This was the month to work on 700s - two of them came in for repair.

 

700K.  This was the kit that was introduced in 1938 and ran to 1942.  The nice part of this particular engine is that it had been ordered with flangeless center drive wheels so it would run on Lionel tubular track instead of T-Rail.  The builder of this kit assembled it as a scale direct current (DC) locomotive and there was a rectifier where the E-unit was supposed to be.  I did not see how it could ever run with DC because the drive wheels were not insulated.  The new owner wanted me to clean it up, install the missing parts, install a whistle, and convert it to AC.  Parts were over $150 and labor was $200.  It is now a 700KWX, where the W stands for whistle and the X for the tubular track option.  It looks and runs like new.  

 

700E.  This one was in for a "tune up" but it was more than that inasmuch as the motor would not turn over.  After disassembly, it was clear that motor ran very well, but the drive train was locked up.  Further disassembly showed 70 years of hardened Lionel grease in the well with the worm and spur gears.  I am pretty sure it has been a "shelf queen" for nearly all of her years.  After thorough cleaning and lubrication, the locomotive was running and looking like new.  This was a late 1937 frame with no oil screws and no warping.  Total cost of repair was all labor, $36.00.