# Circus Engine.



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I received this engine from member jbdecker this afternoon. He was asking to get'er running if I could, so I gave it a whirl. It's missing the front truck, but not to worry, I got one from Jeff Kane at the Train Tender for a good price. It also had a incorrect screw that holds the drawbar from the tender, but John forgot to send the tender with it,lol... No decals on this one, and it looks to be a re-paint because of the over-spray on some of the linkages, which were bent.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Broke down the chassis from the shell, and found a mess. Broken and nasty wire, fingers were bent and broken, one chassis ear was broken off, and the head-light didn't work. My biggest concern was the small tab that you twist to take the fingers off. One of the bottom tabs was broken, but there might be enough to twist on the new set of fingers. Finger crossed.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Pulled the bottom grease pan cover off and found a MESS!!! This chassis had about a teaspoon of grease shoved in there!!


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Pictures don't do this mess justice,lol.. Here's the brush springs I pulled, along with the dirty chassis.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

After cleaning out all the crud, here's a after picture of the clean and de-greased chassis. I soaked everything in some alcohol, and then made a trip to the kitchen sink for a hot warm and soap bath. After blowing it dry, I used CRC tuner/cleaner on it to get all the gunk out for sure.. Another blow-off and here's what we have.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Nice clean whit-walls, and polished














drive gear.. New grease in the pan, and a re-oil.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Next was the brush bracket assembly. Cleaned all the goop and polished the insides of the brush tubes. Have to make sure the brushes slide freely in the tube to get the right tension on the brushes. The assembly was missing the oil wick so a new one was made from felt.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

On to the armature. Dirty here too, and needing a re-facing. Cleaned out all the slits, and she's looking good.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I won't bore everyone with the e-unit re-build, but here's what I did....Added much new wiring, 22 gauge, super flex, added upper and lower fingers, ( I had a like new used set so I put them on), pulled the drum out and polished it as well as the insides of the e-unit and the drum axle holes, adjusted the small brass pawl for positive engagement of the pawl and drum teeth, re-assembled and the e-unit works great!! These steps I use on e-unit re-builds always seem to correct any problem associated with a faulty unit. It never seems to fail..Polished up the linkages, added a new bulb, and re-assembled. If I may add, I ALWAYS check for run ability after each step. Put the shell back on, and AGAIN checked for running, before adding the linkages. Assembled the linkages, and AGAIN checked for running.. This little engine is VERY quiet after all these years!!! Runs great in both forward and reverse, and of course the head-light works. I just wish I had the tender so I can put a couple hundred feet of running time on the layout. Added new front truck also.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Great job flyernut. No surprise to me you did all that and she purrs like a kitten.
Owner will have a nice running locomotive. I don't have one of those bullet trains.
Need to get me one.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

As Mopac says, Flyernut is a guru! :appl:


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

Quiet please, the "Doctor" is operating. Nice job as always. :appl::appl:


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I haven't done anything that all you guys couldn't do, maybe even better. ( I hope that came out right,lol).. And as always, no charge for labor.. I had about 4 hours total in this one. I still have to remedy the draw-bar screw, it has the wrong screw in it now, and the hole is enlarged.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

The owner was smart to send that engine to you. Very nice of YOU to get that old
locomotive running again. And at no labor cost. I know that comes from your love of
AF trains and you like a challenge. Would filling screw hole with JB Weld and drilling
the right size hole for the right screw work? I think the right screw would cut new threads.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Hope you guys had a great Father's Day. I got nsome money that will be used for a 
new to me AF steamer. I had a good day except for one thing. My older son had me and
my younger son over for super thick steaks and corn on the cob. Always a good meal.

He has a large dog, well over 100 lbs. We were on patio and he let the dog outside. The
SOB ran over to me and bit me hard. Bad bite. I have 3 punctures on top of hand and
a really deep puncture in palm of my hand. I did nothing to that dog. That's a bad dog
that bites a human like that. I wouldn't have it.


Other than that it was a great day. The hand is sore but wounds are looking good.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

mopac said:


> Hope you guys had a great Father's Day. I got nsome money that will be used for a
> new to me AF steamer. I had a good day except for one thing. My older son had me and
> my younger son over for super thick steaks and corn on the cob. Always a good meal.
> 
> ...


Sorry about the bite! :smilie_daumenneg: I use to live on a pacific island where they ate dogs. Sometimes I wonder why we don't?:laugh::laugh::laugh:
I use to travel with my islander assistant to Washington DC and he was always asked about eating dogs when we were there. He would answer; Yes, they did eat dogs but not that part of the dog! (hot dogs).:smilie_auslachen:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Broke, I love dogs. Most of them can sense that and don't bite. That's the first time
a dog bit me in my whole life. My wife and me had dogs from day one. She was a
dog person also. They are neat to have around. My last dog died 2 months before my wife died. I am not having anything any more that will die on me. I have some house plants my wife had and I am taking care of them. If they die, no more plants either. I am to the point I don't want to take care of anything. Kinda selfish but that's the way it is. I have always had things to take care of, wife, kids, dogs, a job, and I am done now. Fully retired LOL.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I can grease the fifth wheel on my truck with all that, ha ha ha .

Don't stop there, get out the stripper and a new can of red paint.:thumbsup:


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## dooper (Nov 9, 2015)

Very nice Flyernut! When are you going to write your repair manual?
Al


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Big Ed said:


> I can grease the fifth wheel on my truck with all that, ha ha ha .
> 
> Don't stop there, get out the stripper and a new can of red paint.:thumbsup:


Hello Big Ed, ALWAYS nice to hear from you....I'm not sure if it's a real circus engine as there was a re-spray as I stated, and on the front of the cow-catcher it has "B&O" cast into the boiler shell. Did Gilbert use Royal Blue shells for the circus loco shell, and just paint them red?? I dunno!!.This one is a repair job for one of the members here, so no re-spray is in order, not what the customer wanted. Besides, I would have to add decals which would drive up the cost, and I try to do these projects for members on the cheap, I just ask for shipping both ways, and some cash for any parts I don't have on hand, or are hand to get. Those I have to pay market price for, and must pass that expense on to the member. I have approx 4 hours into this one, I like to go slow, and do it right.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

dooper said:


> Very nice Flyernut! When are you going to write your repair manual?
> Al


Ha!! The things I do here on the forum for all the members anyone can do, maybe even better,lol.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

It's ALIVE!!!

https://media.tenor.com/images/d87f5855d4ebc0c16c31391c4c6d1a3d/tenor.gif

Fabulous work, 'nut. Great to see this streamliner brought back to life!

TJ


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> It's ALIVE!!!
> 
> https://media.tenor.com/images/d87f5855d4ebc0c16c31391c4c6d1a3d/tenor.gif
> 
> ...


One of my favorite movies!!!....Nice Knockers!!!:appl:


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