see under the pic.'s "flat bar" notation?

And I'm not sure how to remove the post.

My unit has the base cover intact. At this point I don't want to bend tabs to remove it. So all I have to gone on is your pic.'s.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Yes, my man has the nut underneath. I forgot to mention that. 
The tab removal is best by bending them at 45 degrees and pry off. The base has good metal they are not that important. The sides overlay and can be held with a sheet metal screw.

Go for it and remove the bottom.

Post, do you mean sign post?


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

T-Man said:


> Yes, my man has the nut underneath. I forgot to mention that.
> The tab removal is best by bending them at 45 degrees and pry off. The base has good metal they are not that important. The sides overlay and can be held with a sheet metal screw.
> 
> Go for it and remove the bottom.
> ...


Yes, sign post.

I have a bunch of ongoing restoration projects and the main layout build in progress. So, the gateman repaint will be on the back burner for a while.

Thanks for getting me started.

Thanks for the


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Just four tabs on the bottom. Same as the picture, same post,


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