Engine lights not working

[ShovelheadBrent]

  I took apart my EMD SD-45 Loco to clean after being in storage for a really long time and am looking for direction in reassembly. There are two blade contacts for the lights that get placed on one side or the other of a thin plastic sheet. I didn't pay attention to where they were during diss-assembly. The loco works great other than the lights.
Thanks for any help 

[Desertdweller]

SHB,

You did not say who made your SD-45, but from the description of the headlight contacts, it sounds like you are dealing with a model that has a vertically-split metal frame.  The left and right halves would carry opposite polarity current.  The thin plastic sheet would be an insulator between the two halves.

Reinstall your light bulb so that each blade is in contact with its respective frame half.  That should do it.

Les

[ShovelheadBrent]

It is a Bachman engine with 1 contact on top of the motor and 1 in front.

[Desertdweller]

SHB,

Yes.  That is a vertically-split frame model.  The fix should work as described.
The important thing is for each light wire to be in contact with the frame on its side.  A lot of Bachmann locos I have don't even use blade contacts, they just rely on the natural springiness of the wires to maintain contact.

Les

[ShovelheadBrent]

So to clarify... The top contact is to the motor frame with a plastic shield on top of it and the front one is in front of the plastic shield? Thanks

[Desertdweller]

SHB,

Yes, that's right.  The contact in front of the motor is actually attached to another contact strip that runs beneath the motor.  This in turn contacts the brush holder screw opposite the one on top.

Les

[ShovelheadBrent]

Thanks a lot Les, works like a charm!