So I found this old thread below with tips on removing the roofs of Walthers passenger cars. Question: Can anyone post a quick video or maybe a few pictures of the “twist” method described in the thread? I want to try this but these cars are expensive, and I want to make sure I’m doing it right.
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/107811/1244838.aspx#1244838
They are tougher than they look. Although you will break some of the tabs they really not needed at least in the ridiculous numbers than hold it together. If you will hold it cradled in you hand palms up just slowly twist until it pops. You can help it with your thumb or index finger pushing at the lip between the roof and sides. Hope this helps.
Steve B
There’s not much to post, really. Grab it by the ends and twist it like you’re wringing a towel. As was said, you relly don’t need the tabs, and there’s enough of a lip to press-fit the roof back on anyway, much like the Rapido roof.
I have mebe 100 Walthers passenger cars, and havn’t always found the twist method works. Could be because I just don’t want to push it beyond a certain point. The good news is that I’ve never broken a tab doing the twist. The bad news is that trying to do it by the instructions usually leads to 1-3 broken tabs. Sometimes a roof won’t lie completely flat with missing tabs, but I found that Sinbad glue is strong enough to repair them. I’d rather open most any car than a Walthers. Rapido, Branchline, MTH, BLI, all easier.
Hal
Why does Walthers make them so difficult to remove? If other brands have a better way of removing roofs.
I’ve broken some tabs, and had to either remove them completely, or try to glue them back. And then they never sit perfectly flush.
I’ve had some luck trying to get the tabs up on one side first, but it’s never easy. Once the roof is off, I go back and remove the very bottoms of the tabs so they don’t lock in place anymore. The tabs by themselves are enough to hold the roof in place.