I make videos showing how to repair and maintain Postwar Lionel "O" gauge trains. My videos are aimed at beginners and operators like me who do not have big budgets.
Merch available on Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/WarrenMuzakStore
and RedBubble: www.redbubble.com/people/WarrenMuzakArt/shop?asc=u
Come back often as i will be adding as much new content as possible, from "how to's" and repair tips, to layout vids and other train related content.
Great videos!!! I currently have the polar express train running on fastrack using the plug and play power terminal with wall plug in. I will be haveing a much longer track this year at Christmas running about 35ft. Can I just add an additional plug in terminal and far end of track to make my life easier. So hard trying to find an answer!!! Thank you so much!!!
Thanks for watching! My Fast track is not the plug and play connection. I know of them but do not have enough knowledge to confidently answer your question. I have the section with the 2 wire leads that connect directly to my transformer (vintage Lionel KW). With that setup I can operate 2 loops, each about 8ft x 3ft. You may want to join some community boards like CS.trains.com and ask this question there.
I use to use just the green scotchpad and "elbow grease", now I use a dremel and the brass wire brush accessory, medium speed to clean the wheels. I have found the clean wheels is important to properly ground the locomotive.
Cool! Those are great running engines. For some reason, Lionel went to the four-wheel trailing truck, instead of the two-wheel, when they added MagneTraction.. Probably because of cost, as the two-wheel truck had the cast side-frame. Your youngster had an astute observation about donuts. Quite funny, really. An excellent video, as always.
Who said anything about a rare one year only train? The previous owner "married" a 2065 face plate to the 2056 boiler. Not rare, its custom. And it looks really damn good too!
@shark_4049 The screwdriver and wheels snapped!? I've never heard of that happening before. We're the wheels JB welded on? Heck I've never snapped a screwdriver period.
Is there a trick to getting the eunit pressed back together so tightly? I’ve only rebuilt one and had to use some super glue on the tabs while keeping it compressed together. I’ve successfully used thread locker on loose press fit wheels. Thanks for these videos and all the effort it takes to put them together
@kplaird no trick its all pressure fit. I just use channel locks and squeeze. If one of the sides has been bent when initially being opened, that would need to be straightened before putting everything back together.
Didn't realize that there is another person named Warren. That's my first name but I never use it. I go by my middle name Russell which shortened is Rusty. Cheers from eastern TN
I have 3 questions...The locomotive is running on a small track of 3.5 feet in diameter. The 1033 transformer is outputting 15.5. volts. Wheels and center contact plate are clean. Quick Track is brand new. 1) The Locomotive does not always maintain a constant speed throughout the circle. 2) When sounding the whistle the train slows down noticeability. 3) The transformer has to be turned 2/3 the way up to get the training moving at a reasonable speed. I appreciate any help !
@Robert-gi6kz Somewhere power is getting lost. Locomotives will slow down when the whistle is activated. That's not uncommon. The 1033 has 2 ways to hook up the input. U-A or U-B. It sounds like you are on U-A giving the higher output, which is good. You cleaned then pick up and wheels, what about the center rail of track. Free of dirt? Track is properly snapped together? Are you sure there's no shorts in the Loco wiring? That's the best I can do without having the locomotive in front of me.
Been picking these 2026 engines up for really cheap and just doing the maintenance on them. And then they run great. Great little engines that they made a couple tons of. Just found your channel.
@jamesjette4343 Thanks for watching. Hennings Trains is your best bet for wheels. All repro now. Original wheels at this point are disintegrating due to "zinc pest". Impurities in the cast material at the time.
I had a pre-war 260e I was going to buy. I was searching ebay for the missing parts, the parts were all on ebay. They kept lowering the price. I said, "Come down, just $10 more dollars." While I was waiting, someone bought it out from under me. Morrow of the story. You win some, you lose some! 😢 😊
Hey, if you're looking for Pre-Wars check out the train shows and outfits like trainz. Prices on the lesser quality and lower prestige Pre-Wars are slowly dropping as the interest wanes. (The 400e's, 700e's, and 763e's are still up there though. And some other prestige pieces too.) But for collecting Pre-Wars the time to start looking is now.
Great vid Warren!! I too, usually shoot a squirt of electrical contact cleaner on the e-unit. Again nice one!! Halloween is coming up. What about wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat n a soap bubble pipe for your next mystery repair!!?? Would fit the season and you have the personality to pull it off!! Just thinking.
Great job Warren! A great job indeed! (And you've got more guts than I do tearing that e-unit apart. I typically give a cranky e-unit a shot of electrical contact cleaner and most of the time that does the trick. If it doesn't I take a deep breath and THEN I go in!) I've got a 259e myself, it's the gunmetal finish version. Lionel did two types gunmetal grey and black. Like you I'm not particularly interested in Pre-Wars myself BUT I saw the engine at a train show with four cars and all in almost-new shape and I swear every time I walked past it it said "Please take me home with you!" So I did and I'm glad I did, it's a gas to run at Christmas time on a tabletop layout! I've had no need to take it apart but if I ever do have the need I'll remember this video so... Thanks for posting! It's always a pleasure spending time with you!
