# Identifying a motor that has magnatraction...



## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

How can you tell whether or not a postwar Lionel motor has magnatraction?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> How can you tell whether or not a postwar Lionel motor has magnatraction?


magne-traction

The wheels are magnetized through the axle. Being magnetized gives them the grip to the rail.

That's what I think magne-traction is?


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

I know what it is, but I want to know how to tell if a given motor has this feature or not...


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Probably a dumb question on my part, but why would the motor be involved in that process? Teach me, somebody!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> I know what it is, but I want to know how to tell if a given motor has this feature or not...



It's not in the motor but the power truck is it not?

What engine # is in question?

An Alco diesel?


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

All I have is the motor assembly so there is no cab number... It is from a steam locomotive, the standard 6 wheel design used in many different models... Some came with magnatraction and some did not, yet they look pretty much the same... I need to know what little difference there is between the two which shows that a motor has magnatration...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> All I have is the motor assembly so there is no cab number... It is from a steam locomotive, the standard 6 wheel design used in many different models... Some came with magnatraction and some did not, yet they look pretty much the same... I need to know what little difference there is between the two which shows that a motor has magnatration...



THIS SOUNDS LIKE A QUESTION FOR THE................,

T-MAN

I don't know how to tell if an engine is magne-traction.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Crazy, three-railed O-gauge stuff.....


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

Reckers said:


> Crazy, three-railed O-gauge stuff.....


Hehehe, yep


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The axles are larger. They magnetize the wheels. I think my 2036 has it.


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## Stillakid (Jan 12, 2010)

If I set my 226 on a loose section of track, it tries to lift the track when I remove the engine. If i'm not mistaken, the magnetic power can diminsh over time.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I read something about mounting magnets inside the body.

Though I never came across any.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

T-Man said:


> The axles are larger. They magnetize the wheels. I think my 2036 has it.


I have a few of those axles I talked someone to throw in a junk lot I got.

He asked what I thought they were for. I told him to send me a few and he sent me 6 of them.

I don't know which engine they were made for I think a diesel.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Sounds like Magnetraction is just a case of "My axle is bigger than your axle!"


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The 600 MKT has it. The axles have a larger diameter, not all the axles are that way either. Usually you see all sorts of metallic fillings hanging from the frame. With diesels only one axle per truck is needed.


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

Hmm... My 685 arrived today... It supposedly has magnetraction, and it has these silver u-shaped pieces of metal on both sides around all three axles... The other motor I have has the same pieces... Are these magnets? :dunno:


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

LOL, I just took a closer look at the 685 motor and there are actually magnets in the u-shaped slots around the axles :retard:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Boston&Maine said:


> LOL, I just took a closer look at the 685 motor and there are actually magnets in the u-shaped slots around the axles :retard:


I beat all else when I say.......................,
:ttiwwop::laugh:


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

The one on the left has magnetraction, although I have not had time to test it yet...


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

This is how you do it. The compass points to the magnetic field. The fat axle


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

That's just plain weird.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I happened to be reading "The Lionel Legend" book by Schleicher. He says (p. 134) per 1950:

"Lionel had been using powdered metal to cast wheels and driver tires for years, and this powdered or 'sintered' metal could be molded much like plastic -- with slick surfaces that seldom required machining. Lionel experimented and discovered that it could use magnetized particles in the metal alloy, so the driver tires on steam locos and the wheels on diesel locos would be magnetic."

I guess the magnet near the axel, coupled with the special magnetic-attracting powder imbedded into the wheel alloy would help the wheel grab (magnetically) the ferous track.

Right?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*Yep*

Sure.


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