I have an older Bachmann Brill trolley HO, DC that was running OK a while back but now runs with a high pitched squeal (it's about to get shot off the track! ha ha).

Probably a cracked gear or maybe something got up in the engine? I did put some oil on it and wondering if it ran into the engine?

one of those pancake style plastic engines

Perfect, thanks Len. Might just be easier to order the complete motor.

I have 3 of the PCC trolleys, one that's older and 2 that are probably from the early 2000's. I bought one at a hobby store and it died and then picked up a 2nd from a collection and now it's died. Both of these were with moderate use. The older one with the pancake style engine still runs but has a split gear. Not very impressed.

is there any way I can open up the engine block on the newer ones to try and see why the stopped working, maybe strip the parts from one to repair the other?