I have a 1950's engine and transformer. I run it every year a Christmas. Last year the reverse direction switch started working intermittently. I would press it multiple times and occasionally it would reverse direction. (I also played with the direction switch on the engine - it didn"t make any difference.) Do you think the problem is in the transformer or the engine?
Crafts & Hobbies - Lionel - New Haven Freight Train Set
Answers & Comments
Turn the power to the track off and then back on. The engine may stay still because the train is in neutral. Turn the power off and on once again. The engine should now go forward or reverse. Turning the powere on and off again will return the train to neutral. On and off again should make the train move in the opposite direction. If all of these steps work then the problem is in the "Direction" button of the transformer. But if the problem still persist, than the "E" unit in the engine needs to be serviced. More times than not it is the E unit. The direction button is a simple momentary off switch that has few moving parts.
Also, check the E unit switch. This is the small metal lever that turns the E unit on or off. A bad connection here can cause the problems you describe but my bet would be a sticking E unit. The 50s were a long time ago and things get a little stiff or dirty after all those years.