Unknown HO Consolidtion 2-8-0 - electrical repair

[edfhinton]

I got a significant number of HO items from an estate sale, and one engine i sa Consolidaiton style 2-8-0 that needs repair. i don't know the manufacturer or era, but I'd guess it is at least 25 years old and it is brass painted black.

The repair needed i sto complete the electrical path. One side of the engine gets power from the wheels, though i don't see any brishes, so I don;t know how it's getting there. The wheel flanges on the axles appear to be brass, so perhaps through those. The other side of the motor currently has a wire soldered to it that ends in a flat connector. If I place the engine on the track and make a connection between the wire and the track on that side, the engine definitely runs and moves, so it's a matter of figuring out where the wire is supposed to connect to complete the circuit between that side of the engine and the wheels.

Any suggestions or references to internal wiring or engine photos of very old HO 2-8-0 locomotives would be a great help. Actually, even other locos would help if this arrangement of a wire connector soldered to one side of the engine and no visible brushes is familiar to anyone.

 

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Brass locomotives normally pick up power from the Firemans side of the engine (frame)and the engineers side of the tender,so simply try connecting the wire to the floor of the tender,,if the wheels on the tender are isolated correctly it should run.also remember to clean the wheels on both. be sure to clean & lube both engine & tender including polishing the tender bolsters as thats the electrical path for the tender.

 

[edfhinton]

Thanks!

This was my first brass loco. I have the tender and didn't realize that's it played a role in running the engine, so I hadn't looked at that.

Thank you.