# Power pickup for passenger cars



## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I really like the looks of my flyonel passenger cars. Right now that is all I like about them. They are the worst rolling cars that could be imagined. You push them on the track and they go maybe 8 inches and stop. The problem is the metal strip that rubs the axle for power pickup. Too much resistance. I bent the metal strip down to where they do not touch the axles on one of my cars. WOW!!! Now it rolls fantastic. But no lights. I already knew what I was going to do. I was browsing HO section today and am stealing a video from there to show what I am going to do. The original metal strips will be bent down away from axles and a very flexible wire soldered to tube and then to the metal strips. They will roll great and I will have lights.







Video is for HO but will work fine on S scale cars.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I have at least 20 of these lionel passenger cars. My engines just spins the wheels trying to pull 4 or 5 of these cars the way they are now. Something needs to be done. I can not believe lionel did such a poor job on these cars, but the modification will take care of it.
My lionel O scale passenger cars roll great, why couldn't they have done as well on their S cars? The copper or brass tubing can be bought at Hobby Lobby and will have to be cut. Use the 40% coupon and the fix is cheap.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

It appears that there is less drag using the sleeves but is there still flickering of the lamp? Sounds like a good idea Mopac howbeit a lot of work.:laugh:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I would imagine there will still be some flickering. Not bad but some. There seems to be
some flicker on most passenger cars unless some anti flicker device is added. Like a
keep-alive module. This would be for a later day. LOL. I had already thought of the tube over the axle but saw the video and posted it. I could just bend the metal strip down on cars and just not have lights and be done. The light is not evenly distributed throughout the car anyway. You can tell where the 2 bulbs are.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

The metal strip on these passenger cars are nothing like the strips used on say a AF steamer tender wheels. These are much thicker and stiffer. Lionel just did a bad job
on these cars. I sometimes think it was on purpose so we would scrap the S scale and
go with O scale. The lighting in my O scale passenger cars is nice. Evenly distributed
throughout the car and they roll good. And don't even get me started how much nicer the
O lionel locomotives are than the lionel S locomotives are. I have said this before, but I bought
4 of these lionel S passenger sets before I ran one of them. Not smart. If I had ran the first
set there would not have been a second.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Hey, what sets are involved buddy?? I haven't checked my MP or NP sets for this problem.


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## dooper (Nov 9, 2015)

I bought a MP set from Lionel in mid to late 90's. I have no problem with them (as they are on the shelf). LOL I have run them for a Christmas display and there was never a problem. It might be that the early Flyonel sets had this problem. My MP will fly aroun the track.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

I am curious to see how this modification project turns out. I have 4 of the modern production NP add on cars along with an original NP set of 5 passenger cars. The new NP cars with the axle wipers , after lubrication roll about the same as the Gilbert NP cars. The new cars have less flicker than the Gilbert cars even after the Gilbert cars are carefully cleaned and lubed. 
I coupled up my NP Legacy Challenger to the 9 car set and It pulled the train around the layout and up the 2.7% ruling grade without a struggle. My U33c Legacy diesel did the same.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I have the Mopac, C&O, Southern Pacific, and the Union Pacific. I am working with the
SP. It is an early one. 1981 I think. It has the AC motors, the other ones are DC can motors. The can motors do run better. I had to remove one motor but have fixed it and need to install. Right now the SP will barely pull the B unit. Problem is the wheels are spinning. It has enough power but no traction. I even added 8 ounces of weight. The wheels have spun so much the traction tires are very smooth, that's why it is slipping.I will try cleaning them and rough them up some with strong sandpaper. When I first got the set it pulled the B unit, a dummy A unit, and 4 passenger cars but was struggling. Again slipping wheels. I think getting that 2nd motor back in it will help.
I didn't get to run it much and the E unit went up in smoke. I have wired it up direct to track power so I have no reverse or neutral just forward. Might need some new traction tires. They are just great looking sets. I like them all. Well the looks LOL.
Someone else here said he got 20 minutes out of his E unit. I could get a Dallee E unit
but I hate to spend any more money on these turds. Reverse is over rated, LOL. Just kidding.


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