Lionel Rectifier electric locomotive User manual

72-8823-250
01/01
Lionel Rectifier
electric locomotive
Owner’s Manual

Congratulations!
2
Congratulations on your purchase of the Lionel Rectifier electric locomotive!
Lionel is proud to introduce the DC motor
version of this unique engine.
Read this instruction manual completely
for important tips on operating and main-
taining your Rectifier locomotive. When
properly cared for, your Lionel engine will
last a lifetime.
Experience the superiority of today’s
Lionel. Have fun!
• Powerful DC motor
• Brilliant headlight
• Tire-Traction™
• Electronic reverse unit
• Four-wheel trucks
• Electric horn sound
• Magnetic couplers
• Operating Pantograph
Table of contents
Engine operation
Getting started 3
Reverse unit procedure 4
Using your Rectifier’s magnetic couplers 5
Horn operation 5
Tire-Traction™ 5
Maintaining and servicing your Rectifier
Lubricating your Rectifier electric locomotive 6
Installing the pantograph on your Rectifier 6
Replacing your Rectifier’s headlamps 7
Lionel Service 8

Engine operations
3
Place your Rectifier locomotive on Lionel or
Lionel-compatible track. (O-27 minimum radius)
• Note the great detail and scale appearance.
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2
3
3
Power up your Rectifier with your transformer.
•Your Rectifier is designed to operate on 7-15 volts alternating
current. Virtually all Lionel and Lionel-compatible alternating-current trans-
formers are suitable.
•You can power your Rectifier with direct current transformers (DC),
However you will want to turn OFF the electric horn as it will blow continuously.
See page 4 for horn ON/OFF switch location.
Note!
Move ‘em out!
•Get your Rectifier moving. Your Rectifier will usually start in forward ini-
tially. To sequence the reversing unit, press the direction button on your trans-
former, or turn the throttle OFF and back on again until you are moving in the
desired direction.
•Adjust track voltage until your Rectifier moves at your desired speed.
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1
Getting started

Engine operations
Move the horn switch to
the “OFF” position to
deactivate the horn sound.
Reverse unit procedure
The reverse unit inside your Lionel loco- motive is an electronic device that acts
like the transmission in your car. When you
apply power to the track, the locomotive
moves in the direction specified by the
reverse unit—or it sits in neutral, awaiting
another power interruption. Power interrup-
tions are the signal that tells the reverse unit
to sequence to the next operational state.
To interrupt power and sequence the loco-
motive’s reverse unit, press the direction
control button on your transformer or turn
the throttle to the OFF position and ON
again. The reverse unit alternates between
three states: forward, neutral, and reverse.
Also, the locomotive can be “locked” into
a single direction by throwing the switch
located on the underside of the frame (see
illustration below). When the switch is
thrown to the Off position, the locomotive
will be locked in the next mode of operation
in the sequence. For instance, if the locomo-
tive is moving forward, then is stopped and
the switch is thrown back, the locomotive
will be “locked” in neutral. If the switch is
thrown back while the locomotive is under
power, the locomotive will remain in the
mode it was in when the switch was thrown.
The controller’s direction control will then
have no effect on the direction of the loco-
motive.
Additionally, this reverse unit has a
“power-up reset” feature, which means that
should the locomotive sit without power for
more than one hour, the reverse unit will
automatically reset and start in the forward
direction when the transformer is turned on
or “powered up,” regardless of the locking
switch position. If the locking switch is in
the Off position, the locomotive will start in
the forward direction and be “locked” there.
FULL
RS
SIGNAL
RUN
LCRU
PROG
ON
REVERSE UNIT
OFF
ON
HORN
OFF
FULL
RS
SIGNAL
RUN
LCRU
PROG
Front of engine
Disregard the molded switch
position information on the
fuel tank
Switch position information
on rear of fuel tank
4

Engine operations
5
Tire-Traction™
Your locomotive is equipped with Tire- Traction. This means that two of the
engine drive wheels on the motor truck are
fitted with rubber traction tires to enhance
tractive effort so your locomotive can pull
many cars at once.
Lionel locomotives with Tire-Traction grip
the track, enabling them to pull heavy loads
at higher speeds.
Should it become necessary to replace the
traction tire, we recommend you take your
Rectifier to an authorized Lionel service
center. See page 8 for more information
The engine’s horn is activated by the horn/whistle button on your trans-
former. The horn will sound as long as the
button is depressed.
If the horn doesn’t sound, reverse the
leads to the track. Please make sure that the
horn switch located on the underside of the
fuel tank is switched to the On position.
Sometimes dirt or grease on the track,
wheels, and rollers will accumulate and
cause the horn to sound intermittently.
Cleaning the wheels and track should elimi-
nate this problem. We suggest using the
Lionel Lubrication and Maintenance kit
(no. 6-62927), available at your local Lionel
Authorized Value-Added Dealer.
Horn operation
Using your Rectifier’s magnetic couplers
Your Lionel Rectifier is equipped with
operating magnetic
knuckle couplers, a
revolutionary design
first introduced by
Lionel in 1945.
Lionel magnetic cou-
plers react to the mag-
netic field generated by
a Lionel remote-control
track section (available
separately).
Place your locomo-
tive’s coupler trigger disc over the central
coil of a remote-control track section and
press Uncouple on the controller. The mag-
netic field pulls the disc
downward, and the knuck-
le opens.
One operating technique
favored by Lionel railroad-
ers is the “moving uncou-
ple.” Press the Uncouple
button as the Rectifier
passes over a remote-con-
trol 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.
Position your Rectifier’s trigger disc over
the remote-control section, then press
“uncouple.” The coupler opens.