# American Flyer No. 714 Log Dump Car operation



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

A question for FlyerNut or Cramden or anyone else who would know: I have a American Flyer No. 714 Log Dump Car that I got in a box of junk. I cleaned it up and removed the rust, bought some logs and replaced the metal pickup wheels. I doesn't look too bad. Anyhow, I am confused about how a track trip works. When I power the track that the log car is on, it trips and discharges the log as expected. But, what keeps it from tripping when in a consist? I see that there are at least two types of track trippers. I can't figure out what I will need to activate the car when I want it and not when the track is powered for the locomotive.:dunno:


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

I think that I need a different truck with a metal arm to activate. Or at least, after looking at other cars on the internet, it would appear so. ???


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

How are you activating the car to dump the logs? You will need a 712 track trip and a 1 button controller. Does the car have a metal tab coming out of one of the truck side frames? This is the more common one. The arm contacts the trip which is hooked to the 15 volt post thru a single button switch. The car shouldn't dump until the arm is contacting the trip. If it's dumping when power is applied to the track then the metal wheels on the other truck without the arm are on backwards and need to be flipped. The metal wheels always have to be on the base post side.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> I think that I need a different truck with a metal arm to activate. Or at least, after looking at other cars on the internet, it would appear so. ???


 This is a 1946 production car and doesn't have a metal tab out of the truck frame, it uses a 710 trip to activate the car. The car doesn't activate until it is over the special track and you push a button to complete the circuit. Here's the track.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

Here is a picture of the truck on a 1946 car.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

cramden said:


> Here is a picture of the truck on a 1946 car.
> View attachment 390746


Thanks Cramden! I think that I have got it figured. I need a pickup shoe on the truck in order to connect to the 712 Special Rail Section. I couldn't remember this from the 1940's when I was a kid.:laugh:


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

And there's your answer!! Good job Cramden....:smilie_daumenpos:


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

A nice feature of the early version is it works with reverse loops. The newer outside shoe pickup a) only touches the contact rail in one direction and b) the the base post rail can change based on the reverse loop controller setting. The car will not continuously actuate if the metal pickup wheels are on the 7-15V post rail, the controller just will not work.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

Hang in there BC, you'll get it all straight soon enough. Thanks flyernut,just helping when possible. Good information Tom, I don't normally think about reverse loops with Flyer. They're not something that's used too often.


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## chrisallen21 (Sep 1, 2016)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> Thanks Cramden! I think that I have got it figured. I need a pickup shoe on the truck in order to connect to the 712 Special Rail Section. I couldn't remember this from the 1940's when I was a kid.:laugh:


I think I might have a picture of it with the pickup shoe. I bought this at a show last year and have been meaning to try it out. I was planning on using it with the same addon I use for my mail car. 
















Here is the mail car pickup that I use:








When I was fixing up my 718 mail car last year, I needed a new pickup but had difficulties sourcing just the pickup. I ended up buying the entire truck with the pickup attached but I think it was around $30 used. They are a bit more difficult to come by but they are out there if you choose to go that route.


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