Large Scale Central

Disintegrating Bolsters on Bachmann Fn3 Murphy Roof Boxcar

Problem Solving
#6

Bob, Jon,

i have a resin that has held up well that may be used for this as well. the pilot truck on my connie, which still tends to derail too much is made of this material and has jammed itself into switches and will physically stop forward motion, has seen zero failures or damage in several years of operation. this material is similar to milk jugs. would be happy to print out a couple for trial from bob’s file. will be a few days before i am able to do because of my own handy cap at the moment as my right arm is in a huge ball of gauze from hand surgery. apparently i wore out the tendon to my index finger and it broke, last wendsday they attached a harvested piece back in place.

Al P.

#7

Rick Marty said:

Jon, if you need Ozark parts let me know, I can probably supply them.

Thanks Rick. I have a pretty good stock myself, so I should be OK. I’ll give you a holler if not, but it will be mid-winter before this pops up on the to-do list.

#8

As Max pointed out, Bachmann still lists bolsters and or truck/bolster combos as available in some (not all) colors. Before I’ll order I’ll give them a call and see if I can get a few as warranty replacements. I think I have 3 of these cars and up to now, the only problem has been the stirrup steps.

#9

As Max pointed out, Bachmann still lists bolsters and or truck/bolster combos as available

I think I’d buy the Accucraft versions.

#10

Al Pomeroy said:

Bob, Jon,

i have a resin that has held up well that may be used for this as well. the pilot truck on my connie, which still tends to derail too much is made of this material and has jammed itself into switches and will physically stop forward motion, has seen zero failures or damage in several years of operation. this material is similar to milk jugs. would be happy to print out a couple for trial from bob’s file. will be a few days before i am able to do because of my own handy cap at the moment as my right arm is in a huge ball of gauze from hand surgery. apparently i wore out the tendon to my index finger and it broke, last wendsday they attached a harvested piece back in place.

Al P.

Sheesh, Al. Perhaps it’s time to STOP pointing out things??? Sure hope NOT. :yum:. (Where does one harvest tendons? Or is it better we don’t know??)

#11

Bruce,

Apparently some of us have a spare in the wrist, and that is where mine came from. the doctor told me he didn’t have one. my follow up is still a few days out and will get the details then, as his initial thought was to connect back to the adjacent finger. according to what little i have seen and heard i was in surgery longer than expected, and i suspect what was left was not suitable to be reattached.

Al P.

#12

Last week I finally spoke with Bachmann. Laura in the Warranty Dept. said that the supply of free replacements was gone, but when I pointed out that they were still listed as in-stock in the parts department she offered to send me one set free as a courtesy and that I would have to pay for any additional, so I ordered and paid for one set.

Both packages arrived today.

Even though the photo shows the bolster and some stirrup steps are included, what I received was just trucks :frowning_face:

EDIT - I should have entirely opened the package. They are as pictured on the website - I just couldn’t see it through the bubble wrap.

#13

Well the manufacturer is still standing behind the product then ?

#14

Pretty much. Not exact replacement as they are wrong color, but it will fix the issue on the one I can prove was bought new.

YMMV

#15

I don’t understand old guy logo’s like YMMV but glad it’s resolved!

#16

YMMV= Your mileage may vary
:sunglasses:

edit to add
YMMV could also be
Years Make Minds Versatile

#17

In my case it was Your Mileage May Vary because Max stated above that they would not give him the free replacements. So just 'cause they gave me two doesn’t mean the next person to try will get any.

#18

Google is your friend, just search something like:

what does YMMV mean?

ymmv
ymmv755×329 38.2 KB

#19

I have 15 I bought from them and could only get six sets. Plus, the bolsters are a nightmare to replace. Im pondering designing a 3D printed one that will snap on easier or something.

#20

Yes, the bolsters are a nightmare with the truss rods running trough them. On the one car that has totally failed I’ve already removed the rods, so installing the new bolsters will be somewhat easier. I’ll probably need to replace the queens posts too as I broke them removing the truss rods. Time to look through my Ozark & Rodney castings to see what I have.

#21

Indeed the metal on at least one production run of the Bachmann Murphy Roof box cars are junk. I have lots on our railroad. Most of the trucks have been replaced and I am now replacing the bolsters on about 2-4 cars a year.

While a little time consuming I have found the replacementment of the boosters relatively straightforward.

The hard part for me is taking the frame off the car. Since the cars have been outside dirt has gotten around the frame and glue from replacing the stirups means that it takes a little prying to get the frame removed from the car. I always replace both bolsters when a car comes in with a broken bolster since once the frame is off it takes only a little time to replace the second bolster and if one broke the second will break in time.

One hint. One of the holes on the replacement boosters needs to be drilled out or the pipe will not go through it. As delivered the hole has some flange in it

Fortunately only the Murphy Roof boxcars have this problem. None of the trucks, steps of bolsters has broken off any of my other Bachmann Sprectrum cars or replacement trucks.

Stan

PS I just purchased some additional bolsters so they are in stock. If you have these cars and any of the metal parts have broken off its best to get the parts now while they are in stock.

#22

So I guess I need to look closer at how the car was built up. I just yanked the truss rood out of the bolster and of course I broke the queens posts in the process.

I’m assuming that with the car off the frame, the truss rods can just be lifted out of the bolsters.

#23

Indeed. If you still have the car instructions it shows the frame. You need to take the 4 screws on the bolsters off and one of the coupler screws on each end (forgot which one so I normally just take both out)

Then you can pry the frame off the body. There are two small screws on each end holding the end plate on. After an end plate is off you slide the old bolster parts off and the new ones in. The bolsters have a key that fits into the sides of the frame.

Stan

PS If you do not take the frame off the car you will likely do a lof of damage to the underframe when you try to replace the bolsters.

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#24

Thanks for that advice. I’ll be tacking this soon.

#25

Success! Following Stan’s advice I removed the frame. This was made difficult when I replaced the disintegrating steps with home-brew steps and NBW* castings. Seems the castings went into the side frame. I was able to force one side out without damage, then used a Dremel to grind away the castings to remove the interference so replacement will be easy.

It’s a lot of fun to thread all those rods and pipes through the bolsters, but I did it after drilling out one hole that wasn’t cast completely open.

C.V.S.Ry. #152 should be back in service this evening :grin:

:rooster: * NBW = Nut Bolt Washer

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