# Lionchief Engine troubles



## Carmen (Apr 10, 2019)

I have 3 Lionchief engines. A Milwaukee Road 810 steam engine, another steam engine, Daylight 1727, and UP Diesel. Neither steam engine will go through a Lionel O42 switch without stopping. The UP Diesel goes just fine, no problems. Looking at all 3 engines the only thing I see different is the spacing of the pick-up rollers. The steam engines rolls at closer apart than the Diesel. Is there any way to help correct this problem? Any help out there would be very thankful.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

There was a recent post about a similar problem with another loco. I'll try to find the thread. The long and short of it was to add a roller on the tender to pick up power.

Here it is:

https://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=186646


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## Carmen (Apr 10, 2019)

Thank you for the quick reply. Can a pickup roller be added to the tender of the Lionchief Milwaukee Rd 810?


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

Anything is possible. I don't have O scale trains, but someone will be along to help you.


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## bigdodgetrain (Jun 12, 2015)

Carmen said:


> I have 3 Lionchief engines. A Milwaukee Road 810 steam engine, another steam engine, Daylight 1727, and UP Diesel. Neither steam engine will go through a Lionel O42 switch without stopping. The UP Diesel goes just fine, no problems. Looking at all 3 engines the only thing I see different is the spacing of the pick-up rollers. The steam engines rolls at closer apart than the Diesel. Is there any way to help correct this problem? Any help out there would be very thankful.


yes the pick up rollers are too close together. does the tender have a pick up roller? if so run a wire from the pick up on the engine to the pick up on the tender. if no pick up roller you will have to add one, and then run the wire.

happens all the time.


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

bigdodgetrain said:


> yes the pick up rollers are too close together. does the tender have a pick up roller? if so run a wire from the pick up on the engine to the pick up on the tender. if no pick up roller you will have to add one, and then run the wire.
> 
> happens all the time.


This.
If the tender has common Bettendorf type trucks it may be easier to replace the trucks with ones from another engine. Most post war tender trucks have a pickup roller. Use caboose trucks if yours have leaf springs. Usually you can find beat up tenders and cabooses at train shows selling for less than what a pickup roller will cost you from Lionel with shipping.

Pete


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I merged the duplicate threads, please only one thread for a single issue.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

My fix is the same as recommended, I've added rollers to a host of different locomotives when they weren't there to address this very issue.


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