How To Open Up 1920's Era Rivarossi Passenger Cars?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have a couple of Rivarossi passenger cars from their 1920’s era series that have loose lead weight rattling around inside.

Is there a way to open up these cars so I can reattach the weight?

Thanks

Tanked

2

Yes. You’ll find six clear plastic tabs on the bottoms of the car–two towards each end and two in the middle. Simply press these tabs in slightly, lift the roof at the same time, and the roof and the window glazing come out as one unit.

Tom

3

Thank you.

You are correct.

Unfortunately it appears a prior owner thoughtfully glued the roofs on!!.

Odd question, but the tabs are under tension against the inside of the floor- how do you hold 6 tabs open at the same time, & grab the roof? Do you jam them open with toothpicks or some such method??

Tanked

4

Tanked–

Your previous owner was being FAR too cautious, the tabs were meant to hold the roof on by themselves w/o any glue. If you can hold the car and rotate it gently with an opposite motion from end to end enough to snap the roof from the sides–or run a thin blade down between the roof and sides–then all you have to do is press in two of the end tabs, to start lifting the roof off, then do the same to the middle and the opposite end, and the roof should slide right off along with the window glazing.

Tom

5

TankedEngine:

The way I take off the roofs is take a flat screw driver and gently push the tabs up through floor from underneath. As you found out, there are six tabs. With a gentle nudge you can push the tabs through and then grab the roof with your finger and pull.

Why some one would glue the roof I don’t know but, you may just have to push a little harder on the tabs. In many cases I have lighted my Rivarossi’s. I use them to add tail lights to trains, both red and white, and drum heads as well. I use the battery packs that fit in the coach and use a AA battery.

When I add batteries and the like with lighting, I just clip off the tabs and slide the roof and glazing down into the coach, and the friction usually holds things in place. NO tabs! I do this because it is easier to change the batteries and remove the roof.

Robert Sylvester, WTRR

6

Sometimes glue bonds can be broken by placing the cars in the freezer.