OK,
This is new to me. My LGB D&RGW coach kept derailing. Upon inspection, I saw that one of the trucks had “sagged” to the point neither wheel set stayed put in the journals! The warped truck is on the left a good one is on the right.
The coach is 40 years old, so no loss if it is time to surplus this one. Before I do, though, is there a way to unwarp the plastic? Could I, for instance, submerge the truck in hot water, clamp it, and cool?
Thanks!
Eric
Never used LGB so not sure Eric. That would be the route I’d go, just do so with ease as the plastic may be temperamental from age Also I’d cut a block to size to clamp it against and clamp both axis. This because the issue looks to be between the bolster and the side frame.
That is an old one with the slotted screw head.
Is everything tight? Maybe you could add some side to side bracing and glue it to bring it in and hold it? Just don’t cover the screws. You could use wood, paint it black and you wouldn’t notice it.
I don’t know if heating it would work but you could try. Clamp it slightly tighter than where you want it to end up and put your heat gun to it.
Eric, I have owned LGB passenger cars since the first one hit the market.
Several have warped trucks. Take them apart, clean them up.
Heat up the warped one with a hair drier, then place it on a flat surface (axle side down)
with a weight until it cools.
It may not become perfectly flat. Check the wheel spin after you put them back together. If it is good
run them.
If they aren’t just replace them.
Thanks, Everyone!
Fred Mills (@freddy ) suggested binding the sideframes together in a manner similar to what Todd (@capecodtodd ) suggested, but using a bit of hanger wire, inserting it into the holes near the simulate brakes, and holding the lot in place with a drop of CA.
We’ll get around to it, starting with the heat method as John (@John_Bouck) suggested, then moving on from there. The repair only has to last until our next bits order.
Eric
My trucks on 90% of my cars and engines are all LGB and as of today I have not had this problem occur. By your pics it looks like the cars have been keep outside in the sun as the black on the cars does look bleached from the sun, thus the cars probably have faded from the heat of the sun thus warping the plastic from the heat. As to where the warp is coming from, either the bolster, or the truck side frame is hard to see in the pics. I would take the trucks apart and look at the bolster and the truck side frame and see where the warp is, it could be where the side frame mounts to the bolster and the angle is not a 90%, thus is where the warp is. A heat gun of hair dryer is probably how I would heat the plastic and form it back to the correct angle, due not heat guns get very hot and you have to be careful using them, experiment on a piece of scrap plastic to get the feel of using one. You could even loosen the side frame screw and put a very thin piece of scrap plastic on one side of the screw and this should turn the side frame back in where in the pic it looks to be turned out. Determine where the warp is and correct it there for best results. Taking the truck apart should give you a pretty good idea where the warp is by putting the parts on a flat surface.
Thanks, John.
The car is actually stored inside, and it does not receive direct sunlight. That being said, the shelf is over the passage from that room into another, about 24" below the roof. Maybe it gets hot up there? That would suggest I have to move that whole shelf! It is also possible it saw some outside time and / or got direct sunlight when it was in my brothers’ possession for a few years.
As it stands, I was literally husking coconuts tonight, so I will likely have to push this project to the weekend.
Eric
Coconuts over trains ? The sea water must be getting to you.
