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How To Repair Lionel Train Accessories

Lionel trains are well known for quality construction and attention to detail. Accessories for a Lionel train set usually include a train car with moving parts performing a humorous action, such as Santa Claus waving or a cow moving from one side of a cattle car to the other. The trains should be cleaned and lubricated and broken springs should be replaced. Although each Lionel train car will have its own peculiarities, they do share some common repair steps. Adult supervision is necessary should the person doing the repair be underage.

Things You'll Need

Soft cloth
Utility knife
Compressed air
Lint free cloths
Flat-edged jeweler's screwdriver
Replacement spring
Light machine oil
Rubber eraser
Train lubricant
Train cleaner
Tweezers
Needle nosed pliers

Instructions

- 1
  Put a soft cloth on a work surface. Put the Lionel train car on the soft cloth with the wheels facing up.
- 2
  Scrape off any rust from the rims of the wheels using a utility knife. Blow off the wheels with compressed air.
- 3
  Moisten a corner of a lint free cloth with the light oil spray. Apply the moistened corner of the lint free cloth to the rims of the wheels. Buff the rim of the wheels with a dry edge of the lint free cloth.
- 4
  Hold the train car in your left hand so the wheels are facing down. Hold the rubber eraser in your right hand (reverse this if you are a "lefty").
- 5
  Wipe the edge of the rubber eraser against the metal contacts on the bottom of the car. Blow off the bottom of the train with compressed air.
- 6
  Put the car back on the soft cloth with the wheels facing up. Apply drops of train lubricant to the metal contacts and exposed metal gears on the car bottom.
- 7
  Locate the exposed spring connected to one of the metal gears. Insert the tip of the flat-edged jeweler̵7;s screwdriver into one end of the spring. Lift up on the tip of the screwdriver to loosen the spring.
- 8
  Repeat this step at the other end of the spring. Pull the spring off with the tweezers.
- 9
  Blow out the compartment where the exposed spring had been with compressed air, and wipe it out with the moistened edge of the lint free cloth.
- 10
  Insert the replacement spring into the compartment, using the tip of the flat-edged jeweler̵7;s screwdriver to position the two ends of the spring into the same position that was held by the original spring. Apply a drop of train lubricant to each side of the spring.
- 11
  Locate any bent metal parts on the bottom of the car. Straighten those parts using the needle nosed pliers.
- 12
  Turn the car face up on the soft cloth. Wipe off the sides, top, front and back with the moistened edge of the lint free cloth.

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