Home >> Hobbies >> Model Railroads

How to Repair an American Flyer Engine

Sweet cedar smoke filled the homes of American Flyer locomotive aficionados in the fifties. The realistic sounds of the company's steam locomotives is still unsurpassed today. For fifty years, American Flyer was a dominant force in the model train market. The Lionel Corporation, its arch rival, purchased the company in 1967, yet American Flyer's legacy continues on. Lionel began offering American Flyer locomotives in 1979.

Things You'll Need

Screwdriver
Lubricating and maintenance kit
Cloth
Sandpaper
Toothpick
Replacement brushes, springs and tubes

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the locomotive's top with a screwdriver. Detach the motor and place it on a clean white cloth.
- 2
  Remove old grease from the gears with cleaning fluid. Gently brush the gears with the cleaning brush from the maintenance kit. Lightly oil the gears and bearings.
- 3
  Pick up the commutator -- it is a segmented copper surface where the brushes make contact. Remove old oil and clean.
- 4
  Lay the locomotive on its side. Connect a transformer wire to a contact roller. Connect the second transformer wire to any of the locomotive's metal sections. Now powered, the commutator begins to spin.
- 5
  Press fine sandpaper against the commutator. This polishes the unit.
- 6
  Probe the commutator slots with a toothpick. Remove any dirt or debris. Light oil the commutator.
- 7
  Examine and replace worn brushes. Clean brush springs and tubes. Replace if necessary. Assemble the locomotive.

Model Railroads