@wayneantoniazzi2706 thanks for watching! I've gathered up a few Prewar Lionels now because they were great revival projects. I've grown a bit more fond of them. I think I need to distract myself with some G scale!
@johnknippenberg-LandmarkYards Thanks for watching. Yes a little shot of cleaner is all that's needed sometimes. I think I'm a glutton for punishment because I keep going for the e unit tear down!
@@warrenmuzakpostwarguy4331 I messed around with G ( and N ) scale for a bit before returning to the thundering majesty of O. G's fun and not necessarily more expensive than O either, the only downside is the space it takes up.
I just rebuilt the same tender. I replaced the wiring one at a time after I took some picture's . I had to seal the plastic whistle box with some scilcone sealant. Thanks
I love your videos . I learn so much. Scotch pads are great to use . I also use mineral sperats and evaporate rust works good also .thanks for the info.
PMI. Preventive maintaince inspection. Good job . that cleaner works great.18.00 in the us . I repaired my 50 years old receiver using that cleaner. Thanks
Thanks for watching! It means a lot to hear you found these videos helpful. Like you I wanted to know what I was getting into BEFORE I started taking them apart. That is the whole reason for making these videos.
Recently changed SU on a 2037. Only seems to work with full 18V which I can only give while in neutral. As soon as I back down power to run it, no more smoke. Do you think more fluid will fix that? I would say about 15 drops in now. Would hate to over fill it.
Thanks for watching. No. More fluid would not change that. The problem sounds like the plunger that puffs the smoke out is sticking, "gummed up" so it is not moving at lower speeds thus not pushing the any air to send the smoke out of the stack. Take it apart, check it, clean and re-assemble. I have a feeling it will work fine after that.
Thanks for watching. I prefer the Fast Track too. I've been using the green pads for 13 years on the same track and have not noticed any issues. Why do you say it will ruin it. Can you provide more details about this?
It depends upon the look you like and if you want to bother with tube track that is uneven, difficult to put together and take apart, and have connectivity issues. I suggest FastTrak. I love it!!!
Great video .thinking outside of the box always works . these trains are made to be run not sitting on a shelf . I habe a 2338 I'm working on now . the frame was badly rusted in side and out . I removed what I could from the frame .sanded of the rust and hand painted two coats of rustoliun black paint .cleaned the entire train trucks and motor after watching your videos. Waiting for a ground spacer for the truck. thanks for your help and guidance with your widoes.b
@nickluzzi8767 Hey Nick. Thanks for watching. Mine as seen in the video was far from perfect condition but it's still running smooth and pulls like a champion.
Thanks for the Info. Nice job .experience is every thing . I'm new but learning fast . you put me in the right direction. I'm going to do a e unit . only problem might me are my fat fingers . thanks
Ok I get you were not doing a restoration. But you had the cars taken apart and stripped, why not drill out the bad rivet job and do a little repair? you obviously know about J B weld, although a little solder would do the job, so why not fix it? Sorry but it seems a little lazy.
Drilling that out would have ruined it completely. To fix the previous crappy repair would have taken more time than it was worth and honestly I wasn't concerned about the warped wall. When this flies around the track it looks perfect.
I noticed the paint wasn't removed where electrical contact needs to be! I'm wondering how electricity is making his way through the paint to the light bulb? 🤔
I was able to get my Grandfather’s trains running again after they sat in a box in a basement for over 30 years because of the some of the things I learned from your videos. Thank you. I have 2 questions for you if you have the time to answer 1. Could you put postwar trucks and couplers on these cars and 2. Would this soaking method work on a postwar steam engine shell? Once again thanks for all the great videos and information.
Warren hasn't gotten to you yet but maybe I can be of assistance. On #1, I don't see why not but if you want to do so I'd take the car body to a train show where there's parts dealers and see what post-war trucks fit the best. All post-war trucks aren't created equal. On #2 for removing paint on a post-war steam engine shell I dont' see any reason why Warren's soaking method won't work, in theory anyway. The problem is some of that post-war engine paint is TOUGH and a bear to remove even with a soak. I've repainted some post-wars and what I do is touch up the chips in the existing paint to level everything out and then paint over the whole shell after giving it a good cleaning, it's quicker than a soak. But a soaking in Simple Green or 90+ percent isopropyl alcohol (which works but it's more expensive) won't hurt the engine shell. Make sure you remove the headlight plastic first.
Hey Kevin thanks watching. I have not put postwar couplers on this style of prewar cars. But, in order to put postwar couplers on these you would need to replace the whole truck. The problem may be: the postwar trucks may not extend far enough to clear the body. You may also need to clip off the bracket on the end of the prewar car where the original latch coupler extends through. Yes this soaking method will remove the original paint off the postwar steamer too. Just as easily. All do respect to the other comments the original paint is NOT tough. Let it soak, the longer it soaks the easier it will come off. A couple of days and it will practically fall off the shell.
Realism: Atlas ‘O’, but very expensive. Looks good w/ballast included: Fastrack, not cheap either and noisy. Reliable, cheap and can be modified w/ties for more realism: Tubular.
Wow Warren! Those cars look so good. You did a fantastic job on them. Like you said makes you wanna go look for some more and make yourself a fleet and all different paint schemes. 👍
