# Train car body repair



## Old feller (Mar 30, 2012)

Currently working on a 652 coach, The body has some damage.
My questions:

1) What type(s) of glue in your humble opinions work best on AF car bodies? This is a crack that extends to the exterior as opposed to the screw post type cracks.

2) Has anyone tried to repair a broken out piece of body plastic with a piece cut out of another junk car body? I am thinking of trying trim the hole square and glue in the same size square from the junk car. Kinda like how to repair a big hole in sheet rock.

btw I did spend some time searching the forum, I now see why it is helpful to be somewhat concise in the thread title.


----------



## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

oldfeller said:


> Currently working on a 652 coach, The body has some damage.
> My questions:
> 
> 1) What type(s) of glue in your humble opinions work best on AF car bodies? This is a crack that extends to the exterior as opposed to the screw post type cracks.
> ...


I use CA.. Don't ask what it stands for, I couldn't spell that in a million years.There is a thread on here about making a mold from a good part of the car body, and then using that piece to fix the broken area. Check some more threads, you should be able to find it.


----------



## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

If your 652 has Pullman on the side with opening vestibule doors it is made out of Bakelite. If it has American Flyer Lines with fixed doors it is made out of styrene plastic. Almost all 652's are the Bakelite version. CA should work but Bakelite can be difficult to get good adhesion. "Hot" glues designed for styrene will not work.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Ca glue is great for cracks. 

For a small hole smooth surface I tape from the outside and backfill with two part epoxy. Later sand and paint I also go with plaster mold for detailed surfaces. 

I am not sure what you are working on but these are options.


----------



## Old feller (Mar 30, 2012)

Bakelite it is. Tried CA (cyanoacrylate adhesive), I looked it up, only succeeded in sticking my skin to the inside of the car.
Since bakelite, then I assume model airplane glue,(a styerene glue?) as we used to call it, wouldn't work.
As damaged as it is, I guess there is no loss if I don't get it perfect by trying, already learned something.
Thanks, will keep searching the threads.


----------



## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

So, good news then from your unplanned test! By sticking your finger to the car we know that CA will adhere to Bakelite. Perhaps you just need a good industrial strength gap filling CA to bond the parts together.


----------



## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

I don't have any first hand experience with this but I have read that people have used JB Weld to repair Bakelite transformer cases that are broken or cracked. Might be another option.


----------

