Con-cor passenger cars.

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I bought these as they were cheap. I got what I paid for. Con-cor has not responded to my emails of over a month. Does anybody here have experience in disassembling these cars as there is no literature included. I need to add weight to the cars as they easily de-rail. Especially the mid-train cars on a curve.

The screw holding the trucks on acts as if it is stripped and does not unscrew. Also seems to be connected through the under frame to the car body by means of a vertical support. There are plastic tabs protruding thru the under frame that can be drilled out and reassembled with glue after putting a couple oz of lead inside the car.

I appreci8 any reply. BR

2

Which cars are you talking about? They’ve made several.

3

I assume you’re talking about Con-Cor’s standard passenger cars, likely the Budd or smooth side cars? I guess because these are their most ubiquitous, and would be in the “cheap” realm. I also assume you’re talking about the HO ones.

You will need to access the plastic tabs on the bottom of the car, near the walls at the ends and middle of the car. Push these in to unlock all of them, and then you can pull the roof off. The roof and window glass all come off as one assembly. Once inside, you can hold on to the upper truck posts that hold the trucks, and then unscrew them (if you need to get the trucks off). The reason the trucks can’t unscrew from below is that the post inside can turn with the screw. I think Con-Cor has easily the worst truck mounting system, period. The post design requires that on many of the cars, if you screw the screw tight enough to hold the post in place, the truck can’t turn. And if you don’t, the post can slowly work itself loose. I have had trucks fall off Con-Cor cars while handling for that reason. Plus, that post inside makes it very hard to add interiors to the cars.

I have only one Con-Cor car (in HO), a Dome-observation, simply because no-one else makes it. It is, however, receiving an extremely heavy overhaul to bring it up to better standards.

4

I am sorry but I gotta type my first reaction when I saw the title of the thread. Here goes.

LOL

I instantly knew the issue(s) and I am no genius.

A couple of years ago, I bought five of the Con-Cor NYC two-tone gray passenger cars.

I recently replaced them with Walthers NYC two-tone gray passenger cars.

The Con-Cor cars look great but that is where the good news ends.

Today, they sit on a siding in my passenger car yard, going nowhere ever again.

When I got them, the talgo plastic trucks caused no end of problems, derailments, uncouplings, you name it. I replaced the truck mounted couplers with body couplers , using Jay-Bee coupler pads, so far, so good. Then, I replaced the plastic trucks with metal ones. That was a real project to mount the trucks because Con-Cor uses plastic push pins, not screws to mount the trucks. In spite of my best efforts, it all sucked. Cars leaned and swayed, derailments were fewer but still occurred.

I gave up. My Walthers passenger cars performed splendidly, right out of the box.

Meanwhile, I am embarrased to think how much I invested in metal trucks, couplers, coupler pads, and metal wheels. Ugh

Rich

5

I actually have a nine car train of the ConCor 72’ smooth side cars that runs very well and looks good.

I did do some work to them. They were the older ones with the push pin truck mounts, not the newer ones with the screws.

Removing the roofs is not hard and can be done without damage to the tabs, simply pry/push them with a small screwdriver until all are released, then slide the roof/window out.

They do need weight, no question. And I too body mounted the couplers and replaced the trucks. I used MDC plastic trucks (no longer available) and Intermountain wheel sets.

I also “frosted” the glass rather than add interiors.

Additionally, I cut down the molded on diaphragms and installed American Limited working diaphragms and ajusted the coupler positions to provide touching diaphragms and near prototype close coupling and car spacing.

In replacing the trucks I added styrene pads and drilled new mounting holes for 2-56 screws.

My investment was still WAY less than these current expensive RTR cars, most of which I would have to work on anyway since the poor design and coupler mounting that leaves the cars too far apart and the diaphragms not touching. $50 to $80 and the diaphragms don’t touch and work - they are kiding right?

I can make $15 passenger car look and run great for an extra $15 - those not willing to learn how or do that are welcome to spend $80 a piece if they like. It is a hobby full of choices.

Most of my other passenger cars are Athearn, both streamlined and heavy weights that have been super detailed and fitted with correctly spaced working diaphragms as well.

Personally, all the detail and scale accuracy in the world is spoiled by widely spaced long cars squeaking around sharp curves with the diaphragms a foot apart.

I will take my selectively compressed by equally detailed cars with prototypical car spacing and working diaphragms over that any day.

I run my cars on 36" and larger curves, but they

6

I am glad for your comments. I do not think the Con-cor cars are worth the tedious effort to bring them to usability. I will donate them to the toy drive next Christmas.

Con-cor management must be aware of this reputation. I have Bachmann and Walthers cars that have body mounted couplers and nice trucks. I will buy more. Thanks for the assist. BR

7

Just as an FYI for all of the Con-Cor, Rivarossi, and any other plastic pin truck retainers out there, I experienced this same problem back in the 60s when they first were introduced. If I wanted to replace the trucks, Central Valley at that time, how was I going to use a screw with that huge hole where the truck mounts?

Well, Plastruct solved that problem for me with their “plastic tubing”. I simply found the right size tubing to fit in the hole, cut it off flush, and tapped it for a 2-56 screw and “whala”!!! I could mount any truck I wanted on them.

This also works well for the AHM freight cars…

Mark

8

me too donate them .rambo1…

9

I have some “shorties” designed to run on 18" curves on preoder maybe I will nto take them when tehy arrive then.

What do you’all think? has quality improved with new offerings or are they all failures?

10

They will likely need some weight, but other than that should be fine - not sure why the OP had so much trouble.

Sheldon

11

Were I you, I would run to the nearest exit.