Woody's Train Shop

Estimates:  Steam Engine Repairs  

These quotes are for Lionel engines, but I do repairs on Marx, K-Line and Williams at competitive prices

  Engines having mechanical E-Units (The reversing unit) and AC Motors with Brushes

$50.00 to $90.00 for units with smoke

 $15.00 TO $50.00 for non-smoking units

  Engines having electronic E-Units and DC Motors

 Sorry, I don’t even have a good guess.  These engines are too new and have been fairly reliable.  They are just not in need of repairs, yet.  However, I will gladly repair these units at a fair price.  

  Note:  Electronic E-Unit and motor control circuit boards are not cheap.  But the prices are falling.   

  75 % of the engines repaired in this shop will fall in the above price ranges

Final cost depends on the labor required and what parts are needed.  Most engines require some tender loving care and a few parts.  

The stated estimates include the following procedures and parts:  

§         Cleaning – armature, motor and everything else that I can get apart without performing major surgery

§         Rewiring as needed

§         Most parts needed to repair mechanical E-Units (The thing that makes the engine go back and forth and is the leading cause of engine failure).  Engines with Electronic reversing units and sound will have to be evaluated at the time of repair. 

§         Bulb (if needed)

§         “Replacement” smoke unit kit" (if engine is so equipped) – this kit converts the engine to liquid smoke.  These units are superior to the old style units and are cheaper to use.  Newer engines (the past thirty years) already have the new unit.  But if it is not working, a kit will need to be installed. 

§         Motor brushes (if needed)

§         Oiled and greased

The 25% that no ones wants to talk about .  These are the units that require major surgery or costly parts to get the engine back to good operating condition and appearance.  Cosmetic parts can be very expensive.  If it is found that major surgery or parts are needed, the customer will be notified before work is begun.

§          Usually the most costly cosmetic part (if available) is the boiler front.  The running lights are often broken off.  The price varies ($20.00 to $45.00) depending on the engine.  “All” are reproduction fronts (but perfect reproductions).  This shop does not recommend replacing the “front” unless care is taken to prevent damage to the new unit.  I swear that if someone sneezes in the room - the lights will fall off.  But the engine can be dropped on its nose and the lights will stay intact.  “Customer’s call”.   

§         Side rods, main drives, front and/or rear wheel assembly, pickups, pick up plates, etc.  Many of these parts were removed for whatever reason.  These parts are not necessarily outrageously expensive, but will add to the expense of the repair.  I highly recommend this additional cost, as it will put the unit back to its original appearance. 

§         I do gear and wheel replacements.  However, depending on the engine and the availability and cost of parts, this repair procedure can cause the final price to go higher.  This is another customer decision.  Unfortunately, gear/wheel problems are sometimes the reason the unit is not working.  

§         The “kickers” are total motor replacements (stand alone motors), opened/shorted, and windings in the motor, bent frames, etc.  Most of these problems I will attempt to find replacement parts, if so instructed.  But at this point I normally recommend that it become a display unit and a replacement unit be purchased. 

This shop does reserve the option of “not” repairing a unit because of cost, availability of parts, expertise, or it’s just impossible to fix.  Some parts are just not available at any price.  Normally there is “no charge” for “basket cases”, except for the shipping costs to return the unit.         

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