I purchased the switch used. After months of working fine, I can no longer control switch using remote toggle.

switch is powered from track

Indicator light on switch works
C
No light on remote toggle and it no longer activates switch direction

it is not a “command” switch

I swapped out remote toggle to another remote switch that I have and it worked fine - I also tested for continuity from terminal block for wires from remote toggle to the PCB and continuity tested fine

I place train car on out track and switch automatically switched rail from straight to out so motor turning switch seems to be working

Not sure where to continue from here

Thinking about swapping PCB from working remote switch to rule out PCB

Apprecite any suggestions/ recommendations for fix

Tom

Hi Gary
 I see this post is over a month old now, but I will try to help you if I can.  The 6-8111 Came with a "Select-able" Reverse lever.  I have an 8111 myself. It was a bit of a clunker when I picked it up. What I did was put a 2 position E-unit in it. I don't know what number it was, I just had one laying around from an old post war alco engine and soldered it in.  Might have been something like a #101-1. 2 position, short lever.  I just can't say exactly.  Before you start you might want to look for an exploded drawing of the 8111 and get all the part numbers you need. I think I had one around somewhere but not sure where it is anymore. As far as the nylon Gears, they are very prone to wear when put under heavy load. There are replacement gears for it.   It takes a bit of work to do, but if you like that part of it, then it's ok. You may need a wheel puller, not sure. You might find a whole motor truck for it somewhere too like on e-bay or Trainz.com. and change the whole thing out. The cost may be a bit much depending. I would run it for now with light loads and not pull heavy grades under load. Lubricate it according to the instructions. You might be able to find an entire working chassis and motor for it too. Swap the shell.  Brushes for the motor and all that can be found at Trainz.com or Ebay.   

I was gifted a Lionel 313 Bascule Bridge for my birthday. I cleaned it up and straightened it out.  The motor works fine. I am having trouble getting the mechanical linkages from the 3rd reduction gear shaft to the bridge axel and to the far tower cam.  I also do not have the spring tension right.  I am looking for someone who knows the correct orientation of the cams and axel tabs or has a picture of them in the proper positions. It is harder than it looks.

It's a 2343 Postwar Santa Fe F3.  One screw in the bottom front, 2 screws in the bottom  back and the shell comes off. If your brother installed a replacement horn You will have look at the installation, trace the connections and see how he did it. Look for corrosion, broken wires, battery damage ect....
 If, it's the original 2343 horn setup and the horn itself If its still there, it will be above the rear motor on a raised bracket..  There is also a relay that it connects to as well as additional wiring. .  Sometimes the copper contact on the relay corrodes and stops the horn, Sometimes a dead  battery  left in the engine for years causes damage to the Battery  holder compartment or it is just  plain corroded. The horn itself may be oxidized a bit and not vibrating. Don't take it apart!  Read up on how to do it.......The little tabs holding the cover on will likely break off if you don't and you will never get it back together so that it works without replacing the cover. See which horn setup is in the engine

I am writing from England as a first timer to the Lionel forum. I have a couple of questions that I hope your combined wisdom can answer.

I have inherited my Great-Grandfathers Lionel trains, although I have previously played with them as a child many decades ago. My Great Grandfather was the council transport manager in an English town in the 1920/30's, with responsibility for their electric tramways. Perhaps he had a leaning towards electric traction as he had a 150, 254, and a 256; all being electric-outline locomotives.

I wanted to buy a few extra pre-war carriages etc. to add to what I have and give me enough to display in a case. I have bought a copy of "Lionel Trains Standard of the world" and "Lionel, prewar O gauge, volume1". I would buy more Lionel reference books, but they are rare in England, and the cost of postage from the USA is often more than the cost of the book.  The value guides probably aren't a lot of use here.

Is there a particular book I should get as a guide to Lionel prewar O-gauge?

I recently bought at auction a set of 254, 610, 610, 612 (8-window) carriages. My book says these should have type V or VII trucks, but these have type II trucks (without journal boxes). Is this to be expected (but my book is out of date), or perhaps an example of obsolete stock being used-up on export trains?

I also bought at auction: latch coupler 1630, 1630, 1631 carriages in Tuscan with black roof and observation veranda. As these colours aren't in the book, I assumed they would be a rough repaint in later life, but when I received them the paint quality is very high. Either someone took great care to dismantle them etc. or there is something odd about them. Have these carriages ever been reproduced in more recent times?

Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.