searching for the motor for Lionel #2317 operating drawbridge
- Thread starter impalaman
- Start date
I made the old mistake of testing the DC motor pictured here using AC. It runs good when testing it properly with the rectifier in place. When you try to run any of these DC model train motors with AC it will just buzz terribly and not run. Thinking it was shot at first, I very rudely took it apart to try to see what was wrong with it. Everything looked good. Then after going on the hunt for a replacement, a good buddy of mine and an officially licensed Lionel repair shop said "maybe you were testing it AC". So he helped out big time. These motors are as rare as hens teeth and I was extremely lucky to come back from my blunders and save it, getting it back together and running fine. I picked this bridge up cheap untested on ebay and found out after it arrived that the gear was missing on the motor. I had a gear on another motor off something else so I swapped it, but when I had it back in the bridge gearbox, I tested it wrong. Simple mistake but was able to save it anyway. Now I just need to fabricate an interior square shaped shaft for the bell hammer so that will work. It's weird that Lionel engines or motors will run on both AC or DC though. Always something new to learn.
