I spent some time yesterday morning working on freight cars which ended up on the RIP track over the last couple of weeks, one of which is a Red Caboose 40’ boxcar. This car has a loose weight inside, as when I assemebled over a decade ago I used CA to secure the weight and now it has failed. I figured it would be pretty easy to open up and use Goo to attach the weight, but I can’t figure out how to take it apart. The floor looks to be cast with the sides, as do the ends and roof! I can’t find a seam where anything has been glued together, and though I usually save the instruction sheets I can’t find this one.
It was my understanding that these cars were made as a fairly thick casting of walls and floor together, with the roof made to fit flat on top with lugs to center it. If a R-T-R version has glued that roof joint, you might have to use a razor saw or other thin-kerf saw across the ‘tops’ of the sides to cut the roof off.
At least now I know where to focus my efforts. The gap between the roof and body on mine is non-existant! Thanks for the information.
I wonder if it would make better ‘sense’ to cut a hatch in the middle of the underside of the molded body so you could glom onto the weight and pull it up against some glue strategically inserted through the hole. Then cement in some stock, fill with putty, and reinstall the underframe components…
From what I see of the roof on the R-T-R versions, even the thinnest kerf saw would damage the fine roof edges.
I recommend professional double sided tape to hold the weights in place in the long run. I use the kind used for exterior car parts, .050 inch thick. It was 25/32 inch wide and 33 feet long for $14 in Japan.
Yep, the roof section on Red Caboose boxcars are glued into the top, which the sides & bottom are one-piece, and would be very difficult to remove without marring the finish. I would opt for trying to pry one of the sliding doors off to access the interior.
For adhering weights to rolling stock, I’ve been very happy with Gorilla Waterproof Caulk & Seal (below). It holds very well, stays flexible after curing, and fills in gaps for any less-than-perfect flat weights.
Even a thin film of it holds well for weights that you want to have a low profile - e.g. hoppers and gondolas.
Tom
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Hello
Agree, go through a door. The picture shows it’s a separate part. If the door was glued with CA, it should pop off.
CA is not flexible its down fall, but that disadvantage will be a plus here.
Pep
Now that I think about it, I remember reading on the MRH forum that CA (superglue) becomes brittle if you leave it in the freezer for a while.
Marc Simpson: MRH Forum, Sept. 17, 2018
I would drill a hole through the floor, squirt in a generous amount of canopy glue, tilt the car back and forth to distribute the glue, then let the car set upright for several days.
Some glue may leak out but enough will remain to secure the weight and canopy glue will not attack the plastic.
Mark