Hi All:
I recently picked up an old AHM Alco C424 at a flea market and, when I went to clean it, I found that both of the truck covers were broken. The little tab/clip on the back had folded back and was put back in place with super glue. One of the fixes has broken and I am trying to locate replacement truck covers.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Unfortunately with something that old (1970s-90s), the options are to keep your eyes open for a deal on another AHM engine that has the same style trucks and cannibalizing it for the parts you need, or to keep an eye on like Ebay and look for someone who has one and is disassembled it so they can sell each part separately.
Super glue (cyanoacrylate) has the wrong characteristics for tabs with lateral tension. I suspect you may want to try a blob of a good high-strength two-part epoxy both at the broken end of the tab and to form a ‘fillet’ behind it, if there is room. This may a bit more difficult to remove if you want to get the ‘cover’ back off later.
In theory you could make up a small spring of bent sheet that would engage the notch, or file a piece of plastic stock and ‘weld’ it in with a heat tool like a soldering iron tip or wood burning pencil.
Welcome to the forum! I see that the loco has an identifier under it (Made in Austria). It appears to be an old Roco engine, sold under AHM at the time. The TCA Western site says that “Roco (also) manufactured FM H-10-44 engines in HO gauge for Walthers, Alco C424 diesels in HO for AHM, and Baldwin Shark Nose A+B Units, Alco FA-1+FB-1’s, EMD E7A and EMD E9A’s in HO for Model Power.”
My bet is that it would be the same truck cover as their other locos sold at that time. Maybe you can expand your search. I would bring the part to a good hobby shop and see if they have a part from one of these locos, and see if it would fit. I see these engines sold used everywhere - the drivetrain is very robust.
Simon
