Lionel M-497 User manual

Lionel
M-497 Jet-Powered
Rail Car
Owner’s Manual
73-8401-250
3/10

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Congratulations!
Congratulations on the purchase of your M-497 Jet-Powered Rail Car. With the streamlined cowl on
the font end and the eye-catching jet engine pod on the roof, this new jet-powered car is a strikingly
unique car to add to your layout.
LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
• Transformer controlled forward, neutral and reverse operation
• Electronic e-unit with direction lock
• Realistic jet engine sounds
• Simulated jet engine mounted on roof with illumination
• Pullmor motor
• Operating headlight
• Operating coupler on rear
• Marker lights
• Interior light
• Magne-Traction
• Traction tires
• Metal frame
• On/Off sound switch
• Volume control
• Minimum Curve: 0-36
The following Lionel marks are used throughout this catalog and are protected under law. All rights
reserved.
Lionel®, LEGACY™, TrainMaster®, Odyssey®, RailSounds®, CrewTalk™, TowerCom™, DynaChuff™,
StationSounds™, Pullmor®, ElectroCoupler™, Magne-Traction®, CAB-1®Remote Controller, American
Flyer®, Lionel ZW®, ZW®, MagniVision®, TMCC®, Lionelville®, Wireless Tether™, Powerhouse™,
LionMaster®, Conventional Classics™, Postwar Celebration Series™, TruRail™, PH-1 Powerhouse®,
Powermaster®, Powerstation-Powerhouse®, Accessory Motor Controller™, AMC™, Accessory Switch
Controller™, ASC™, Action Recorder Controller™, ARC™, Track Power Controller 300™, TPC 300™, Track
Power Controller 400™, TPC 400™, Block Power Controller™, BPC™, Operating Track Controller™,
OTC™, FatBoy™, Lionel Lines®, Joshua Lionel Cowen Series™, Lockon®, TrainSounds™, MultiHorn™,
MultiWhistle™, Choo-Choo™

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Table of contents
Transformer operations
Running your locomotive with a lionel transformer 4
Locking your locomotive into forward direction only operation 5
Using your locomotive’s magnetic coupler 6
Activating the sounds in the Jet-Powered Rail CAr 7
Operating and servicing your locomotive
Lubricating your locomotive 8
Lubricating your locomotive’s Pullmor motor armature 9
Replacing your locomotive’s lamps and LEDs 10
Replacing the traction tires 11
Lionel Limited Warranty Policy and Service 12

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1
Running your locomotive with a Lionel transformer
Transformer operations
Caution! Do not power your locomotive with direct current (DC). Damage to
sensitive electronic components may occur.
PLACE YOUR LOCOMOTIVE ON LIONEL OR LIONEL-
COMPATIBLE O GAUGE TRACK.
THROTTLE UP YOUR LOCOMOTIVE WITH YOUR
TRANSFORMER.
Your locomotive is designed to operate on 8-18 volts
alternating current. Virtually all Lionel and Lionel-compatible
alternating current transformers are suitable.
Throttle up your locomotive and it will begin to move in the forward direction.
Adjust track voltage until your locomotive moves at your desired speed. To increase
speed, increase track voltage. To decrease speed, decrease voltage.
Pressing the DIRECTION button on your transformer will sequence the Electronic
E-unit to the next operating state in the repeating sequence of: forward, neutral,
reverse, neutral, and so on.
To stop the locomotive, cycle the Electronic E-unit to neutral or turn-off track
power.

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Transformer operations
Locking your locomotive into forward direction only operation
When the Electronic E-unit Direction Lock switch is in the RUN position, your locomotive sequences through a repeating pattern of operations: forward, neutral, reverse, neutral, and so
on.
To lock your locomotive into forward direction only operation, you can deactivate the Electronic
E-unit’s sequencing function. Follow the steps below and refer to figure 1 for the location of the
Electronic E-unit Direction Lock switch.
Always turn off track power before removing the locomotive from the track.
1. Turn off track power, wait three seconds, and remove the locomotive from the track. Now slide the
Electronic E-unit Direction Lock switch to the LOCK position. Your locomotive is now locked into
forward direction only operation.
2. Place your locomotive back on the track. Power up the track and press the direction button
on your transformer to confirm that the locomotive is now locked into forward direction only
operation.
To restore the forward-neutral-reverse sequence, turn off power and remove your locomotive from
the track. Slide the Electronic E-unit Direction Lock switch back to the RUN position. Place the
locomotive back on the track and restore track power.
Note!
Figure 1. Switch locations
Electronic E-Unit
Direction Lock
switch
FRONT
Volume control
knob
Sound switch
RUN LOCK
SND NO SND

