Testing An American Flyer 314AW Locomotive

[fairbro]

Found an American Flyer 314AW at an auction Saturday and am trying to test it. The accompanying track is badly corroded, so for now just using the leads from a transformer to test the locomotive.

I put the leads from the transformer on the two brass button-like terminals in the cab of the locomotive, but no joy. I have a feeling this locomotive works, but I am not testing it properly. Can one bypass the tender and just attach the AC leads to the locomotive? Does the 314AW run on AC or DC?

Thanks for help...

 

[Iron Horseman]

Found an American Flyer 314AW at an auction Saturday and am trying to test it. The accompanying track is badly corroded, so for now just using the leads from a transformer to test the locomotive.

I put the leads from the transformer on the two brass button-like terminals in the cab of the locomotive, but no joy. I have a feeling this locomotive works, but I am not testing it properly. Can one bypass the tender and just attach the AC leads to the locomotive? Does the 314AW run on AC or DC?

Thanks for help...

Short answer is, "No, you cannot bypass the tender. The tender contains the reversing/neutral mechanism." It is AC power and hence the need for the complicated reversing mechanism. Maybe a jumper to a rear truck metal wheel and the other jumper to a front pilot metal wheel.

Here is the parts diagram. https://traindr.com/manuals/american-flyer-locomotive-314aw-parts-list-diagram/

You will notice there should be 4 wires from the tender to the loco. Two for the motor bruishes and two for the motor magnet. So the long answer is yes you could bypass the tender by getting the correct wires in the right phase to the motor brushes contacts and another set of wires to the motor magnet contacts once again in the correct phase with the motor. If I am reading this diagram properly the two top contacts are for the brushes (and smoke and headlight), and the bottom two are for the magnet. As I recall these locos electrical systems are quite rugged so a brief incorrect connection shouldn't hurt it too much if at all.

 

[fairbro]

Thanks for the information. In this case, looks like the wires from the tender to the locomotives were mostly torn off. One loco has two wires attached, the other has one. I think I can redo it with this diagram. Thanks!

The headlight for the loco came on for a while. so something is working.

I actually do have that or similar vintage user instruction booklet, came with the trains, but the relevant pages are torn off and gone.

 

[Doc]

Just another penny to add. The flyer motors are universal ac that are series wired. The change of direction comes from reversing the Field Winding wiring which is done with the E-unit. The jumper pictured will allow testing of the steamer without the tender although it will run only in one direction.
switching the top two pin connections, yellow and black jumper will allow the other direction. I'm making one now that is all pig tail wires connected to the pins and a clip lead switches the rotation direction and power inputs.
There is some good information in Tom Barkers 1946 to 1966 fourth edition manual. ISBN-13: 978-1718769809. Wiring guide on page 45 and 314 AW on pace 113. I hope its ok to mention Tom? If not please advise for future posts.

Doc'