HELP!
Can anyone tell me how to remove the shell from the frame?
I removed the couplers boxes, but I cannot figure out how to separate the shell from the frame.
Why don’t they tell you how to remove the shell in the instructions? Arggghhh.
Rich
Instructions for shell removal are on the Atlas website: Support, general support, locomotive shell removal.
A couple of comments:
The brake chain: GENTLY pry the brake cylinder on the side frame off,with the chain attached. That’s as far as you go.
Finding those darn tabs is very tricky. They ARE there. Get a bunch of toothpicks. when you’ve got one tab pried off/open, stick a toothpick through to keep it open. Or: you’ll be sooorrrrryyyy!
When you finally get the darn thing off, glue the body to the frame. Cut off all the tabs. You know, the nasty little thingys. You won’t be needing them 'cause the coupler box screws do a fine job. And the NEXT time you want to take the loco apart: piece of cake.
All the above is a suggestion. Think while you do. This isn’t the most fun loco to take apart. As you now know.
GOOD LUCK! It CAN be done. I did it twice. So far.
Ed
Ed, thanks for the reply. I never even gave the Atlas web site a thought.
I really appreciate your help.
Thanks again.
Rich
Rich,
You’re welcome.
A word: patience. No. Make that PATIENCE. And calmness. Yup.
Ed
I am going to take a break and go golfing.
After several days of procrastination, I decided to take on the challenge.
Before trying to remove the shell, I went after the gears in the trucks first, hoping to discover the reason for slower than normal movement. I lubed the gears, but it made no difference. So, I began the task of removing the shell.
After 90 minutes of overly cautious prying and twisting and whatever, I simply could not get the shell to budge. I will try again later, but if anyone has any words of wisdom, let me know.
Rich
Figured we might as well have the direct link to the Atlas shell removal directions:
When the paint cured on the shell…It will act like the shell was glued on…making all attempts to remove it frustrating, when removing it for the first time…run into quite a few like that over the yrs.
Have Fun! [swg]
Frank
The loco is 11 years old, and I bought it new. The shell has never been removed since the decoder, a dual mode decoder, was factory installed. I want to get at the motor to oil it so I can see if that will improve its speed. It used to run pretty fast, but when I recently pulled it out of the display case, it ran slow, not a crawl, but slow.
I opened the trucks by removing the covers, thinking that maybe the gears were either dry or that the lube had solidified. But, they were fine.
The shell has six tabs, three on each side, front, center, and rear. The tabs snap onto matching protrusions on the metal frame. To remove the shell, you need to spread open the bottom of the shell to free the tabs from the frame and then lift the shell up and off. When I started the process this morning, the shell did not want to separate from the frame, probably for the reasons that Frank stated. But after careful and continued working of the frame with a small screwdriver blade, I have been able to work the shell free.
But, I still cannot get the shell off the frame. First, I cannot see the tabs, so I cannot confirm that they are free of the frame, and it is extremely difficult to get toothpicks wedged in to hold the shell away from the frame.
The other problem is trying to grasp the frame with one hand while lifting the shell off with the other hand. The entire assembly is just too tight. I have tried to use a pair of snipe nose pliers, acting like forceps, to lift up the end of the frame while pulling the shell in the opposite direction, but no go.
This is very frustrating.
Rich
Rich,
Don’t have the GE, but did have to dial up the instructions the other day to get the shell off my FM switcher. It wasn’t clear there what to do exactly, either, but I found that rocking the shell side to side on the frame while following the instructions, rather than fore and aft, seemed to help it release.
I am going to give it another try in a few minutes.
Of course, my biggest fear is breaking something, and there is much to break.
Rich
Rich,
It’s my opinion that you HAVE to have all the toothpicks in. And doing their job.
And I’ll risk being insulting by reminding you that the coupler boxes have to be removed.
Yes. A Royal Pain. When/if you get things apart, be sure to glue to body to the walkway and cut off all the tabs. Again, my suggestion.
Ed
PS: I built a frame out of styrene strip that supports the loco upside down. It’s basically four prongs that go up and meet the walkway surface. The prongs are glued to a spine. You can have the loco upside down, hands free, and no detail parts touching. Works for me.
Well, well, well. The shell is off. I expected it to begin to loosen. I did not expect it to suddenly come off in its entirety. But, it did. I felt like a dentist trying to pull a tooth with those forceps. I did manage to break one tab, but following Ed’s advice, I will probably clip off the other five anyway.
Ed, no insult taken, but I had removed the coupler assemblies. As for the toothpicks, I could only wedge them in the front, but not the middle or the rear.
Can you post a photo of that styrene strip? I am not understanding exactly how you use it.
Now, my question is, where exactly should I apply drops of oil on the motor and drive train. This loco has a flywheel on each end of the motor, each connected to a universal, bearing, and worm gear.
Any advice would be most appreciated.
Rich
I used gear lube on the two worm gears and a drop of oil on eaching bearing, and to my great pleasure got the slower Dash 8-40b running virtually at the same speed as its two mates. Life is good once again.
Rich
Rich,
The words “styrene strip” jogged my memory. I now recall that I used strip styrene instead of the toothpicks. Something like .015 x .040. I pried each tab over enough with a teeny screwdriver (or similar) until I could slide the strip in. On most of them, I could position myself so I could see “daylight” and then slide the strip through. Really not fun.
I’m glad you got it open. I’m pretty sure practice helps, so your next one should be easier.
As to your actual question about the styrene strip: I’ve decided that, for most of my locos, I want a jig that will hold the loco while it’s upside down. I know some people use a trough made of soft material, but I’m still wary of damaging detail that way.
So.
For locos that have walkways (as opposed to F units, fer example), I build a thingy that has four vertical prongs that stick up. The loco sits on these, upside down; and it rests on them through the walkway. The prongs may or may not be all the same length. I’ve built abut 6 varieties of these, so far.
Anyway, the four prongs are glued to a central spine. So it looks like a little critter lying on its back with its legs up. Cute. So cute.
Sorry about misremembering the toothpick/styrene strip thing. I think I was mixing up the various versions that I read about while doing research on how to, yup, get these darn locos open.
But you got your loco open. The desired effect. Hooray!!!
Ed