Tomy Plarail EF66 forward/reverse

We got this in the mail yesterday.
Anyone got anymore info on it? or a real name?
It moves forward and reverse.
It has traction issues, need to fix it somehow.

Is it the little metal rod between the drive wheels that changes direction of the loco AC? Presumably with this 'change of direction' and the rather odd on/off switch it is very old or maybe not a Tomy - I don't see any © symbol on the underside which you normally see on Tomy trains.

As the traction tyres look ok in those shots I'm assuming its more of a gearing issue causing lack of traction (or it needs more weight), I'd be curious to see the inner workings of this one sometime as its obviously different to the average mechanisms we get...

Otherwise - nice find

[Super]

I have seen this in many YouTube videos. Can't remember if I saw Ucwepn with one or not. Wonder if Sunhuntin has one at their web site? Looks to have quite a bit of weight to it.

Hey Nigels,
Couple pictures for you.
So the main wheels are free, no gears connected inside, and it only moves based on these two small gear with rubber that touches the main wheels.
Hope that makes sense.
One side you can kinda see the small gear has rubber on it while the other side it is missing.

---

I found a video
Google Translation

"Round trip Plarail had been released around 1976
It is Pla of Tommy ☆ locomotive is the return rail
It has become a structure that folded when it passes ! Round trip is the running scene of the introduction and the layout switch back of Pla !"

Ah ok, got it, so the motor/gearbox drives two pinions (one on each side) which then use direct contact with the traction tyres to produce wheel rotation. So in this scenario the traction tyres have a dual purpose. I would guess you'd have trouble if the rubber on the pinions is worn and/or dirty so it slips. Quite a strange arrangement in comparison to most of the others we seem to get around.

Any plan to remedy the problem? I'm not sure where you'd get those small rubber tyres (for the pinions) from. Maybe some rubber heatshrink over the pinion? Don't know if that would work though or just cause even more slippage...

[Super]

I think I remember seeing those small rubber friction rings for the driver of the drive wheel on the Japan auctions. I didn't need them so I didn't look into them closer but I remember them because I thought to myself there would be quite an interest for those who have these older type drives as I imagine that is a replaceable part that wears out first whether it be from use or deterioration from age and weather. New sets of those might just correct your traction woes. Like in the video, you may want to look for an extra reverse track or two which I have seen many times listed in the Japan auctions too.

thats quite an old piece. ive got several trains with the pinions, one i know for sure is one of the merry go trains.

the forward/reverse is the same as that used on the 80s/90s tomy trains with the magnetic coupling. i would be interested to see under the battery and find out how it switches.

this is inside one of the magnetic locos

the mechanism extends under the body, like the one in AC's photo, and the track activator moves the inside piece against the spring loaded white "triangle" piece. that some how changes the gearing, kicking things into forward or reverse.

[Super]

Oh, so its in the gearing that does the reversing. My initial thought was a metal piece would switch the polarity on the motor i.e. positive to negative and negative to positive.

with my ones, yes. in the gear line up in the photo, the third from the left sits over the two posts on the reverse mechanism. when it is switched, the bottom gear moves up or down the shaft and makes everything go the other way.

ive highlighted the parts i mean

[ripley802]

You may be able to try a small rubber "o" ring or maybe a tire off or a road vehicle like Elizabeth or Bertie? Not sure if that would work or not. They have a large assortment of "o" rings at harbor freight though if you have those in your area.