Hi guys. I bought a really lovely custom decorated Accurail outside-braced boxcar at a swap meet. The car’s wheels make a weird, almost haunting, groaning sound going around my not-even-very-restrictive curves. I suppose I could just put some metal wheels in but I wanted to replace the trucks completely. How do you get the peg out? There isn’t much to grab and my pliers are slipping. Is there a trick to it? Also, do you have a preferred wheelset or truck set for these particular cars?
I agree with Dave, Matt. I’d also give it a twist both before and as you begin to pull it out. Don’t feel as though you’re obilged to chuck the frames, however. Accurail makes a quality one. An upgrade with Intermountain or maybe Kadee wheelsets is reasonable, though. As is reaming out any flash in the journal cones with a Micro Mark truck tuner. If you don’t have one, it’s worth the investment. Finally, a tiny spritz of powdered graphite in each cone. You may not be a high roller, but you’re certain to be a free roller when you’re done.
You can toss the pin if you don’t want to mess with it in the future. I think you can swap it out directly with a self-tapping 2-56 panhead screw. Other guys can confirm or adjust this last suggestion.
I would echo Dave’s recommendation and add to use a twisting motion like turning a screw as you pull,…gently!
If you need needle nose pliers, you can get decent ones at a box store, Harbor Freight, and a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s for between $5 to $10 that will last you a long time.
Rethinking, could it be that the previous owner might have glued the pins in? If so, you could try a drop of de-bonder. If that doesn’t work, you may have to bore out the pin. First, you’ll have to cut away the pin’s crossbar or better, drill a guide hole dead center. Then a slightly larger drill to separate the head of the pin from its shaft, and finally a 2-56 tapping drill for the shaft itself.
If it turns out the plug is glued in place, maybe try just changing the wheelsets and see how it works. In my experience, the Accurail plastic wheelsets aren’t very good, but the trucks themselves are OK. I’ve used NWSL (NorthWest ShortLine) wheelsets, but most any 33" wheelsets will work.
Thanks All. Great help here. No, I don’t think the peg is glued, because I can turn it. I just can’t get a grip on it with my needle-nose pliers. I suppose I need to get down the Harbor Freight and get some pliers with a finer grip.
But surveying your answers, maybe cleaning the axle cones and putting metal wheels in will be enough. The ghostly moaning sound has that sort of feel to it, like it might be coming from tight or schmutzig cones. And also it only happens on curves, which I suspect puts pressure on the inside cones. Anyway I’ll try that first and leave the peg alone.
Problem solved. Stopped in at my LHS today and while he didn’t have Intermountain, he did have Walthers 33" metal wheelsets, so I put four of those in the car and it runs perfectly now. Getting that pin out is a battle I can fight another day ha.
As was already suggested, just grab the truck ang gently pull it and the pin free from the chassis. As was also mentioned, replace the pin with a screw. I usually glue the pin in place, cut the head off flush and drill & tap for a 2-56 screw.
I also will pull the coupler covers, cut the pin off and drill out a hole in the cover where the pin was and use a short, 3/16" 2-56 screw to screw the coupler covers on.
I did this to all of my Autoracks last year after having several covers come loose while running on the modular layout at a show. They never come out at home, but have a group of people watching and wham, everything comes apart
Why not leave the pin out completely and just use the 2-56 screw? That’s worked fine for me with any of my rolling stock kits. There’s enough “meat” inside of the bolster hole to hold threads. The ID of the hole also centers the screw as it’s cutting the threads.
I also don’t bother with a tap, as the supplied panhead screw that comes with the kits does a fine job of cutting threads all by itself.
