# Saturday Surprise!



## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

Morning All!
Happy Easter

The 2 trains I bid on got here yesterday. I paid $27 for 2-AF 300's. I wanted them for parts, and the listing said they wouldn't run. They're not, "Smokers", but the parts alone were worth the price.

I opened them up to start dismantling, cleaning and storing the parts. When I pulled off the brush bracket assembly to get to the armature, the springs came out(in great shape!), but the brushes were stuck. I then removed the armature and field. 

The brushes were stuck, covered in what appeared to be grease, and the armature face was black with residue. There was so much residue that the 3 sections looked like one.

Parts? Junk? Could they actually work?

Cleaned the armature with a soft wire brush, sanded the face, and cleaned out the 3 separations. Sanded the outside of the armature field and the inside of the field assembly. Cleaned up the brushs and leveled them.

Both engines also had a wire that connected to the lamp that was pinched and touching the boiler. So I replaced them. I did this for both engines

When I checked the e-units, I was amazed Whoever had owned them, tried to re-wire them. There were wire leads that went thru the solder joints and were touching the drums. There also were globs of solder that had dripped onto the drums and small pieces of solder in the drum gears. What a mess

I removed the top and bottom finger units and cleaned the drums. They both turned out fine. Clean, shiny and the teeth were in good shape. The fingers also needed to be shaped because the solder had bent them back. Re-assembled them and they worked fine when tested

There was only 1 tender(e-units are in the boiler on the 300's), and it also had wiring issues(1 of the power leads had broken at the truck. I replaced both of the wires(they were to short!)

Once I had them all back together, i made a temp 2-wire jack so that I could get power from the tender on the track.

THEY BOTH RAN FINE!!!!
The 1 I still have apart, needs a bulb, but other than that, instead of, "Parts", I have 2 engines and 1 tender that work fine!! 

Reckers, need a 300?:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Nice steal! I just won a 300AC on ebay yesterday---I'll be looking to you for advice on getting it to work!


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

Good for you!
What's the diff between a 300 and a 300AC? Smoke & Choo-Choo?

Not sure if I should keep all these(all are running);
1-283 w/tender
1-290 w/tender
2-300's(1-tender)
2-302's w/tenders(1-needs a new smoke unit-can't rebuild, fiberglass bowel burned up!)

Think I might sell/trade 1-300 and 1-302AC

Your thoughts?


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Dr. Frankenstein:

"Live, I say ... I command you TO LIVE!!!!"


Thumbs up, Jim ... nice work getting those 300's back into shape. It's a shame that somebody, somewhere thought they were dead.

Happy Easter to all,

TJ


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

What a shame......you got no parts now!:laugh:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

It is a vicious cycle, isn't it...

Have junker. Buy another junker for spare parts ... but there's hope and life in that junker. Fix it? I guess. Uhh ohh ... still need parts. Buy another junker ... 

Dohh!


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

I don't need a junker now. Thery're all running(I did get a field though)

Big Ed, I'm sure that I'll get the itch and buy something. LOL!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Jim,

It's not a question of whether YOU need another junker. You've got it all wrong, my friend...

The junkers NOW KNOW that they can come to you for help. They WILL find you ... they WILL find you ...

(Alright ... I want a "badda bing" for this one ...) You mentioned getting a "field". Just like Field of Dreams ... "If you build it, they will come!" They will find you ...

TJ


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

TJ, that's a frightening image, boilers playing on my worktable!
Give them T-Mans address(he's got the, "S" itch but won't admit it!"


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Jim,
> 
> It's not a question of whether YOU need another junker. You've got it all wrong, my friend...
> 
> ...


Consider your bvadda-bing issued, TJ! I've begun to think of junkers as similar to zombies---they search you out and lurch down the street after you, clutch your sleeve and try to suck the financial life out of you....and, they're fun!


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

S gage?
I would have to have track that is joined with O to make a loop but I don't know the S radius and what to match it with. WHen I compared the track there wasn't a lot of room.


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

No more junkers!!!!!!
(unless they beg!)

Now it's "Track & Switch" time
I need 34 straight and 10 curves, plus some assorted half pieces and 3 more switches and 2 controls.

Then there's my need for some rolling stock(those will have to be, "junkers in need", and the buildings(make or buy?)

(and if I'm not careful,a good lawyer!):laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Stillakid said:


> Good for you!
> What's the diff between a 300 and a 300AC? Smoke & Choo-Choo?
> 
> Not sure if I should keep all these(all are running);
> ...



First----an information site: http://www.trainweb.org/s-trains/FAQ/locospecs.html

As near as I can tell, the diff between the 300 and 300AC is boiler construction (yours is 4-piece? and mine is 1-piece, but until it's in hand, I'm going from specs). Production years differed, but that's not much of an issue.

Have you tried to order a replacement bowl?

Also, the sell/swap stuff---if you aren't in a hurry, I might be interested in some discussion of those units. I've been underwriting a lot of my gf's landscaping recently and need to get stabilized. A good price would tempt me, though! *L*


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

*Busted Hopper Update*

If you saw the condition of the hopper before I started, you(as did I), would have thought(but T-Man only see's treasure), "trash can!"

I used super glue, bondo and bought "PlastiKote", sandable primer. 
I had to do 3 coats, of which, 2 were sanded. The last coat I used a soft, brass, wire brush. The brush gave the finish some texture and it looks weathered!

I'm not going to paint it with anything else, but will try to make some stencils for spray on lettering.

Turned out better than I imagined, and is now a "Keeper"

Thanks to all for your help:thumbsup:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Jim,

Nice work ... again!

Reckers ... Why do these things always break right where it says "American Flyer"?!? :laugh:

TJ


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

That was a superb repair job---T-Man would be proud of you!

TJ, I think the answer to your question is this: to create a market for all the water transfer, rub-on, and stamp-on markings we're now all buying!


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

big ed said:


> What a shame......you got no parts now!:laugh:


Nah, Ed....he's just a trainwreck or floor-derailment away from having LOTS of spares!!!:laugh:


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

WOW

May I suggest, T-Man Sand and Gravel?? Or MTF Sand and Gravel

Just kidding Great Job

It looks great as is. I have a few with no lettering at all.


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

Thanks T-Man
1 project down, 8 to go!:laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

It could be an unmarked ballast car for a MOW or train-wreck/crane train---something dear to my heart. *L* Fill that sucker with aquarium gravel or pet-bird grit and see what your engine can haul!


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

Aquarium Gravel sound good!
Had these foam pieces I saved. I knew they'd come in handy:laugh:


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

You might try cutting a piece of foam to make a false bottom for the car, then surrounding it with something like cardboard to (temporarily) duplicate the walls of the gondola. Glue a small hook or screw-eye in the center for a lift. Mound up your gravel in the fake gondola and spray with diluted white glue to hold it together. Peel off the cardboard, once it's dried. If done carefully, you have a fake load you can lift out of the car, if need be.


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

Reckers, you don't look at my pics, do you


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