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Transformer operations
Your Lionel locomotive is equipped with an operating magnetic knuckle coupler, a revolutionary design first introduced by Lionel in 1945.
Lionel magnetic couplers react to the magnetic field generated by a Lionel Remote-Control Track
section (available separately, 6-65149 or 6-12746 for O-27 gauge; 6-65530 for O gauge; or 6-12020
and 6-12054 for FasTrack layouts).
Place your locomotive’s coupler trigger disc over the central coil of a Remote-Control Track
section and press UNCOUPLE on the controller. The magnetic field pulls the disc downward, and the
knuckle opens.
One operating technique favored by Lionel railroaders is the “moving uncouple.” Press the
UNCOUPLE button as the locomotive passes over a Remote-Control Track section. The magnetic field
will open the coupler; the consist remains behind as the locomotive moves on. But be careful—the
speed of a newly uncoupled and moving locomotive can increase dramatically.
Using your locomotive’s magnetic coupler
Figure 2. Magnetic coupler operation
Remote-Control
Track Section

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Transformer operations
Activating the sound in the Jet-Powered Rail Car
Place the sound switch in the SND position. Refer to Figure 1 on page 5 for the location of the switch. As the Jet-Powered Rail Car moves around the track, the sound level will increase.
To adjust the Jet sounds, use the volume control knob located on the underside of the locomotive.
See Figure 1 on page 5 for the location of the Volume Control Knob.
To deactivate the sounds, slide the sound switch to the NO SND position.

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Operating and servicing your locomotive
Lubricating your locomotive
The life and performance of your locomotive depends to a considerable extent upon proper care and lubrication of the motor and other moving parts. Since your locomotive might have been
stored on the dealer’s shelves for some time, be sure to lubricate it according to the lubrication chart
in Figure 3 on page 8 before running the locomotive for the first time. Put a small dab of Lionel
Lubricant at all points marked “L”. Using the point of a pin or a thin wire, put a drop of Lionel Oil
at points marked “O”. Lubricate carefully but never to excess. A small amount of oil or lubricant,
properly applied, goes a long way. Be careful not to get any oil or lubricant on the running surfaces
of the wheels or on the rails, or your locomotive will lose traction and do not lubricate locomotive
rollers.
The motor requires occasional lubrication with a few drops of light machine oil. See Figure 4 on
page 9. To get at the motor the locomotive body must first be removed by removing the screws from
the underside of the frame at both ends of the powered locomotive.
A complete Lubrication and Maintenance Kit No. 927 (6-62927) which contains all the material
and equipment necessary to keep your locomotive in top notch condition may be obtained from your
authorized Lionel dealer or service station.
The locomotive is illuminated by 14 volt, bayonet-base lamps (No. 600-0363-300), available at your
authorized Lionel dealer or service station. To replace your lamps, see the instructions on page 10.
When you find that the lubrication points illustrated in Figure 3 appear dry, lubricate your
locomotive after you have removed any accumulated dirt and dust. There are two basic rules to keep
in mind when you are lubricating your locomotive: use only a small amount of lubrication and avoid
getting grease or oil on your locomotive’s wheels, roller pick-ups, or the track.
Figure 3. Underside details and lubrication points
RUN LOCK
SND NO SND
FRONT REAR
“L”
“L”
“O”
“O”
SCREW
SCREW

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Your locomotive will require occasional lubrication of its Pullmor motor armature. If you hear excess noise during operation, or if the locomotive slows down intermittently, you may need to oil
the top armature bearing.
1. Remove the locomotive’s body screws. See Figure 3 on page 8 for the screw locations. Carefully lift
the shell away from the frame.
2. Apply a small amount of Lionel oil (two drops) in the hole at the top of the motor. See Figure 4.
3. Replace the body, securing it with the two body screws.
To prevent damage to the locomotive body, do not overtighten the body screws.
Lubricating your locomotive’s Pullmor motor armature
Lionel oil
Oil here
Operating and servicing your locomotive
Figure 4. Pullmor motor lubrication
Note!

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Replacing your locomotive’s lamps and LEDs
Your locomotive is illuminated by three 14-volt lamps. During the course of normal operations, they may require replacement.
1. Remove the locomotive’s body screws. See Figure 3 on page 8 for the screw locations. Carefully lift
the shell away from the frame.
2. To remove the lamp, gentley push the lamp down and turn counter counter clockwise to
disengage the lamp from the socket
3. Replace it with Lionel part no. 600-0363-300, available from your authorized Lionel dealer or
service station, or from Lionel Customer Service in Chesterfield, MI. See Instructions for
Obtaining Service on page 12 for more information.
4. Replace the body, securing it with the two body screws.
To prevent damage to the locomotive body, do not overtighten the body screws.
Operating and servicing your set
Note!
Lionel part no. 600-0363-300
Figure 5. Lamp replacement
The LEDs in the jet engine are expected to last for the life of the jet-powered rail car and are not user
serviceable.