# Old N Gauge set



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Back in the late 60's I bought a set of N gauge trains for my son, this was the beginnings of N.
I think it was around 1968 or 69
Anyway it is a passenger set, one loco and 3 passenger cars
have no track and no power supply
was just fooling around with it and using my old HO transformer touched a few wires to the pickup wheels and the headlight came on but the motor did not run
This set has been sitting on a shelf in my office here in Miami since 1970 or 71
Missing a coupler or some wheels here and there
Took the Loco apart, nothing to it, spun the motor and oiled it and it spins nice and free as do all the gears and wheels, but the motor will not run 
The set is an Atlas Pennsylvania loco number 5097 I think 
Looking thru the windows of the passenger cars I can see seats in there
I bought this set for 19.99 at christmas time so it must have been around 69 because in 1970 I moved to florida

Suggestions ??????


----------



## MRLdave (Nov 1, 2011)

You weren't too clear if you wanted suggestions on how to fix it, or what to do with it......... it doesn't sound like you are planning on getting back into n scale. Those old Atlas locos were not known for their reliability, and there probably isn't much point in getting it running, just to put it back on the shelf. If you were looking to sell it, most buyers would probably have more interest in the cars than the loco.....or possibly looking for parts. In either case I'm not sure getting it running is of much benefit.

If you wanted to fix it up (replace the wheels, couplers,ect.) and put it on the shelf as a keepsake, I'm sure there are some members on here who have some spare parts laying around.

If you wanted to sell it, the loco would be for parts, and you might get $10-12 for each car depending on condition and type of car. There is no real collector value to old N scale stuff.


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

The alternatives seem to be sell or get it running. What do *you* want to do with it?


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Cycleops said:


> The alternatives seem to be sell or get it running. What do *you* want to do with it?


I would like to get it running, it would look cool mixed in with my HO setup.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Bkubiak said:


> I would like to get it running, it would look cool mixed in with my HO setup.


When I acquired my N from my nephew most of the engines did not run.
He had a table set up in his room when he lived at home. He went into the service for 4 years and the trains just sat there all those years collecting dust.
After he got out they still just sat for another year or so. Finally he took down the layout and packed it away. They then sat for another period.

When I got them most of the locomotives would not run, they didn't show any signs of life at all. The ones that did ran jerky or slow.

All I did was sit down one day and without taking anything apart just cleaned the wheels real good. I oiled the locomotives up some to. 90% of them ran after doing the simple cleaning of the wheels real good. one of these years I will pop the shells off and do it right.
Did you clean the wheels?
Before I cleaned the wheels, I blew canned air all over to get the dust bunnies and spiders webs off.

If you have track,a real clean track helps a lot too.

Add this link for new members who might want to take a look a the story of my N scale.
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=7158


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

big ed said:


> When I acquired my N from my nephew most of the engines did not run.
> He had a table set up in his room when he lived at home. He went into the service for 4 years and the trains just sat there all those years collecting dust.
> After he got out they still just sat for another year or so. Finally he took down the layout and packed it away. They then sat for another period.
> 
> ...


Here is some pictures of my trains


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Nice, they have a nice coat of natural weathering like mine did. 
Did you clean the wheels?


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

big ed said:


> Nice, they have a nice coat of natural weathering like mine did.
> Did you clean the wheels?


I took the shell off the loco, took the one screw out of the front drive truck and removed it, I put direct power on the cap of each motor brush and turned the power up to full and just watched the headlight get brighter, I suspect one or both brush's are not making contact with the commutator of the motor. They are so tiny I cannot see how to remove the brush and spring.
The motor is spinning free, just not getting the juice.

On a side note I cannot believe how detailed the cars are for such small cars, I am missing 5 wheels an two couplers.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

It is hard to clean the wheels if you don't even have them. 

I never worked on the N except to clean them up some and drop a little oil on them.


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

big ed said:


> It is hard to clean the wheels if you don't even have them.
> 
> I never worked on the N except to clean them up some and drop a little oil on them.


The locomotive has all it's wheels, the missing wheels are on the passenger cars, Each truck has 3 axles, Inside the passenger cars there are rows of seats I can see thru the windows, amazing details


----------



## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

Looks to be a Rivarossi set.


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

THE TYCO MAN said:


> Looks to be a Rivarossi set.


Nope it is an ATLAS set


----------



## MRLdave (Nov 1, 2011)

Rivarossi made most of Atlas' passenger stuff back then. Most of the early N scale stuff came from Europe, not from the far east. If you need, you can leave the middle axle off of each truck........some people do that deliberately because it lets the cars handle tighter radius curves, and also makes less drag


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

It's an Atlas Set that is made in Italy, you are right
Does anyone know how to service that motor??


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Just a question of disassembling it and cleaning it out with one of those computer air blowers and see if that does anything. You also need to clean the backs of the wheels and pickups with alcohol on a cotton bud.


----------



## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Cycleops said:


> Just a question of disassembling it and cleaning it out with one of those computer air blowers and see if that does anything. You also need to clean the backs of the wheels and pickups with alcohol on a cotton bud.


I had the shell off and the motor in my hands with it's one wire attached to the chassis and I could spin the worm gear with ease, I am suspecting there is no contact between the brush's and the commutator. But the thing is so tiny I cannot figure how to remove the brush's and springs can anyone show me a picture of that


----------



## wsboyette (Jan 25, 2014)

You might want to first try just spraying some contact cleaner into the commutator section of the motor, may be just a dirty commutator. As I cannot see the motor you have there, I cannot tell how to remove the brushes in it - but be careful if you do remove those brushes, as there are likely to be miniscule springs behind them that keep pressure on the brushes, and they will fly away never to be found again !


----------

