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 Posted - July 29 2012 : 8:31:36 PM
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A lot of the early Phase l PT powered, and Rivarossi powered Phase l 630 Alcos, couplers are often broken off and missing since the box or draft gear is a separate piece that has two prongs that slip into the truck underframe. I went to run one of my Alco 630s today with that type of truck and decided to try a fix.
The picture shows what I did with plastistruct sheet and Kadee replacement draft gear. Cut some of the sheet to size, file a notch so it will slip through the slot, file the back of the plate to plum up the coupler and glue things together with a Tenax type glue.
I could reinforce these, the next time, by making the plate in an L-shape to glue to the top of the box. I can use a sharpie to blacken the plastic.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on July 29 2012 8:32:28 PM
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Posted - July 30 2012 : 9:32:14 PM
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Here's a Gen ll Alco, or PH l PT, with a similar truck underframe as the big Alco.
Alco Fan
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Posted - July 30 2012 : 11:29:59 PM
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| Hey, thats a pretty cool fix. Have you tested it yet? How many cars or what type of train have you been able to pull? I just wonder how strong the glue joint might be? Maybe it's just me, but in the past I've always had iffy results just trying to get truck side frames to stay put with whatever that black shiny plastic is that Tyco used under the trucks.
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 Posted - July 31 2012 : 03:10:43 AM
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Nice replacement for a hard to find part.
Ray
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 06:32:02 AM
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Ray,
Thank you.
New Hudson,
Thanks I have epoxied the boxes on the metal tongue of Mantua locos and they seem to last. The original draft gear on the 430 Alco pictured is not as heavy as the replacement so I hope it will last, of course I was hoping to find original parts and that's tough to do. I'll need to test it in lash-ups and long consists for sure.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on July 31 2012 06:40:15 AM
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 12:56:19 PM
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The Plastruct and the Kadee box are both styrene, so they should hold together very well. The slippery plastic the truck underframes are made from is Delrin, and it doesn't glue well. It will hold better if you roughen the mating surfaces with sandpaper and and CA the sideframe in place.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 2:49:44 PM
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Nelson,
Good advice about the CA and the side frames, I use epoxy to do that and somtimes Pro-weld as a quick fix. I just left the LHS and got a new bottle of Pro-Weld that I used on this project. I want to be able to slip this out of the slot on the under frame in case I need to.
I need to learn to use CA.
I could work this fix to use the Kadees if I wanted and could have spare draft gear ready to switch as needed.
Alco Fan
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 5:03:13 PM
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AF, I'm surprised you've had any luck with Pro-weld on the sideframes, since the Delrin underframes are impervious to solvent. You don't have to use CA... thick glues like contact cement, Gorilla Glue, etc. should work well too.
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 6:41:33 PM
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quote:AF, I'm surprised you've had any luck with Pro-weld on the sideframes, since the Delrin underframes are impervious to solvent. You don't have to use CA... thick glues like contact cement, Gorilla Glue, etc. should work well too.
Originally posted by NickelPlate759Â -Â July 31 2012Â :Â 5:03:13 PM
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Nelson,
The pro-weld softens the paint and it sticks or swells inside the opening. I have a tube type glue but it takes to long to dry, I haven't used it much and it smears easily. I'll look into the others :)
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on July 31 2012 8:18:22 PM
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 8:31:35 PM
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Some GP20s also have this kind of draft gear. I have an original IC GP20 that has Alco side frames and the seller's packer broke the box off. I set out to fix it the same way but noticed the coupler didn't have the clearance and stick out like the intact rear one so I added a strip of plastistruct to the part that fits in the under frame slot then re-attached the coupler box.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on July 31 2012 8:35:58 PM
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 9:44:27 PM
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quote:
Nelson,
The pro-weld softens the paint and it sticks or swells inside the opening. I have a tube type glue but it takes to long to dry, I haven't used it much and it smears easily. I'll look into the others :)
Originally posted by Alco Fan - July 31 2012 : 6:41:33 PM
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AF, this stuff would do the trick.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Amazing-E-6000-Craft-Glue-2-oz/17808713
They call it craft glue, but I glued a can motor to those rubbery motor mounts in an old Atlas/Roco diesel, and I don't think it's ever coming loose. It can be really messy, but it works. I notice they also package it for automotive use.
The Tyco Depot
Edited by - NickelPlate759 on July 31 2012 9:45:28 PM
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 10:05:31 PM
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Nelson,
That stuff must be great. Thanks.
Alco Fan
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Posted - July 31 2012 : 11:24:55 PM
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So I'm curious, how well does the phase I Alco compare to the PT Alco's in performance?
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - August 01 2012 : 1:15:01 PM
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quote:So I'm curious, how well does the phase I Alco compare to the PT Alco's in performance?
Originally posted by rgcw5Â -Â July 31 2012Â :Â 11:24:55 PM
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They are both slow but steady. The ones I have may not be broken in yet. The 430 in the above pictures is in mint-like condition showing very little wear and the same with the ICG Alco. It takes a lot of throttle to get them to moving.
Alco Fan
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Posted - August 01 2012 : 8:42:54 PM
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How is the RR 630 noise-wise? Their square sleeve bearing motor was their noisiest, so I'm guessing it has quite a growl.
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Posted - August 01 2012 : 10:17:18 PM
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Actually I have 2 of the ICG and one is slow and one is smoother, no wooble but it is a growler.
Alco Fan
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Posted - August 01 2012 : 10:33:29 PM
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Put one of their old ball bearing motors in it. That's a neat sound. 
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Posted - August 02 2012 : 06:41:27 AM
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quote:Actually I have 2 of the ICG and one is slow and one is smoother, no wobble but it is a growler.
Originally posted by Alco Fan - August 01 2012 : 10:17:18 PM
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Alco Fan
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Posted - August 03 2012 : 09:47:02 AM
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Correction:
quote:So I'm curious, how well does the phase I Alco compare to the PT Alco's in performance?
Originally posted by rgcw5Â -Â July 31 2012Â :Â 11:24:55 PM
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The early PH l Alcos, with running-gear by Rivarossi are growlers and do start off without much throttle and are good pullers. I answered that question incorrectly and I'm sorry to flip-flop on this issue :)
The early power-torque C430 is slow to start and uses more throttle to get it moving rut seems strong, I haven't run that one too much.
Alco Fan
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