THE GILBERT HALL American Flyer, Operating And Assembly Instructions Manual

Page: 23 / 66

CAUTION: Ninety per cent of all transformer trouble is caused by
permitting the train to lie across the rails and cause a short circuit when it
jumps or is knocked off the track. If permitted to remain in this position the
cars or locomotive cause a short circuit and the transformer will burn out.
While American Flyer Transformers are built for safety, we recommend
disconnecting the transformer from the house current immediately when
YOU
are not going to use your train for even a short period or when the train
jumps the track.
LOCOMOTIVE REVERSE UNITS
The Locomotives have universal type motors and can be operated on
either direct or alternating current and have a sequence reversing switch which
performs a cycle
of four steps, forward, neutral, reverse 2nd neutral. If the
Locomotive is moving forward and the current is turned off, then on, the train
will stop with the lights illuminated. If the current is again turned off, then on,
the train will go in reverse. T o make the train go forward again, it is necessary
to repeat these operations. In other words, the current must be turned off and
on twice. T o make the control inoperative, that is, to make the train continue
in the same direction, irrespective of the number of times the current is broken,
shift the locking lever on the control unit. On some Locomotives, this protrudes
from the top of the Locomotive and on others it protrudes from the bottom
of the tender. This locks the control. The lever must be moved into the locked
position while the current is
on
and the locomotive
is
proceeding in the desired
direction.
DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES
Locking Lever
T o make control inoperative, that is, to make the train continue
in
the
same direction, irrespective of the number of times the circuit
is
broken, the
following procedure should be used.
Have the locomotive on the track running in the reverse direction. Then
shut
off
current and turn it on again. The remote control unit of the locomotive
will now be in a neutral position.
Then with one hand tilt locomotive slightly to one side so a finger of the
opposite hand can be inserted underneath the locomotive to close the lock-
ing lever.
The movement of the locking lever will have moved the remote control
unit from the neutral position to a forward position and locked
it
in place.
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